Restoring a French Antique Maple & Rosewood Chest of Drawers C1830/40 (Part One)

In this video presentation Simon walks us through some of Gilboys methods of restoring an antique French Commode Chest, dating from the Louis Philippe period of France's history.
Simon begins the restoration of the chest by carefully selecting period antique oak from Gilboys storage container. The oak is then cut and dimensioned to be used as replacement drawer runners which Simon installs without compromising the original structure of the antique chest. The runners are then glued in place using traditional hot melt, hide glue. (also known as Scotch Glue or Pearl Glue) Each runner is hand planed to fit each drawer.
Simon then goes on to repair the missing 'birds eye maple' veneer, by hand selecting an almost perfect matching period maple veneer from Gilboys chest of old veneers and antique furniture parts.
The next stage of the restoration process is replacing the small areas of missing Rosewood mouldings. Unusually for Simon, instead of using period wood sourced from Gilboys extensive stock of antique wood. He demonstrates a very modern way of replicating the moulding, using rubber moulds of the original parts and two-part epoxy resin.
Simon also explains and demonstrates the potential harm that can be done to antique rosewood by sanding it. 25:23
In part two Simon will go on to very carefully strip and sympathetically refinish the chest of drawers.
Simon was trained by www.dartington.org/ as an apprentice French Polisher, at the Dartington owned Staverton Joinery.
With business mentoring from 'The Prince's Trust' Simon opened his antique restoration business in 1994. Gilboys now operates from a beautiful purpose built building nestled beside the River Dart and alongside www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/
Video Index
00:32 Introduction
02:35 How to recognise your drawer runners are worn
03:31 Sourcing antique oak from the storage container
03:45 Bandsawing the oak
04:22 Planing the oak
05:37 Fitting the new oak drawer runners
08:22 Applying Hot hide Glue
09:46 Nails : the hidden danger
11:06 Planing the runners
12:31 Installing the repaired drawer
16:09 Reinstating the moulding
17:22 Veneer repairs
19:20 Matching the veneer
20:07 Cutting the veneer
23:23 Replacing the missing moulding
25:23 Advice when sanding old rosewood
28:30 Making a rubber mould for the moulding
30:25 Pouring the epoxy resin
32:09 What to do with the rosewood knobs

[@alangknowles]

Liked how you hid the veneer repair with random shapes instead of straight lines.

[@GilboysRestoration]

Yes. On figured wood it works even better. Thank you.

[@rjcvintage1027]

Brilliant, cheers Simon.

[@buttonman6262]

Beautiful work as always! Never knew that about Rosewood!👀

[@GilboysRestoration]

Yes. It can easily catch you out if you not aware. 🙂

[@Cradley684]

Great video Thank's for the share, can't wait for the next one, have a nice day all !!!. 😀😀👍👍.

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thanks, you too! 🙂

[@helenaneumann1872]

Thank you. I'm looking forward to part 2!

[@cathyj4127]

Really enjoyed part 1 as it was so interesting. Looking forward to part 2.

[@GilboysRestoration]

Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

[@MrSeanc1972]

Great video - looking forward to part 2

[@deborahtoynbee6046]

I am trying to restore a Georgian chest of drawers and have exactly that problem with all the drawer runners and couldnt think what to do! Now I know and can get on with it. Thank you - as always your videos are full of info. Looking forward to part 2 😊

[@GilboysRestoration]

Glad I could help. 🙂

[@susanwatson1599]

I so enjoy watching your videos as I always earn something useful, such as sanding Rosewood will result in it turning black. I had no idea and will keep this in mind. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and will look forward to the second installment..

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thanks Susan. I'm glad to be of help. Many thanks for watching 🙂 Simon

[@richardhutchinson4016]

Thanks for another informative video. Never thought of adding runners like that - makes sense for this piece. You did not reveal the secret. I think I see a “secret” bonnet drawer that you have not shown us. Fun.

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thanks Richard. 🙂

[@aruancallado1825]

O jacarandá é madeira nobilissima e a Mata Atlântica do Brasil, deixou-nos um legado de magníficos exemplares que foram outrora dizimados sem controle algum. As árvores remanescentes, são raras e constituem um tesouro para quem as possui em suas terras. O corte é proibido hoje, sendo autorizado apenas em exemplares de replantio e sob controle. Infelizmente não possuem a mesma qualidade dos antigos, pois, para chegarem ao nível de excelência, são necessários MUITOS anos de crescimento. Especialistas têm um método específico para saber a qualidade da árvore antes de cortá-la (bater com um bastão de madeira em seções do exemplar para conferir o som de retorno). Aqui encontramos muitas peças em demolições de antigos imóveis, onde eram utilizados para sustentação de telhados por serem extremamente resistentes ao ataque de pragas e umidade. Outra madeira de qualidade e beleza idênticas, também encontrada em iguais condições é a IMBUIA. Uma bela madeira com diversas nuances que produz requintadas peças de mobiliário e revestimentos. Também difícil de encontrar nos dias atuais por aqui...

[@robancill4908]

I also really enjoyed this looking forward to next segment want some of your hard wax oil aswell

[@GilboysRestoration]

Thank you. I hope it's useful and gives a little insight to the world of restoration. I hope you like our Hard Wax Oil. 🙂 Kind regards Simon.

[@antonzemanek7770]

❤

[@safayatsafayat8006]

Hallo i am from Bangladesh,

[@GilboysRestoration]

Hi 👋

[@jeanine6492]

Great video! Is it just sanding that results in rosewood turning black? Would a cabinet scraper produce the same results? Did I hear right that chemical stripping doesn’t turn it black? Thanks and looking forward to p2!

[@GilboysRestoration]

Hi Jeanine. Thanks for watching, Yes using a cabinet scraper to plane the surface will also do the same. However you can use a cabinet scraper to remove the old finish. ✅ I'm just editing part 2 now. (20th July 2023) Best wishes Simon

[@bloggalot4718]

Is it possible to add dye to the resin liquid prior to pouring?

[@GilboysRestoration]

Yes. I would have thought so. I possibly could have added a colour to it using universal tinting stains. ✅

[@mattclutterbuck9318]

Hy could you tell me where to buy animal glue. Thank matt

[@georgeoldridge]

Won’t gluing the new drawer runners to the drawer base stop it from moving seasonally would it be better practice to add new wood to the drawer sides.

[@GilboysRestoration]

Hi George. I do explain my reasoning in the video. 🙂. I will also wax the runners before delivering it. ✅

[@oldthudman]

So.....Where is part #2

[@GilboysRestoration]

Give me a chance. 😝 Part #1 only came out on Thursday. I'm filming it this week. ✅ 🙂

[@RobtheRestorer]

I wouldn’t want to be the restorer trying to fix that drawer in the future 😂

[@GilboysRestoration]

I don't mind constructive comments. In fact I welcome them. But comments with no foundation? Rob, please explain your reasoning without sarcasm.

[@richardhutchinson4016]

I don’t see the problem with this technique in the future. You used Hyde glue so the repair runners could be stripped of easily if necessary for future repairs. You have both cross grain and long grain glue surfaces on each piece. I suspect the cross grain glue will fail over time, but the long grain surfaces should hold. All they need to do is hold the runners in place, gravity is doing the rest. Looks good to me.

[@RobtheRestorer]

@@GilboysRestorationsorry for the sarcasm. I apologise. I do think you do great work. The problem with this repair is the drawer base can no longer expand and contract. It will crack soon and will be a nightmare to remove those runners. I know it’s hide glue but from experience it will still be a pain in the butt to reverse.

[@fmkaffen]

Very bad, the cross grain will cause the drawer bottoms to split. Woodworking 101

[@GilboysRestoration]

We've successfully done this for years.