Two: Comparisons.

The process of refinishing this table is already ripe with metaphor for life and relationships. Here's a few of the more obvious ones.

Relationships, friendships, marriages, and tables...

- If put together properly with time and care, are difficult to take apart.
- Require a variety of tools to work on. Or to maintain.
- Sometimes require you to walk away and think for a bit.
- Have stubborn bits. And surprisingly easy bits too.
- Are rarely what they appear to be on the surface.

One: Beginning.

I'm rebuilding a table, and at the same time, myself. Although, refurbishing would be a better word, because the table doesn't need that much actual building (and hopefully neither do I). What the table does need is a wash, a scrape, to lose some old pieces, and gain some new ones. And then a finish, that protects and preserves.

This is the beginning. Throughout the process I plan to capture the steps, and discoveries, and revelations. This blog is a place for me to write all these things down, before my mind pushes them  back into the further reaches of my sometimes-spastic memory.

Her she sits as I received her, nearly 100 years old.

Small flaws.

Woodwork.

I wonder how many meals were consumed at this table top...

Solid construction.

Interesting spaces. I wonder why?

Not quite sure what's going on here, but I think I'll leave it.

Marks from the hand saw that cut this board, I believe.

Mallet is my new favorite tool.

Rough schematic.

Minor casualty. Easily fixed.

This one gave me fits.

And the top is off.

Shop rag under the hammer claw. New favorite wood preserving technique.

A glimpse of the original wood, and of what's to come.