Thread: Restoring red cedar desk

the first thing you have to ask is...is it worth it.

As for the broken rotted bits...the only viable solution is to cut them off, turn up duplicate replacement and join the replacements on with heavy circular tennons......realy this is clever work and requires considerable skill and commitment.

Ask ya self, is it better to restore such a basket case, or cut it into small pieces and burn it to keep you warm.

cheers

If the top is good, its worth spending some time and perhaps learning some new techniques to make up new bottoms for the legs. I've done it before. If worst comes to the worst then make up whole new legs!

Pix would help a lot.

If the legs are separate items and not incorporated into the carcase then I'd just turn new legs.

Otherwise I - more or less - agree with Soundman. There's no point in trying to "patch" what's there... if that's all the effort you're willing to expend then it's really just firewood.

However, personally I wouldn't fit the lower legs as he suggests; that's basically introducing a weak point for future failures unless you know what you're doing. If you're willing to spend the effort (for practice or sentimental reasons or whatever) then it'd be far more effective to carefully disassemble the whole beast and make complete new leg sections.

It's not really what I'd call a "casual" job...

Thank you all for your responses. Burning for firewood is not quite the answer I was expecting but I do appreciate your reasoning behind such a comment. There is more work involved than I was anticipating. I have a reasonable level of competancy with woodwork and don't mind taking the time to do the job properly but turning timber is not something I can do so would have to out-source this component (therefore... is it really worth it?) I guess I hate to think this piece of delapidated furniture can't be given a new life.

Hey grub! What does the top look like? Is that a good piece to fit over another desk in better condition underneath? Would be like restoring a picture.

Unfortunately the top has been replaced with pine! I'm sorry I was somewhat misleading in my description. It is a red cedar base with turned legs and 3 drawers. The bottom of three legs have dry rot and portions missing. The remainder of the frame is solid.

Big, thick desk top of contrasting color. You're a finishing guy = inlay the drawer fronts and whatever else into the new wood. That saves the good stuff to look at.

If your "red cedar" is what I think I've seen, it's a stunner to look at. The western red cedar here (Thuja plicata) is soft and the same rust color as a '27 Ford.

Thanks for your reply Robson Valley. Your suggestion is what I had in mind to do. My biggest concern was the options available for the bottom of the legs and it looks like turning new bottoms would be the best option. Just need to find someone up for the challenge.

Far be it from me to be able to give clear advice, a picture though is always worth a thousand words as it will explain so much. What I am saying is if it is NSW/Queensland red cedar (not that rubbish western red cedar stuff), then chopping it up and buring it would be sacrilige, especially if it is an antique desk.

Sorting out the leg bottoms which are rotted out is do-able, albeit a relatively skilled job, the alternative is yes to replace the legs. Again depending on the height/proportions of the desk, one option is to have some legs turned up, the other look at ebay under cedar furniture in the antique section. Such items seem to turn up on a semi regular basis. I myself have one or two such sets of antique cedar table legs.

Again, just because the top has been replaced in pine, my question next would be what sort of pine, hopefully not radiata as that is firewood, but on the other hand if baltic, kauri, huon etc, then no problems. Given your description of the desk it sounds interesting, and again if an antique piece then please don't stain. Such pieces should be finished with shellac. That is, essentially be french polished. It is not hard to do, it just takes a little time and effort but the rewards are huge.

Obviously your desk, your choice, just trying to offer some suggestions. If you want to see what can be achieved have a look under the Restoration section and look at Lawry's thread on his old english oak desk and see what he achieved as a first time polisher. The results were really excellent.

Originally Posted by Horsecroft88

Obviously your desk, your choice, just trying to offer some suggestions. If you want to see what can be achieved have a look under the Restoration section and look at Lawry's thread on his old english oak desk and see what he achieved as a first time polisher. The results were really excellent.

Awww..shucks fellas!!! Awwww!!