Heavily Restored Teak Benches

[kevin dwyer]

Here's two teak benches restored fairly recently. The first one I scrubbed clean and then lightly sanded, the second I just sanded clean. They are 50 years old and were not in particularly good shape. Both had rotten tenons at the back RHS so some woodwork was necessary. For the arms I cut a 3/4 inch slice out and replaced it with mahogany to give me a new tenon, slither is glued in with 3M aero epoxy. A new mahogany rail for under the seat slats on each bench and I sliced one bottom rail in half longways and laminated on a piece of oak. The benches were being stained with dark teak oil so I just used whatever wood was in the workshop.

The second bench had to be completely taken apart to get at a broken slat and some damage to the back rail where a small piece of oak is epoxied in. Any joints that didn't get taken apart had some expanding glue squeezed in and a peg.

 

[deserter]

Just out of interest, why do you use different timbers in your restoration protects? Is it to use the different strength properties or something?

I ask because I would of thought that the different woods would exhibit different colours and grain patterns also surely restoring an antique with different timbers will remove its credibility as an antique.

I'm not flaming your post just interested in what you are doing.

 

[Wildman]

I think he has already answered that one.
Quote
The benches were being stained with dark teak oil so I just used whatever wood was in the workshop.

 

[deserter]

I understand that but doesn't it stop then being acceptable antiques with that type of repair?

 

[soulboy]

with the types of glue he is using, it's not restoration merely reparation, so other materials dont matter either!

 

[kevin dwyer]

with the type of glue I'm using you could sail this down the Thames ....

 

[deserter]

I don't think he was suggesting the glue wasn't up to it in terms of strength, more that it isn't a conservation type of glue.

 

[soulboy]

@deserter, antique values are based on attribution and/or historical context, materials, condition, etc, changing any of these will effect that value. In good quality restoration the materials used should be matched as closely as possible, including the adhesives.
I am not suggesting using conservation standard adhesive on a relatively modern piece but aircraft grade epoxy is overkill even for hard-worked joints.
Don't get me wrong , I use epoxys, PVA and PU adhesives but I know when to use them or Isinglas, rabbitskin or animal glues so I know whether I'm repairing, restoring or conserving items. (apologies if this sounds a little pedantic, its because I am )
chris

 

[deserter]

That's what I wanted to know, I want to restore a chair for use in a reading area and was unsure if modern glues would ruin the credentials of the finished item.

 

[kevin dwyer]

A pedant is a person who is excessively concerned with formalism and precision, or who makes a show of his or her learning. Wiki. Not a good thing.

 

[woodbloke]

A pedant is a person who is excessively concerned with formalism and precision, or who makes a show of his or her learning. Wiki. Not a good thing.

YOUR point of view, not everyone else's...please remember that! Some of us like formalism or/and precision, the Spanish table is neither - Rob

 

[kevin dwyer]

go away angry person