Vintage rolltop desk repair and sympathetic restoration

[@lisajllewellyn3131]

Excellent...I agree, it's all about seeing the cat, lol❤😊

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Always!

[@dougalmcdougal8682]

So much more character and quality than most modern furniture, and it probably has a few stories to tell …

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thank you Doug - knowing the owner I’m sure it does! Hope you enjoyed that after a wee break!

[@GilboysRestoration]

Great work Bruce. Nice to see you back on KZbin. ✅👏👏👏

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thank you Simon!

[@pitsnipe5559]

Very well done. Of course you do know we’re here for the cat. 🐱

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Always! 😀

[@patientorlando1306]

Lovely and sympathetic refresh...you can do so much without having to go back to bare wood. Best of health to your Pa🥰

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Many thanks!

[@georghalder2816]

Hy Bruce! So nice to hear from you. And, as always, so interesting: I've never heard of a flap valve that is held together with wires instead of fabric back. But here's the thing: no matter how old you are, you can still learn, every day. Thanks for that! And it never ceases to amaze me how beautiful old, well-tended oak can look (especially after a master has taken care of it). I'm working on a piece of furniture myself at the moment, where I have to be careful not to do too much, not to go too deep. Your example in this video confirms this for me. Thanks! All the best and, if you like, greetings and best wishes to your dad. And, of course, to your Bengal-princess! Georg

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Many thanks Georg - great to hear from you and I’m sure you will do a great job on your restoration. Thank you

[@xistacio]

Well worth the wait. 😉 Thanks for also taking the time to share it.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Many thanks much appreciated

[@grahambaker9377]

Nice sympathetic restoration and stunning cat

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thank you very much!

[@crabtonia]

Excellent...and yiur Quality Control Officer is a treat...beautiful markings and classy-looking...just like the Work yiu do...dgp/uk

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thank you!

[@markjewers8914]

So nice to see something this beautiful given the attention to detail it deserves and with your usual care. Great to see this pop into my inbox…. well overdue! Thank you.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Many thanks Mark - very much appreciated

[@AdventureswithLewis]

Defiantly found my new favorite woodworking channel. You need to get more regular with your uploads! I'm here to watch every one! I particularly appreciate your blending of historical analysis/exploration with your work. An Aberdonian coming to you from North Carolina.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Awesome, thank you!

[@DrMcampbellDC]

Great job! After a long day at my office it's nice to unwind watching your videos. With a nice single malt of course. :=)

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Many thanks …and …slangevar 😀

[@sfoss9470]

Looks like a small version of my beauty.

[@Quaker521]

Always nice to see one of your notifications pop up Bruce and even more so when we get to see you do another beautiful job. It must have been good as it got Toffee's seal of approval. I've still not given up hope of getting a roll top desk but to tide me over I have just acquired an ex government (50s/60s?) oak desk. I have just made a start on it and can only do this having watched yours and similar videos. Thanks for the upload.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Many thanks for all of your support. Good luck with the desk!

[@iangallacher1458]

Great job 👏

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thank you! 😃

[@megabit101]

Stunning work!

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thank you

[@keithrosenberg5486]

I like it!

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thank you Keith!

[@lindatschappat6252]

This isn’t a criticism, I’m truly asking: Would a thin coat of wax in the tambour track have helped it open and close a bit better? If not, why is that not advisable, perhaps it could ball up and prevent opening? Love your content, thanks for sharing.

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Yes …the easiest way of doing this is rubbing a candle on the inside of drawers (and tambours!) and it certainly helps.

[@lindatschappat6252]

@@TheCottackWorkshop Cool, thanks. I've watched it being used on flat drawers but wasn't sure if the smaller and more numerous tambour pieces might continuously catch and shift the wax causing issues. Much appreciated.

[@angelakelly3679]

Great job as usual hopefully minus some cat hairs haha

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

I hope so too!

[@pricklypear7516]

Lovely work. But what does this desk sit upon when it's not on your workbench?

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Ah …the owner, a retired professor from Aberdeen university decided to restore the base himself and only commissioned me to do the top.

[@hybridchild8393]

Minimal interference, truly sympathetic restoration

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Thankyou!

[@westsidewil]

Do you hand sand everything? If not, what brand sander and brand paper (grit size) do you use? (Just watched your other desk restore video)

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Depending on the criticality I do both hand sanding and power sander. I have a Makita orbital sander and a Festool orbital sander, both of which are great for their particular applications. I like 3M cubitron paper. Thanks for watching and commenting

[@williamrenno1264]

My roller top is not held with a string but appears to be a cloth type material. The bottom with the lock is separated from the rest. How can that be repaired?

[@bwestbrook90]

Is there an email I can reach out to you? I’ve got a customer asking about a project just reinstalling the tambour. I’d like to ask about pricing and stuff like that. I’m across the pond so I don’t suppose we’re in direct competition 😂 Any advice would be very helpful!

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Hi, no problem. [e-mail]

[@shawnpatrick3456]

Hey do you happen to know anything about the lock on this roll top desk? I Have what I think is quite possibly made by the same company and probably around the same time and I want to restore it which is how I came across your video which we as extremely helpful by the way and thanks for making it. Anyway if you have any knowledge or info or ideas please respond and thanks again for the awesome video

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Many thanks - good to hear it is helpful. I wrote a blog about restoring a box with a lock on my website. There is a link to lock identification in there which may be of interest. cottack.com/projects-with-stories/f/a-story-about-a-box

[@shawnpatrick3456]

Hey thanks I’m going to check it out right now

[@annetodd4626]

I love watching renovations but I can do without cars. Not a fan I’m afraid.

[@annetodd4626]

Sorry that should read Cats

[@TheCottackWorkshop]

Fair enough