Queen Anne Tea Table

Each summer I do a Colonial furniture making demonstration at a historic site.  At the end of the summer the piece is sold at an Art Show for a contribution to help support the Clarke County Historical Association.  In the summer of 2022, by request, I built a tea table similar to one I built a few years ago. I only keep a workbench and spring pole lathe on site.  I transported the few tools I’ll need for the work I’ll be doing on Saturday, along with some tools visitors could practice with.  The built took 2 1/2 months and the finishing required 6 weeks. 

While I don’t usually put antique finishes on my pieces, the grain pattern of the top (The board came from near the base of the tree), made it a better choice for this project.  The order of applications were:  A blend of brown mahogany and antique cherry aniline dye; A shop made stain (burnt umber, cadmium red and cadmium yellow, turpentine and tung oil as a binder;  A wash coat of garnet shellac; General Finishes Georgian Cherry oil based Gel Stain; Another wash coat of garnet shellac; 12 - 15 very thin wipe on coats of Minwax Antique Oil Finish; A rub down with 4F Pumice stone followed by polishing with Rottenstone dust; A shop made black wax (Bees wax, Carnauba wax, lamp black artist oil based paint, turpentine and coconut oil) finished the process.

This type of volunteering does generate interest in woodworking and is a good way of promoting the work of SAPFM - I keep brochures available.   For those who want to earn an income from it, after 2 years volunteering at an historic site, you would have all the commissions you would want.