Thread: Baby Rocking Cradle restoration

Hi all,

first up big thanks to Major for informing me on posting methods. Took me a while but now got it sorted. Here are some pics of before and after of the latest project completed. The original piece was made by my late Grandad, but over the years the support frame eventually disintigrated. The actual cradle was still in good nick and only needed a touch-up. It did need a re-polish and was not looking forward to sanding back all those turned post's, however a lightning bolt struck me and I decided to give my newly acquired Ubeaut 'EEE Shine' and 'Traditional Wax' a go. Ubeaut'y all right, saved me a heap of time and frustration, great product Neil. So I set about making a new support frame for the cradle with my own design and trying to keep within a suitable design.

Mortice and tennon join's.

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Hi Rocker, can your tennon jig do angle's like this? If so I will have to get plan's from you.

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Here is the crappy jig I mashed together for the tennon's.

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Glued some pine block's to leg's for clamping with my MEGA TUFF knotty pine sash clamps

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Penciled pattern on one side by hand, then cut with Jigsaw (lucky I have a kick-ass DeWalt jigsaw, but man do I need a Bandsaw, next on the Must-have's list) and then just copied remaining 3-side's.

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Frame glued up and small profile routered for extra touch, ready for stain and polish.

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Cradle in it's pre-resto condition, made by my Pop.

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Finished pic's. All brass wear(which was also made by my grandad) was stripped back with paint stripper, polished with bench machine and Mop, and then re-coated with Incralac. I tried my best to stain the Vic Ash to match, but it was the best I could do. Should have searched for a timber with more similar character, but, we live and learn.

Anyone have an idea what timber the cradle is made from?

enjoy, martrix...