Restoring An Antique Handmade Victorian Balloon Chair

Hi! Today on Spooks Tools I show myself how I restored a load of old firewood my father dumped on me and make it into a chair.
This Victorian/Edwardian Balloon Back Chair was hand-made in Beech, and originally had a cane seat. My father inherited or found it and used it till it fell apart. He took it apart about 20 years ago and sanded it down and kept it in the loft until this week.
The chair had many missing pieces, but was dry and free of woodworm. So I used some glue and old bits of wood to tack it back together, and using some old foam and pillow case I found lying around, made a cushion for it. After the video completed I added some pegs to the bottom of the front legs to make it a little less like the leaning tower. My father will be suitably impressed hopefully.

[@janelaing2866]

This really made me smile. I traditionally upholster period furniture - what can I say just loved your attitude but....man you cannot be serious 🤣

[@vincentfiore2228]

As a former repair person, I must say this young man does not know what he is doing!

[@markphillips6154]

I think you better watch Thomas Johnson restorations for a few years

[@RobertoDonatti]

I'm going to have nightmares tonight!

[@sharonblubaugh9305]

This was fun to watch!!

[@vintagecraft1]

I give it a thumbs up for comedy factor. Well done old chap. Give my regards to Jacob Reese Mogg. Sometime we learn more from "How not to".

[@peterkoza4448]

This video was really different. Will you be using the chair at the front desk for a garbage dump office?

[@571951rhoehn1]

What should you do if the seat frame has so many holes in it because of so much refinishing? Should you glue a veneer piece over the seat frame so the tacks can fine spot that doesn’t already have a hole

[@pureheroin9902]

"unfortunately, we've chopped it up"

[@UrraSergio]

Loved it! It seems to me that the only (big) mistake in this video is the term "restoring" that appears in the title. Nothing in this video has to do with that term. I would like to see more of these recoveries made by non-egotistical and non-professional people. I find them nice. Title suggestion: Playing with the Remains of an Antique Handmade Victorian Balloon Chair

[@janelaing2866]

Absolutely my sentiment 😊 loved it

[@michaelkimbrell6672]

The poor chair, I would not let me mom have a sit to it, let alone "fit for a king".

[@MusicFilmArtLover]

I have yet to see one comment that explain how he could have done it better. No reference video or nothing but negative comments. If you are so concern about beginners learning it wrong (like myself) post a link or describe what he did wrong and how he could have fix it the correct way. I plan to start my own channel on restoring furniture but my gosh, the comments are discouraging. I respect the craft but plan to learn by watching masters on KZbin and practicing on my own.

[@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164]

The things he has done wrong (as with his other acts of vandalism) are far too numerous to even begin to go through a step by step critique. -------------------> Buckminster Upholstery, Thomas Johnson Antiques, MPFConservation

[@jerrylincoln3671]

That was a very Terrible Restoration Job. Done very poorly. i cannot count the things you have done wrong.

[@terrigelbaum8066]

I so agree with you. I was screaming at my monitor," no don't do that."

[@lucasdornez178]

I think its a "don't do this'' type of restauration ... If its not your job or if you don't know how to do its correctly don't do it...

[@markphillips6154]

Lots smarter to finish the word first before you put the upholstery on

[@andregatinhobrancomiau]

This channel r.i.p

[@Maajailm1314]

Poor chair. It was painful to watch. You should take it to a professional who knows how to do it right.

[@ranjeetchahal3291]

Whats with the funny accents??

[@spookstools9054]

Erm, this is a British accent, called Received Pronunciation, with a Welsh lilt

[@ranjeetchahal3291]

Ermmm interesting......I live in Oxford so that one is new to me. Sometimes your accent is strong Welsh and other times sounds really messed up lol

[@Tignarius]

Very funny but don't take up furniture restoration for a living, you have to have some basic hand skills and a modicum of common sense......

[@magsdoneit1068]

Omg I’m not a professional and do this as a hobby and this is by far the worst restoration Iv ever seen but fair play fir trying

[@kevinnorton7314]

I think you did a poor job just to see what reaction people have to say

[@pault8470]

Do you really talk like that or are you playing a character ? How strange .

[@aalesund1904]

Ridiculous!

[@gr1mrea9er82]

Why do such a crappy job on restoring wood and fitting the pieces ? Padding usually goes all the way over the edge of seat.

[@rycho662]

Too few activites, too much bla, bla…

[@williamtomlinson994]

Obviously not a professional restorer