Another Trade Me purchase a while ago was a small (600mm diameter) side table, advertised as 'solid mahogany', but with a damaged leather top.
When I picked it up it was immediately apparent that, although the legs looked mahogany-ish, the top was most definitely plywood. A quick look at the underside revealed its provenance - made in England in the 1970's. Oh well, after some negotiation I purchased it anyway for $30, with the aim to do 'something' with it. Real leather for a replacement top seemed to be difficult to find in the sort of thickness I was after, so the table sat on top of a cupboard in the workshop for several months.
Then, on a visit to a specialty plywood merchant recently I noticed some leftover loose veneers of Sapele Pomelle or figured African Mahogany (Entandrophragma cylindricum) for sale for $3 each. I bought three sheets, each one not quite big enough to cover the table top.
These are modern machine peeled veneers, only 0.5mm thick and they were already starting to split, but maybe I could come up with an appealing pattern.
By the time I discarded the damaged and split pieces there was just enough for eight triangular sections. Having never done any veneering before and not having access to a vacuum press or hide glue I though it would be a good learning exercise at the least. I made up a board using 20mm MDF wrapped in kitchen paper to stop the glue adhering to it.
Then I glued the veneers using standard wood glue and placed the board on top, weighted it with a very flat paving stone and then clamped everything in place.
Unfortunately, as I suspected, the veneer wrinkled quite a bit due to the water content in the PVA glue.
To add to the problem, I managed to sand right through the wafer thin veneer in a couple of places in attempt to flatten out the wrinkles.
Next, the copper plated aluminium claw feet were pretty scruffy - bare patches of aluminium were showing through. Based on my previous success re-plating the steel wardrobe handles I thought this would be an easy fix.
What I didn't count on was just how reactive aluminium is in a hydrochloric acid solution. Adding insult to injury, two of the feet dropped off the wire hangers into the etching bath and by the time I fished them out the feet looked like this.
Never mind. The table is still perfectly serviceable, even with its wrinkly top and missing feet. Here it is with about six thin coats of shellac applied.
Not a complete success, but a great learning opportunity.
To add to the problem, I managed to sand right through the wafer thin veneer in a couple of places in attempt to flatten out the wrinkles.
Next, the copper plated aluminium claw feet were pretty scruffy - bare patches of aluminium were showing through. Based on my previous success re-plating the steel wardrobe handles I thought this would be an easy fix.
What I didn't count on was just how reactive aluminium is in a hydrochloric acid solution. Adding insult to injury, two of the feet dropped off the wire hangers into the etching bath and by the time I fished them out the feet looked like this.
Never mind. The table is still perfectly serviceable, even with its wrinkly top and missing feet. Here it is with about six thin coats of shellac applied.
Not a complete success, but a great learning opportunity.
