Angus of Menstrie Edwardian Roller Top desk - full restoration, repair and upgrade.

We received a call about a roller top desk. The mission was to restore Grandad's desk - restore ... not paint ... not "upcycle" - bring it back to life! We love this sort of challenge and fully support the intention. Part 1 includes bringing the desk back to the workshop, disassembling the desk and a lot of sanding
This is part 1 of 2.
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Thank you!

[@Lord-Panda2112]

Your video was good but mostly narrative and theory overview. I would have enjoyed seeing the practical demonstration too. Enjoyable nonetheless.

[@jonskye99]

Love the cat

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Me too!

[@katepang1]

Love this project. Such a thoughtful combination of repair, restoration and modification to give this furniture a new lease of life.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thanks Kate! It was a really nice piece of furniture to work with and I think you'll appreciate the final result...

[@sharonbland9061]

I have just started flipping furniture x my late father was a carpenter/joiner. Girls could not do woodwork at school or go to caperpentry college back in the 70s so the extent I can get to wood is flipping lovely old furniture which they don't make like they used too x thank you for your video I find lots of inspiration x

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thank you Sharon ...I remember being at school at the very end of that era in Scotland when all classes were co-educational except for 'technical drawing' and 'sewing'. Woodwork/metalwork and cookery classes were mixed but not tech drawing and sewing. I am about to renovate a 1930's Singer sewing machine and hope to get it working! Glad you are getting something from the channel and all the best with the furniture flipping!

[@Stevelux60]

Perfect timing as I'm in the process of doing exactly the same thing myself, repairing a desk that belonged to my father in law. I think I will bring it up to date by adding a sunken power strip into the desk and maybe a wireless charging point

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Nice! All the best with the restoration and mods

[@commandaalexander5068]

This is fascinating - thanks Bruce! Looking forward to Part 2.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Many thanks - just putting the finishing touches on Part 2 and will publish soon!

[@irenem698]

Looks like a lot of work involved... Can't wait to see the end product!

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thanks Irene! Glad you are enjoying the channel - more to come soon.

[@brendisparks269]

Love the time lapse! Love just watching you do what you do. Keep the restoration videos coming! Can’t get enough of these videos.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thanks Brendi!

[@scottreeves1226]

Your site just came across my page. Fine style and balance. But I was won over by the cat.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thanks Scott! She is a cutie ...and knows it. More to follow.

[@GT_Racer347]

Excellent! 👌😍

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thank you!

[@robbiemer8178]

Sometimes the ytube recommendations work out. :) This was enjoyable to watch, and I appreciate the way you are approaching this desk. Looking forward to part two! Also, nice pen you're taking notes with.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thanks Rob! The pen is a starwalker in metal and rubber with an extra wide nib and green ink. I've had it for years and as far as I can tell they are no longer sold new anymore. I really enjoy writing with it and as a lefty I need all the help I can get!

[@MrLakridsbat]

I would have tried to get the cable hole in a brass finish or paint it brass. Chrome almost never pair well with antiques.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Good suggestion! I must admit I had that fitting left over from another more modern project ...brass would be better here.

[@JamesDeese]

Interesting internal dialogue on the restoration/renovation conundrum.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thanks James - appreciate your comment. It has become a theme for the channel since the very first video which covers the conversion of a semi grand piano to a bookshelf. The piano could no longer be tuned and was stuck in a garage but had huge sentimental value to the owner who had inherited it. Since then I've made videos of repairs and restorations for an Antiques shop and it is a completely different conversation - 'how much did it cost? how much to restore? what do people like? how much would it sell for?'. What was fun in this case was the desk had sentimental value but is also going to be used as a working desk in a home office. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@zangsax]

so exasperated watching people paint and "pickle" beatuiful wood furniture. Thanks for doing it right.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thank you - the owner was very clear and I fully agreed so it was worth the time and effort. Glad you enjoyed.

[@user-tr3ww8eh8r]

good

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thank you

[@52memor]

When you took the bottom off the desk top there was a blue card . That was an Embassy Cigarette "5 Bonus Points" That card must be as rare as rocking horse shit. Millions printed I wouldn't think there are many in existence.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Wow - thanks for taking the time to spot this. You are correct there were a number of bits and pieces which had been trapped under there. One was a receipt for a fishing permit from 1978 and yes an Embassy bonus point card which from the same era. Following your comment I've done a quick bit of searching and yes they are still collected! This one isn't in mint condition and looks like they change hands for about 1 pound / 1 euro each ...which is pretty amazing for a small piece of paper from forty years ago. I suspect there may be more 'sentimental' value for the owner to have something of her grandfather's time owning the desk. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment - really appreciate this.

[@WasLostButNowAmFound]

Hello fellow lefty!

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Ha! Well spotted

[@trusteehiggins121]

My cat is exactly like urs! She’s a pain!

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

😺🐾

[@kimnguyen1227]

Hi, can you please provide the kind of glue you used? I was wondering too, why didn't you glue along the vertical of the existing strips?

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

I used Old Brown hide glue, available in many places through Amazon. It needs to be warmed up for use. I'm not sure I fully understand your question but I tried to put as little 'new' glue onto the tambour but still retain strength and flexibility. Everywhere else was a nice and solid so I really only needed to patch over the splits I had. Hope this makes sense. Kind regards.

[@DoakWillis]

How did you get the polyurethane off? Did you use chemicals or just sanding?

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

I used off the shelf non methylene chloride water based paint stripper suitable for home DIY.

[@DoakWillis]

Tank you. @@TheCottackWorkshop

[@doinaway]

Was that an Embassy coupon in there?

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

It was indeeed! A few others have commented on this and I have replied futher down the comments section ...yes they are still collected - probably worth a £ or so!

[@stevesilver3291]

If an Edwardian oak roll-top desk is from turn of the 19th century then did you mean 1800-1820? You specified 1900-1920. These dates would make it the Twentieth Century. The 19th century was from 1800 to 1899. FYI

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Steve - thanks I can see how the text was confusing ...these desks were made throughout the "turn" of the 19th century into the 20th century and I only said 'turn of the 19th' - sorry. Some were made in the 1890's and usually fixed with dowels. This desk had slotted wood screws suggesting it was in the Edwardian period, the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910. Thanks for watching and keen to hear any other slip ups and ommissions!

[@enriqueg2971]

Se supone que este video es instructivo para los que queremos restaurar algo parecido, lo empece a ver con espectativa. Lejos de eso no explica nada, muy malo. Saludos

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Lamento que no haya encontrado lo que buscaba. Si hay algo que le gustaría que cubriera con más detalle, hágamelo saber. (I'm sorry you didn't find what you were looking for. If there is anything you would like me to cover in more detail please let me know.)

[@janiceperla5506]

Why don't you show what you're doing

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Hi Janice. I can show more if people are interested, I just wasn't sure. Some early feedback on the channel was some people just wanted to see transformation and yet others wanted an explanation. I also didn't want to have people watch hours and hours of sanding (there was a lot of sanding on this project). I will try and show more of the techniques in the next round of filming - thanks for the feedback.

[@monirul0814]

You might as well showed us before and after in 1 minute and be done with it.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

That would certainly save your time and my time. I have a feeling that is what TicTok is more aimed at? Perhaps I should set up an Instagram account and just go straight for before and after pictures and miss all the boring dusty messy bits out completely.

[@ILOVEYOU-pt8vi]

A load of nonsense.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

I wonder if you mean the translation or the content? Sorry if it is not for you.

[@mercoid]

That tin can voice audio of the client on the phone was fingernails on a chalkboard X20. Awful! Because of that, I stopped the video, never to view your channel again.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Sorry it's not for you

[@gillesetien5915]

Bla bla no good!!!!!

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Sorry it's not for you Gilles.