Shopsmith Forums

I have this antique bed footboard that was handed down to me and I have been holding on to it without much idea of what to do with it. A while back, I saw a bench that was built using an antique headboard as the back and I liked the idea. I could make a smaller version and put in my daughters' room. The idea has just been simmering since then.

Yesterday, my dad gave me a... plank... of Cedar that someone had given him. It is actually two pieces screwed along the length at an angle. Dad has no idea what purpose it served the previous owner. I thought this might make a good seat for the bench. Mocking it up, I'm just not sure I like it very much. I just don't think the 2 pieces work well together.



Opinions? Any ideas on how to make it work better? Is there any way these two pieces could work together?

Some questions about each piece.

The cedar was finished on only one side. The other side wasn't touched. And it has a bunch of holes and rot? areas.



The underside is even worse.



I'm thinking maybe I should fill and seal these with some epoxy?

The footboard was an antique when I was a little kid and my grandma was using it as a headboard on the bed I slept on when I visited. I needs to be refinished, but I'm afraid of damaging it. It has several layers of paint (the top one a pretty rough paint job). I don't know how I would sand it without sanding away some of the detail in the curves. But just spraying it with my air compressor has exposed bare wood in some places.



What is the best approach to take with this? CitruStrip, a 3M pad, and a fresh coat of paint? Intricate and careful sanding and staining?

I don't have many answers for you, but I will mention a caution about sanding what is probably lead-based paint. Lowes sells respirators for $40 and less that will filter lead dust out of the air. I would do it outside away from the wife and kids.

The closest thing I have done to your footboard is a dresser my great grandfather made. I tried striping with chemicals (don't remember which one) but it was a terrible and messy job. It just smeared more around. I ended up sanding it down. I used a small wire wheel on a Dremel for the grooves in the routed contour around the top and drawer faces. Yes, it softened some of the edges and lost some of the detail, but it worked. And after all it was a really old piece of furniture that wasn't going to look crisp and new no matter what I did. It turned out pretty well. I just went slow and methodical with the Dremel.

I'll answer your first question first Heath.
IMHO You are right. They don't go together at all. If you want to make a bench from the antique part it should be a lot lighter and less rustic than the firewood.

If the cedar has sentimental value, then yes, S1 sealer will seal and stop the advance of the rot. The stuff is formulated very thin and will go places that diesel won't go.

The paint is a matter of elbow grease any way you cut it.

Paul M

Heath, I agree with you that the two pieces don't go together. The cedar is too bulky to match with the delicate nature of the antique headboard. Perhaps making a simple bench that will stand on it's own and then attaching the headboard to the bench would work. That way there wouldn't be any stress on the headboard. If you do a Bing search on "hall bench image" you'll come up with lots of design ideas.

If you want to test for lead, you can pick up a kit for that purpose at places like Home Depot. Chemical strippers are messy and tedious, but they do get the job done. You can twist steel wool around string to clean out the grooves. Steel wool dipped in lacquer thinner also helps loosen stubborn spots.

heathicus wrote:...
Yesterday, my dad gave me a... plank... of Cedar that someone had given him. It is actually two pieces screwed along the length at an angle. Dad has no idea what purpose it served the previous owner. I thought this might make a good seat for the bench. ...

That cedar plank looks like the seat off an old horse-drawn buckboard. underside looks as if shaped to fit the iron seat supports.

Looks too good to burn, anaways

pennview wrote:You can twist steel wool around string to clean out the grooves. Steel wool dipped in lacquer thinner also helps loosen stubborn spots.

I'm going to remember that tip - thank you.