Broken Rolltop Desk Repair, a Furniture Restoration by Fixing Furniture

[@stephenmcgeown]

It's always a pleasure watching your videos, Scott. I love the processes you take the projects through, leading to amazing results. And the videos themselves are so well produced. I can't imagine how many hours it takes to edit! I always recommend your channel on woodworking repair discussions online.

[@FixingFurniture]

Awesome! Thank you so much for your support and for your feedback!

[@Jaso0n1986]

I guess Ill never complain about my space. Holy smoke you have a tight spot. Your videos always make it seem so much bigger.

[@FixingFurniture]

Yeah, Laurie and I have been thinking about ways to find more space... that will require us to move. It's something we might do in the next while to fix that problem. Buy a workshop with a house (kidding).

[@krenwregget7667]

@@FixingFurniture Hi Scott, we live about an hour east of Vancouver and while real estate prices have somewhat stabilized, they are still inflated. I know you're in Ontario somewhere, wondering what prices are like there as I'm sure we'd all love to see you enjoy a bigger shop.

[@cynthiaknell9575]

What a wonderfully educational video. The tambor door has always been a mystery. Thanks for the tip on backing with linen, using hyde glue, and refreshing an acid-eaten finish. Your easy-going style is a pleasure to watch as well.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you for your feeback. I appreciate it! Scott

[@geneard639]

One of my dad's closest work friends, Mr. Calvin, had a rolltop desk from the old GM&O Warehouse that was a former Executive's Custom Rolltop. It was the personal computer of the day. This desk? Highly polished, Foot Base was Teak, Base cab and drawers were Mahogany, Upper Cubbies were Cherry, Upper Uprights and Tambour Door were Rosewood, and all the fittings were Gold plated solid Brass that wasn't cast but either forge work or lathe work, the inner Tambour Door fabric was a rich Wool and Silk Brocade in a bold Paisley Pattern in Red with Gold accents on a luxurious green background with Dark Green Ribbons, like 3 or 4, tacked in staggered Gold Plated Brass Decorative Tacks. The Drawers sides, back and bottom themselves were solid Cedar. Mr. Calvin got it for the asking and because of its size and weight about 8 big guys were taken to both break it down (top from drawers, drawers from the base feet unit) and get it into a truck. It was big, heavy, shiny and had not one but two locks on the Tambour. It was AWESOME! Every time we went to Mr. Calvin's? He let me play with it looking for all the hidden drawers and cubbies. He said he found a solid Gold Double Eagle in one of the hiding spots! I never found more than 12 spots but he told me one day there were 16 he knew about but there were 21 altogether according to the bill of sale. Awesome childhood memory! Took me years to realize every time I found treasure (a few random modern coins) Mr. Calvin was just feeding my imagination. I've always wondered where that awesome bit of history is at now.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks for sharing that story. Sounds like it inspired you. Cheers. Scott

[@robynw6307]

What an incredible desk.

[@Pete.Ty1]

👍👍👍 Your work ethic is beyond reproach, outstanding. Thank you Scott

[@FixingFurniture]

Much appreciated

[@SandyL0uise]

Great touch depositing an envelope in the slot. I wanted to see that. 😊

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you mentioned it - I was wondering if there was value in filming that. I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing that. Scott

[@iandalton3839]

I worked in TV for 30-odd years. You're doing a good job, unlike some others that won't even listen.

[@FixingFurniture]

Wow, thank you! I appreciate your feedback. Scott

[@sixcylinders6346]

Lovely piece of work there Scott 👍All that’s left now is to rebuild half your garage again and you’re good to go 😂

[@FixingFurniture]

Lol, yeah I think I'll wait for the cold weather to start before I do that. Cheers

[@katherineharper-sj4ys]

Great video Scott. Enjoyed the repair and the information on the stain matching. Can’t wait for the trunk repair.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks. The trunk repair will be a fun project!

[@leslieberkowitz2753]

Scott I am a recent convert and love watching your excellent videos. I am into fixing furniture and am constantly learning so much from you. Is there a forum where I can pick your brain re done if my challenges? Many thanks for your great channel from Johannesburg, South Africa. Les Berkowitz

[@FixingFurniture]

Hi Les. Two options for you... you can join the Fixing Furniture Community here www.fixingfurniture.com (we have a member from South Africa in the community) or you can purchase a 1-on-1 advice session where we can discuss your projects, tools, processes etc. - see woodenitbenice.ca/collections/woodworking-advice-sessions

[@garyjones2582]

I can't really give you any advice on your videos, but I can tell you that I think you do a fantastic job, not only in repairs but in the editing process as well.. Take care and God Bless...

[@FixingFurniture]

Wow, thanks!

[@RissaFirecat]

Wow, you did an awesome job with this rolltop desk, and the mail slot is genius! I am a new subscriber

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@RissaFirecat]

@@FixingFurniture I’ve never enjoyed watching someone put together a roll-top more. I’ve seen a couple of them done, but the other two used canvas, which I am sure will fall apart for the reason you stated in your restoration.

[@terrmaso]

Great work as always. I haven't had a roll top come through for repair, but I know that will change.

[@FixingFurniture]

I'm sure one will come to you at some point, and now you know how to repair it. Cheers! Scott

[@F0XD1E]

Nice restoration! That trunk looks like it's going to be a real piece of work!

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks. Yes, the trunk needs a lot of work to repair damage from years of use. It will be a fun project! Scott

[@gingerdunn6590]

Great job I love rolltop desks I'm looking for an old one . I want to fix it up I have all my dads tools .He used to take me to work with him and taught me a lot about fixing furniture and other things. Prayers 🙏 and Love 🤟 From Oklahoma

[@wayneswonderarium]

Oooh! I love rolltop desks, also I can't wait for the new trafalgar castle piece!

[@caroltanzi29]

Scott: great restoration. All that additional work just to start the job. That was really something. Carol from California

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks Carol. Yes, Laurie and I have been thinking about a larger workshop recently, but it means moving. Something we're considering.

[@Cradley684]

Great work Scott, love the video and love those old roll top's great furniture !!!. have a nice day all !!!. Brian UK !!!. 😀😀👍👍🏁

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks Brian, you too!

[@SparrowStockwell]

Excellent work, Scott!

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you kindly!

[@stevehubner560]

i have enjoyed your video immensely thankyou!

[@gpanizzolo6090]

Muy buen trabajo! Excelente restauración. Lástima que hayas tenido que desarmar la aislación de la entrada, pero bueno... hay que cumplir con los clientes. Te mando un abrazo! Germán, Lomas de Solymar, Uruguay

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you so much! Scott

[@jeffpetrimoulx6806]

I'm looking forward to the steamer trunk. My late wife got one from her grandmother, and we both talked about repairing it. It is buried in my garage right now.

[@vikingbeard]

Thank you for another magnificent free restoration instruction. It will help me repairing my tambour door. I appreciate how you explain everything in a calm serious manner, using old natural methods. It¨s all very unusual. You deserve a bigger space with natural light and fresh air, where you can move stuff around easier. Also nice too see a glimpse of your beautiful nature. But the restaurant looked disgusting, no wonder many Americans are getting fat.

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you enjoyed it! Scott

[@j.chappel1160]

Wow! The garage door is process!

[@MKHobson]

I'm a seamstress in a small studio too. I always have the "Tetris" theme song playing in my head. 😂

[@FixingFurniture]

Lol, sorry to hear that, but it gives me some comfort I'm not alone

[@jomercer21113]

What a handsome desk! The dark streaks in the grain could be a dark wood filler, which was commonly used in older furniture to smooth out the surface of open grain woods like oak and walnut, and also to contrast against the the unique lighter color ray fiber pattern in quarter sawn oak.

[@FixingFurniture]

Oh cool. Thanks for sharing that! Scott #tip

[@krenwregget7667]

great project on a beautiful piece with excellent results and some clever fixes along the way.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you very much!

[@glencrandall7051]

Well done. Thank you for sharing.🙂🙂

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks for watching!

[@pete_ski]

Great repair and a great piece of furniture!

[@trevinkurz2038]

What year was this desk and who was the maker

[@gretchen_needs_a_dog]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you like it! Scott

[@emeraldqueen1994]

My mom has a trunk similar to that 🥰 wonder if they’re from the same time period?

[@FixingFurniture]

Oh, that's interesting. I haven't taken a close look at it yet to see if there's any marking for the maker or the age. We will see when I start that project.

[@isidoroperezayala1615]

Buenas tardes desde España. Me ha encantado su vídeo. Soy un aficionado a la restauración de muebles, sin ánimo de lucro, y para algún amigo. Hace años restauré un escritorio con dos cajoneras de tambor como el de su vídeo, le quité la tela trasera y para unir los pequeños listones de madera taladré un agujero pequeño en los extremos de cada una de los listones y los uní mediante un cable de acero trenzado, de apenas dos mm de grosor, e hice un remache con un trocito de plomo para que no se escaparan los cables. Siguen funcionando perfectamente. Muchas gracias por enseñarnos su trabajo, disfruto mucho viéndolo. Un saludo desde España.

[@FixingFurniture]

Wow, that's interesting. I'd love to see a photo of something like that to understand how it work. Thank you for sharing that. From Canada to Spain, enjoy your weekend! Scott

[@isidoroperezayala1615]

De nuevo, buenas tardes desde España. He hecho tres fotografías a la idea que le he citado anteriormente, pero no sé cómo unirlas al mensaje, si las reenvío desde el mensaje que me ha enviado KZbin, le llegarán a usted?

[@berryconway4296]

Another fine video. I was surprised and interested in what you had to go through to get the desk into the shop. While it's obvious you operate in a small shop I wondered just how small it is? My shop is 168 sq ft. Did you ever do a shop tour? Thanks for sharing you knowledge and insights.

[@FixingFurniture]

Yes, my shop is about 200 sq ft and here's the shop tour video kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYTGm4eKfsaFobs Glad to hear you enjoyed the video! Thanks for your support! Scott

[@craigsmith3645]

Excellent video & great job repairing. While you had the top loose, you missed an excellent opportunity to clean the desktop, would have been a nice touch. To keep them in order, I number the tambours on the inside, either in pencil or with a number stamp. I think that the last repair that was done used something other than hide glue on the first tambour & rather than relying completely on the old fabric, run it under the new wrapping the new up & onto the tambour pull. I also think your editing is very good. My only suggestion would be to keep looking at new software which could streamline your editing process. There's always new innovations being added so don't necessarily get locked in on one program.

[@robynw6307]

"So rude to chew with your mouth full" LOL I think you do need your mouth full to chew. I'm sure he meant "speak" with your mouth full. So funny how the brain slips up sometimes and we don't even realise. // Roll-top desks and steamer trunks. Stop Scott, you're making me drool. Actually don't stop - can't wait to see these upcoming videos.

[@fdort3971]

@FixingFurniture Morning Scott. Nice to start my day with a cup of tea and a new video. Glad you got to have a vacation with your honey! On so many of your other videos you impress on us the importance of direct wood on wood contact for a proper glue contact. (Trying to learn) Once you removed most of the material, why didn't you sand? If hide was used and can be loosened with vinegar and a heat gun...would it make it easier to steam the material to remove it?

[@fdort3971]

As always thanks for the lesson. I understand and appreciate the effort of recording and editing

[@fdort3971]

There's another channel I watch that lost all their videos (I suspect they were playing music in the background and yt shut them down. I don't think a woodworking channel needs music myself...that's what music videos are for. ) My suggestion is saving a copy of your videos on a separate external drive

[@fdort3971]

Well done Scot! Is it just me or is it satisfying to roll the top? I've always wanted a roll top. I recently acquired 102+ year old hardwood flooring from a local church renovation! I plan on using it in a roll top desk for myself. What a score for you to get work from the castle! You did a great job on their card table.

[@FixingFurniture]

A unique property of hide glue is that it will reactivate old hide glue, therefore it doesn't need to be stripped off to glue on the new fabric. I hope that makes sense.

[@Fluxuhfy]

So what should I do if I have some broken slats on the roll top? What would be an easy fix?

[@jimmccormick6091]

My days of wanting to own a real roll top desk are, unfortunately, behind me. I do, however, have a cost effective (cheap) particleboard covered in veneer roll top desk, and I am happy wit that. I found your video extremely interesting, and learned a few things along the way. Finally- I live across town from Chardon, Ohio. I have been to Spinner's Good Time cafe a few times, I found it to be a wonerful meal. She IS right, it DOES get a tad loud at times, so, if you want quiet, or intimate breakfast/lunch, it may not be a great choice. If it were not an hour away, I would go more often!

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks for sharing that Jim. Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed eating at Kim’s restaurant!

[@TerryProthero]

Linen was used in the making of gambesons. A type of medieval armor. I'm not surprised that you are using it here when you needed a sturdy type of cloth.

[@FixingFurniture]

Really? That's interesting! Thank you for sharing that with us! I looked it up so here's a link for anyone else interested in reading about it en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambeson

[@bobbell2355]

Scott, that roll top looks almost as big and heavy like the one that I have. You said that the part you were working on was about 200 pounds. How much would you estimate the complete desk would weigh? My desk is in storage and now has water damage (their fault) so a similar repair to the battery acid repair will be needed on a larger scale. I have someone to take care of the issue here in So. California. The rolling top should also be fixed at the same time and it was great to see the process.

[@167curly]

That was really hard physical work for you, and not counting stripping down your workshop to make extra room.

[@FixingFurniture]

I look at it as a benefit of doing furniture restoration work - it keeps me physically active. A larger shop would help, but lifting and moving furniture is great for my muscles, as long as I don't push my limits that would cause an injury.

[@richardbryant7972]

I bought my wife a very old roll top desk and it doesn’t open all the way and has a water mark on it and I don’t dare to fix it. It is helpful to see how it’s done, but above my level for sure

[@FixingFurniture]

It's good to recognize your skill level and seek out a professional furniture restorer to do the work. I've seen pieces that have been repaired by people without the proper skill and technique, and it can damage a piece of furniture beyond repair.

[@Robert-nj8io]

Great video but I got a question I ben working steady for 6 months all of a sudden it stopped what can I do to get going a gain

[@FixingFurniture]

Sorry, but I don’t understand your question. Would you please explain more? Scott

[@Robert-nj8io]

@@FixingFurniture like I sead I ben working none stop for 6 months then the work stopped and all I get now is people wasting my time how do I get more business

[@ELee-fr4tr]

This has nothing to do with fixing furniture. Your asking for marketing advice.

[@nz123nz123]

👍👍👍👏

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you

[@sharonromer6606]

👍🙋‍♀️

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you! Scott

[@pitsnipe5559]

While my shop is about a third the size of yours, you need a bigger shop.

[@richardhiggins9856]

you rrealy need a bigger shop

[@FixingFurniture]

I know, right? Laurie and I have been thinking about a bigger shop, but it means moving... something we're considering.

[@Dec38105]

squint...looks like you have a dent in your play button

[@FixingFurniture]

Ah, yes. It is a dent. I had a piece of furniture clamped up on my workbench and I rotated it... the end of the clamp hit the play button. I consider it "broken in".