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The ripper tool is always at hand but I had this Mayhew pry bar that I never used so I flattened the back and put a slight bevel on the front and it makes a very strong ripper tool.

This is the worst dog damage repair I've had to do.  Quality mahogany table - chewed to bits - filling in all done now I have to make the color to hide the fillers

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What have you done in the shop to make something more user friendly.  I had a cart and a garbage pail.  Need both but wanted to consolidate.  When I'm working and have a lot of tools out the lid covers the opening on the cart for a nice flat surface that's mobile.  When I don't need the cart it tucks in nicely next to my table saw under the fence rails.   - post some photos from your work space that makes life easier

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A customer has a backrest cushion with velcro.  The opposing tight back is a fabric that accepts the male velcro.  I've only seem velcro in strips - does it come in fabric sizes ?
SA

Call me old - call me forgetful - this morning I went to a site to remove and recover the foot rest fabric of a recliner - fabric was torn. the fabric looked the same in both directions.    4 screws out and I had a wood piece 20 in. long x 8 in. wide with foam underneath the fabric. 
The replacement fabric - 1 yard - up the roll ? - wasn't sure how they rolled and shipped the fabric to me. Anyway I made an arrow under neath the foot rest on the black cambric - - marked the fabric direction on the top surface w/chalk toward the seat - removed the fabric - layed it on the new fabric - checked the grain as I rubbed the pile - turned it end for end - made another arrow on the underside with pen -
circled the screw holes and took two photos - what could go wrong.  Now I start stapling the fabric back - needless to say I have arrows going in every direction and the chalk has rubbed off in places -  I'm laughing to myself because I'm thinking this can only happen in cartoons.  Kept cool - customer didn't notice me looking puzzled.  Yes it worked out but took an hour longer than it should have. 
So  question is - what works best  - what direction are your arrows pointing - pen on the reverse side  - chalk on show side  - tape - V snips ?  Give me a good formula to rely on -

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Went to estimate a broken foot rest.  After pulling  back the leather the wood is held down with one large staple and one screw.  1 in. thick plywood with 3/4 in. particle board underneath.  Should have held up.
I think one chair lists for $ 1400.00 - the repair will be 5 and needs shopwork.  Hope they like the price but with the springs dependent on the work it's not a quick job.
SA



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Antique maple side chair - all loose with broken spindles.  The spindle that goes into the seat are two 45 cuts epoxied together than shaped.  The top of the spindle have tapered inserts that I saw a guy do on line  this way years ago.  You drill out a tapered hole using tapered spade bits that you grind down to the profile.  The tapered fit allows you to glue in a new spindle part without weakening the sides of the existing spindle.  It works well - two sizes pictured 1/2 in. and 3/4 in. I just need to trim the top of the back rest spindle to length
SA


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A buddy emails these photos and says - you interested in this - it's covered under a warranty -
Looks like it fell of the back of a truck.  I think I'll pass - too much poor construction that I'll have to improve
SA



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Job I started today - 2 arm chairs.  Change the fabric from the beige to the green w/french natural nails all the way around.  When I took the old fabric off I could see the pull was folded under where it was stapled on the top of each rail.  I didn't try to copy that - I just pulled the fabric down - stapled it and cut away the extra.  I had to deal with loose threads so I put some liquid called fray control.  The nail heads are more difficult to cover the frayed edge than double welt but the fray control should work out ok.  Next time I need more courage to do it the other way. 


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I'm hoping to find the old nail holes with the new decorative nails and that will make this job a lot easier.

SA

 Three legs were split at the fork - many old repairs.  Customer said  "make it rock again"  - don't worry about the finished woodwork. 

Can't see the top too well in the first photo sent to me from the Upholsterer.  The top had Grandma's hand made needlepoint and they wanted to put it in a frame.  Foam had been glued to the top and staples in the top to hold the foam plus staples in the edges and the underside.  The only thing left is to touch up the staples underneath (filled with rock hard putty) and it doesn't have to be as good as the top needed to be.

Photobucket seems improved.  First it's working and beyond that when you post several photos after you copy the first one you don't have to go searching the Library to find the next one in line - it's right there.   
This seat has an unusual install - the spline was on the side so I had to position the inside rail over the corner of the work bench to prevent bouncing when hammering in the spline. This customer has 6 of them but wanted me to do one to see if she liked the job.  $ 100.00 w/pick up - delivery back -and sales tax

A decorator brings in a small round table with a scraped top.  How Much ?  - I say $ 100.00 figuring I can fix the scrape.  No such luck - tried to polish it out - no good.  Not sure of the finish so I buy a spray can of rustoleum black gloss oil paint figuring oil can go over anything.  Two coats later - the scrape is gone but the finish doesn't look too uniform.  So I buy a spray can of clear gloss rustoleum.  Mist the top - 2 coats - looking good.  The decorator comes by and says what are those lines - I don't know ?  They are in the substrate.  She says - Steve I know you can fix it.  So I strip off all the black paint - sand smooth - fill in the lines between the boards with rock hard water putty - two new coats of spray black rustoleum - looking good but as it dries it shrinks and the lines come back.  Now I'm done playing around.  I call Mohawk for a gallon of black lacquer - can't get it in quarts - w/shipping $ 50.00 a gallon.  I sand again but this time coat the top of the surface with bondo finishing putty followed by red lead finishing putty in the white color.  Top is smooth no joints between the boards showing  - 2 coats of black lacquer and two coats of clear gloss lacquer - finished this morning but maybe some rubbing out in a week.  $ 75.00 in materials and it was in the shop over two weeks.  Some jobs just test your patience and are money pits.  The decorator will make it up to me on the next job - she's good that way but once I gave a price I had to stick to it.

I had the # 7 - joiners plane and the # 3 box plane but last week picked up the # 5 Smooth plane - great tools - if you go to estate sales they give them away
Playing with these images - let me know if it works

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Business is getting quiet - I had a French Desk with broken legs and broken veneers and a piano stool refinish.  Photobucket isn't working - I'm trying IMGBB let me know if this works for viewing photos

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Another year is about to go by and there is much appreciation here for maintaining this web site.  Thanks for what you do - the time you put in - the security - and being available when we have written to you.
Wishing you; and all the folks here -  all the best in the New Year.
SA

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sg9bAjzhn6uJe2qCpek_mnpCct7XwaOE/view?usp=sharing

Photobucket doesn't work today - I'm trying out Google Share Photo.  A designer sent me to a house to see what can be done for 3 torn backrest cushions.  The inserts are a blend of down and feathers.  Three cushions are torn in the same place.  The welt stitches didn't fail but the fabric in front of the welt is failing.  All the cushions are torn near the turn.  The family are hard users and the fabric is course but the manufacturer calls the fabric high performance.  The sectional is only 3 years old - any thoughts why and does the turn have anything to do with it ?
Thanks
SA

I finally broke down and bought an impact drill.  First job to swap out new breuer seats. Customer got them on line instead of having than recaned  The screw holes didn't match.  The makita drove the screws into the beech wood with no effort.  For a long time I've been using the rockwell with a screw bit but this makita is lighter - balanced - set up with the hex chuck and no clutch to deal with like on the cordless.  The cordless have good purposes but i'd rather have a corded tool anyday.  The makita is even lighter than the orange Black + Decker. 
I'm happy with this addition - what are the rest of you using and who has the impact style drills - what brand ?
SA

Danish mid century - I have 5-6 of these to do. The back rests are all broken.  Previous repair co. put larger screws, and even drilled a hole through the side post for another screw none of which worked.  Take apart 3/4 of the fabiric fix the edge and put them back together - I have one done.  About two hours per chair. 

Old customer called and asked if I could come pick up a rocker to restore.  While I was picking it up she said - by the way I'm doing this for my Husbands birthday - it was his Mother's. 
It's a surprise and can i have it back in 3 weeks.  I said fine but when I got it to the shop it's turning into a dozen little repairs before i can even strip it.  The springs are tearing through and I'm thinking of re-enforcing the underside of the fabric without ripping it all out.  Maybe synthetic horse hair on top, muslin, dacron, and the new fabric.