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About to start renovating the finish on the Singer treadly sewing machine. The veneer on the fold-out lid is damaged in spots - has had water on it and has either craked or swollen and split, or both in places. What is best approach here? I could sand and fill I guess, or should I have the veneer removed and replaced? I have had NO experience with fixing veneer so I am in the hands of the wise (I hope :) )
Jeff
Gidday:)
Would be great to see a picture of this one M8 to get an idea of whats going on?
REgards Lou
If you sand it you will wear a hole in the veneer. Only use fine paper once you are ready to redo the finish.
If its cracked there is little you can do except put some filler thats a suitable colour into the cracks
The swollen bits if they have let go from the backing will have to be glued back down again. Without seeing where the bits are its a bit hard to generalize but on the edges you could lift the veneer with a thin knife or other too,l in the middle it will be a bit harder. If cracks are in the effected area you could use them to lift or clean out under the veneer. You may have to split the veneer more to get to the bad areas
If you can get glue under the veneer and then put weight onto it, it should stick it down but that will depend on whats underneath, sometimes its rotton old animal glue which will impede the glue. As water has loosened it you could wet the veneer more and carefully peal it off and then clean it up and redo it.
I did a piece of veneer which was what I thought way too far gone but by taking it easy I was able to get it back down just about perfect. Try a little area which is not as important first and see what success you have
Oh and when you glue put some paper between the veneer and anything you put on top so the glue will end up in the paper and not stuck to your timber or whatever else you place on it to get it flat. You can easily clean of the glueee paper after its dry.
Good Luck
Fixing this is fiddly, but not difficult. I'd suggest that you hit the local library and get some books out on fine wood working and restoration.
A Singer is expensive in good knick, so instead of practicing on the Singer you will find heaps of old stuffed up boxes at an antique auction. Practice on them and you'll soon have a new skill. Bendigo might have an antique auction, however there a a few in Melb that are run monthly. Amanda Addams is one, over near Templestowe. The damaged boxes and jewlery cases usually go for $5 - $10.
Durwood has given you the guts of the process. Its just something that you need to read about, then practice and build a technique for.
It is a rewarding skill, and with a bit of luck you'll be able to resell the practice boxes for @$50.
Thanks everybody! Gee, this is better than the library, but I will go there anyway on Monday. I love my old Singer, so will practice on smaller bits before I tackle her - figured I can pick up some old veneer from the recycling place in Bendigo as well, and maybe use bits of that on the lid if needed. Your help is greatly appreciated, and when I can find the thingy that reads my camera card, I will try and post a couple of pics of the damage - as well as the nursing chair I am about to finish.
Lets hope it rains...
Jeff