I had an oversized door on my 120 year old house. (Door was old, but probably not original.) Someone had striped off the veneer on the outside surface and replaced it with fake grained Masonite (horribly ugly). Inner window had a plastic insert. Knob and lock was so trashed it was a struggle to open and close the door. Because of you, Tom, I decided this door could be saved. I replaced Masonite with an oak veneer skin, cut out old lock section and put in a 3/4" patch about 4" x 6" and new antique door knobs and lock and got rid of plastic and resized window to fit a leaded glass one. Looks pretty darn good for an amateur (not even close to your level but...) I owe even thinking I could do it to you, Tom. Thanks. ( I did a LOT of color matching on that patch and it is pretty darn good. Again, thanks to watching you work again and again.)
I've realized that he's raised the bar on how I look at furniture and wood. I find myself being more critical and noticing things I hadn't, otherwise. Now I'm a pain in the butt😅
What a positive attitude you have Sir! Now for plan b. We just need to figure out what plan b is!! No words of despair. No signs of frustration....just a clear focus on figuring out how to get the job done!. Love it! ❤❤❤❤
I have enjoyed each and every one of your videos, Tom, but this one is truly a master class. Watching you take the time to select just the right veneer through meticulously fitting it into the top of the table - it was a beautiful thing to watch. Then the color match? Amazing. But finishing it off during a power outage was an added bonus ... For us. Thank you for this Christmas gift.
I follow many restoration channels and NO ONE has ever done (at least on YT) the salvage of a veneer with this level of technical precision and artistry, we have truly had a masterclass.
I am not furniture restorer, but I am very glad that furniture restorers have an opportunity to learn from you. As always, I am in awe of your patience and precision. Thank you.
I went to High School in Australia in the 60's. Girls did sewing and cookery. Boys, woodwork. To this day I do not even sew on buttons and I loathe being in the kitchen. I would have done woodwork in a heartbeat. Watching your videos makes my heart sing. To watch you do your amazing work, taking pieces that sometimes appear beyond repair and making them beautiful and alive again. Your skill and patience appears endless and watching your videos is truly a pleasure. Thank you
You are very welcome! Thank goodness they don’t exclude girls anymore! When my daughter went to middle school they had “tech ed” instead of “shop”, and included woodworking. Because my daughter had experience, working with me, she was put in charge of supervising the other kids on the bandsaw. We were very proud of her!
When I started high school in New Zealand in 1980, girls weren't even allowed to do tech drawing, much less woodwork or metal work. Except one girl in my year who was really good at art and was given special permission to do tech drawing. She was top of the class; beat all the boys hollow. Now, the head of engineering at my son's old school is a woman. I'm so glad times have changed!
I was in school in the 70’s here in the states. I had started sewing when I was 9, and due to my mum’s poor cooking skills I also learned how to cook. When in junior high they wanted me to take home-ec (basic sewing and cooking) ,my parents insisted I was to be in small engine shop. I was the first girl to ever be allowed in the class. I loved it , first job was mowing lawns. But wood working would have sooo much more fun.
I also went to high school in the 60’s and it was the same situation then. I would have loved to do carpentry. I missed out on most home economics classes, due to my family moving so often and not being able to get into the class as a latecomer, but managed to take grade 8 sewing, plus grade 8 and grade 12 cooking. I love both sewing and cooking, having been self taught mostly. It was borderline turn-off, when an unpleasant teacher was the one leading the way. However, there is nothing wrong with any of these technical fields, and any education you can get. I would consider starting wood-working, except I am losing mobility now, and adjusting to having others help me, so I would rather hop on my old sewing machine and go through my mountain of shelved projects. Also, I have spent a number of years working on my Faith, and in my slow, two steps up, one step backward fashion, have found this is the one thing truly worth spending my time on, as it involves my eternal situation. If I had my vitality, I would go ahead and start a new hobby. I know that healthy elders do this and contribute greatly to their community. My point is, it is never too late, so I would encourage you to go for it. Blessings from Canada 🇨🇦
I too am Australian and had the same problem. I really wanted to do woodwork and metal work but I had to do sewing and cookery. I hate both to this day. Fortunately time did change, we still have a lovely coffe table my daughter made in woodwork!
Most weekend DIYer people would have looked at that piece, peeled the loose veneer, Bondoed the piece smooth and painted it. Thanks goodness people like you exist.
I learned a lot when starting out in restoration from you, Tom. In our fledgling business, we had the opportunity to buy the broken leftover stock from a retiring antiques dealer - a once in a lifetime opportunity! We filled our barn with furniture and slowly but surely restored every piece. Katie 😊
You did a great job repairing the veneer on the top, Thomas. I always love to watch you problem solve in these situations and come up with a good solution without replacing vast areas of the piece. I know that this is one of the parts of restoration you really enjoy which is one reason you are so good at it! Thank you for taking the time to film your work and share it with us.
That top is absolutely gorgeous. I didn't believe you could make that patch work with all those crazy grain patterns, but it of course ended up nearly flawless. Really impressive stuff.
Thomas, you are a sorcerer. I remember watching my wifes daytime talk show where they had a famous make-up artist on. He said the true make-up artist will finish, and it should look like no work has been done. That the natural beauty is highlighted and imperfections blended in. You are an artist. Have a great holiday and fortuitous new year.
I really enjoy watching the meticulous techniques you use to maintain the integrity of each piece. You're a true restoration craftsman. My dad was kind of like you in his shop. But he called it " Just puttering. "😊😊
You gave this lovely old piece the respect it AND its history deserve! A very big thanks to you for showing us what a master of the craft is capable of and explaining why all-new veneer was not acceptable.
Completely unbelievable!! Man, Tom, you are a god! To see your repairs magically disappear??!! Like WHAT!?! I've got a suggestion. Don't let me try it!! This just may be your best video. Thank you so much.
"All right, let's do it again; let's do it better this time." Meticulously organic, words to work by. Note to new viewers: be sure to stay to the end. That patch that seems to be glaringly obvious for so long almost disappears. I want to say that I knew it would, I just didn't see how he could do it. Of course he did.
Thomas takes what many would toss and makes it glitter like gold. That spot in the middle would chase many away screaming but you just tenderly coaxed it right back into glory❤❤❤❤❤❤job well done sir!🎉🎉
Wow. Nothing less then amazing. I've never seen grain like that. It seems like matching the colors can only be done after years of experience. Really enjoyed this video.
Unbelievable. You resurrected that veneer on practically a microscopic level! I never thought that veneer could be saved. Your camera work and angles are fantastic, BUT I want to see more of the reveal. I've just watched 3 of your videos, and they all have shown the pieces from a distance in a dark living room, which doesn't show us the beautiful wood grain. It's good to see the pieces in a destination setting, but first show us many close-ups from various angles in a well-lit room with light shining on the pieces. That's the only way we can see the rich glow of the gorgeous wood grain, and the finished angles of these amazing restorations you do. You are a master!
Amazing as always! I'm glad to see you take time to care for your shop cat! Echo, my shop cat will often provide me with a "cat scan" of my projects to make sure I don't miss anything. 😊
"I think I see a flying moose." nearly made me spit out my coffee I laughed so hard. Thanks for another great video, Tom. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season.
I really appreciate you showing and explaining the origin if the piece and what its intended use was. I'm from Europe, so you often work on pieces in styles that I am not familiar with, and it's a great learning experience. The work on the top of this piece looks incredible! I really like your approach to doing as little work to a piece as possible to preserve the history of the furniture.
That's great! Every time I looked at it I saw something different. Here in Maine there are so many moose names, I don't think I've seen a prancing moose!
Watching your videos inspired me to attempt a veneer repair on an old marquetry sewing box with damage. And do you know....i think it looked pretty good!
Wow, what a performance! Thanks so much. Absolutely the right thing to not replace that gorgeous original veneer. That patch is so good I prefer its history, personality, and character more than if it were brand new! What an inspiration.
The flame pattern is so interesting. So glad you you work like Julian, respecting and preserving every bit of the original as possible. No need to over-paint and no need to over-veneer. Love watching artisans at work!
My great grandfather was a cabinet maker from Scotland who immigrated in the 1880s, and settled near Brockton. He must have worked without electricity for all, or nearly all, his entire life since that's just about when households were beginning to be electrified. Amazing to think how much has changed in just a few lifetimes. I hope you have a merry Christmas!
@@the-chillian I take your point, but I _did_ go far enough. Widespread means of posting high-resolution videos and commenting on them on a publicly-accessible website were not available 25 years ago. You could have taken a VHS tape (at a lower equivalent resolution), and then distributed it physically to all your friends; good luck reaching audiences of several thousands, never mind millions, without serious commercial backing. Blockbuster was still going very strong in 1998. JPEG and MPEG first versions were published in their entirety between 1991 and 1993; there was nothing available _to consumers_ in 1998 that would have produced this video in a digital format. Even if you could, you'd have a few issues in making the content available to the public at large (never mind dial up at 14,400 bps - which in 1998 was the norm; I remember having trouble finding modems that could reliably support 19,200 - even with 2-channel domestic ISDN at 128kbps you'd wait a couple of days to download 50 minutes of hi-res content). As to comments or conversations, the first "properly interactive" commercial websites date to the early 2000s - RUclips specifically, to 2005. Yes, you could post "live" comments using BBS software in the mid-1980s, but they weren't usable in the same way as YT comments (crappy as they are). 😉
Wow , another amazing job, I thought I was a patient man, but you teach me what true patience looks like! Last time I worked on crotch veneer repair, I started by stripping the finish and using a glycerin based veneer softener. Then clamped the whole thing flat. I think it helped make the veneer less delicate (some).
The end result of this restoration is amazing Tom. The top is so beautiful and was worth every bit of your effort and care. I'm glad you took a bit of time to pay attention to your cat as well, that always brings good mojo. Happy Holidays!
"...Plan 'B', which is figuring out what Plan 'B' is." You have a subtle with that I appreciate; this is also a good descriptor for life in general! Thank you for showing your master craft!
I'm thrilled that you could use a scrap just the right size and orientation for the patch. So satisfying to be able to use a smaller piece without cutting a hole in a new one. This is a lovely restoration. Such a joy to see and be included in your projects. Thank you so much for all the extra effort involved in making it possible. Have a blessed Christmas.
I like how you work alone and with no background music and stay focused. With the occasional glimpse of boots in the doorway or under a desk you obviously work alone. Behind every good man there is a good woman.
I've learned so much from this video- thank you! Veneer repair is always tricky and I'm still a novice at it, but your methods and abilities here are masterful and highly instructive.
You have the patience of a SAINT! I wish I could be as detail focused as you. There are monks that use your videos to teach apprentices how to be calm and find inner peace.
A bloody shame that veneer was damaged, in the first place, as it was such a glorious piece - I think you've performed a miracle saving it as well as you could. Its history now boasts the work of a true master restorer in its lineage and retains most of its original beauty. Great job Tom.
Thank you for explaining why you chose to patch, glue, and repair the old veneer rather than replace it. I'm always fascinated by your fussy work. Merry Christmas!
Veneer repair requires the patience of Job! You are a master at patience and ALWAYS have a Plan B and the necessary tools and materials to do the repairs! Amazing! Great job, Mr. Johnson! Wishing you and Mrs. Johnson a happy holiday season from the beautiful Texas Hill Country. 🎄🎁🌟✨👏👍❤
Tom, I cannot believe you have ONLY 30 hours in this job. It took an hour just to fabricate that patch! Absolutely outstanding work. I'm not sure which was more inspiring your patience or the attention to details. Once again your "pretty good" is someone else's perfection.
I've been watching Mr. Johnson for years and knowing what I know about his ability and talent, this episode title is simply click bait. We all KNOW in our heart of hearts that you will, in fact repair this table and it will look as good as the day it was made. And we all can't wait to watch you do it! Thanks so much.
Merry Christmas 🎄 and thanks for all your wonderful videos. You’re a great inspiration for me and my small workshop. All the best to you and your family Henrik from Denmark 🇩🇰
Hello Mr. Johnson, I just wanted to say that I enjoy your channel with its easy going flow that transports me from my every day cares to a peaceful oasis of furniture restoration. I love the work that goes into every piece you do and know that it’s not only a skilled profession but also a highly prized craft. Merry Christmas to you and yours and a marvelous New Year🌹
wonderful to watch a craftman working and so nice that Tom is very calm with no terrible loud music playing in the background it so nice to watch Tom working love Christine xx
Your videos are always a prime time event. I waited to watch this one until I knew I had the time to watch it closely and with real attention. My heart warms up with love and joy, watching you work on all these wonderful furniture pieces. You, Thomas Johnson, are such a gift in my daily life, recovering from a horrible year. I really appreciate and love your work and your way of working and wish you all the best for the year to come! Thank you so much! Warmhearted greetings from Germany
Superb job, with perfect and sympathetic preservation work. There was also a bit of clamp action near the end, without which, it wouldn't be a proper Tom Johnson posting. Thank you for all your postings throughout this last year. I hope you have a lovely Christmas and a happy new year. I shall look forward to your future presentations in 2024.
My goodness I bet the owners were amazed with the transformation! It looked like you actually felt at one with the original artisans who had to work without electricity when the power was out. What a lovely table and so lovely to watch you work your magic patching and colouring. Thank you for taking us with you. A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family Tom. 🙏👍
The veneer patch is extraordinary. Not to be too hyperbolic, but it’s amazing what you do. Best of the holidays to you and yours. From down here on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.
Thank you for a great year of woodworking classes. I so appreciate all your lessons. Happy holiday to you and your family. I’m sure this video series is a family effort!
Hermoso trabajo Mr. Johnson, fue una restauración difícil de hacer. Una hermosa mesa antigua que va a tener muchos mas años de vida gracias a usted. Gracias por compartir su arte, feliz navidad!
The gild on the wealth of our experience is made up of the collection of patiently, perhaps repeatedly, correcting our well-intentioned mistakes, or judgemental errors in our work. We learn much from your work ethic, Tom. THANKS!
What a wonderful Christmas present. Another amazing restoration from which I, and I am sure so many others, have learned so much. It is very clear that the clamps you use are not the newest models and I would say they are much better for it. Modern clamps are so expensive and nowhere near as sturdy or well made as some the ones you use. Wishing you a very happy Christmas and a peaceful new year.
You always make me feel happy and peaceful. It is so good to see someone with the knowledge, who takes the time to restore art to as close as possible to the original.
The classic "I think it looks pretty good".... Heh heh heh heh heh!!!! I think it's a frickin miracle.... I can't believe you got it that good, to be honest... I've seen that water damaged top so many times... I mean, on newer non-antique stuff.... But, a table like that, someone puts a plant on it, and waters the plant.... And then here we are, with water damage.... I had another lady with a really nice cedar chest, but she puts it in front of the window, and she's always got the window open "for some fresh air"... Even when it's raining... and there you are with water damage..... Sigh... I saw that catalog you showed, I had to stop the video and laugh.... I knew Dr Johnson would never do this, but I would have called those people and said "Hey, how do you feel about a marble top???? No, this would be period correct, I found it in this old book..." Heh heh heh! I know it would be wrong... Clearly, I am not you... To me, the marble would have a chance to survive more than ten minutes in a "normal" home in 2023.... I think your comment at the end is a point well taken.... I personally, my skills are not there, to do the repair you did. I could spend 160 hours trying to fit that patch, it would still look like hot garbage.... I just never seem to get the result I want when I try stuff like that. You are a clamping master, also.... I'm amazed those Masterclass people haven't got a hold of you, to do a 12 hour series on "How to properly clamp anything, even a round post".... That patch, the patience of clamping the loose veneer 50 times, waiting 24 hours every time.... That takes a special individual. Of course, your years of experience, you also KNOW that, hey, this might take forever, but it's gonna work, this is gonna look good.... Where for me, there's always that anxiety that I'm going to mess around with this for a month, and end up re-doing it anyways.... So for me, what I'm getting at, is if you mess around with plywood and cheaper woods a lot, you get really good at edge banding and veneer and all that..... Not that it's easy, as you correctly point out, but i know I could re-veneer that table in 1/8th the time it would take to try and duplicate what you did... and my attempt to do what you did would come out with roughly 22% of the result you got... It would look mildly less crappy than it did when they brought it in.... Heh heh heh! To be fair, what you could never get, is the unreal grain pattern in that top. You just don't find that anymore. Modern trees are grown by scientists on tree farms, to get perfect grain, perfect straight boards, perfect everything.... Veneer is cut in factories off of perfect trees, and has perfect straight grain in it.....That kinda looked like some kind of crotch figure to me, or maybe something near the base of a tree, with all that wild pattern in it.... So yeah, that was a very special piece of wood, on that top... Unless you had your own sawmill, and got your own trees from wherever.... You'll never duplicate that. So yes, if possible, it was well worth saving..... I really do applaud your effort, and your dedication to save that. I seriously doubt many people would have done that. I mean, I shouldn't say that probably.... It is "possible", but it costs.... It's very difficult. Just on a whim, I bought this box of veneers... It was all crazy figure... It was all exotic wood, so I doubt it would have matched your piece... It was quite amazing. The guy who sold it to me claimed it was offcuts from a yacht company, that had put all these veneers in the interiors of some luxury yachts for some customers.... amazing stuff... But that's just, me lucking into it.... Unless you lived down the street from the luxury yacht company, and found a guy in production, and took him out to lunch, and casually dropped it on him "Hey, whaddaya you got for offcuts laying around???", I don't know how you'd really get a supply.... Your little carboard folder thing, with all those veneers in it, is kind of priceless.... Trying to match wood that was grown & cut 180 years ago is really super difficult..... Anyways, sorry, this comment is waaaaaay too long.... Sorry about that. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to you & your entire family.
That turned out beautifully. One thing I'm really learning from you, after watching your videos for quite a while, is what it looks like to have patience and take the time to do a job right, being careful and tuning in the final result a bit at a time. That's a skill I never had but now in my fifties it's turning out to be really helpful the woodworking and home projects I've been taking on. Many thanks from a lifelong learner in Toronto.
TOM, I LOOKED IT UP AND SCREWS HAD BLUNT ENDS UNTIL ABOUT 1859, DEPENDING ON YOUR SOURCE OF RESEARCH. SO, NO AMERICAN EMPIRE PIECE WITH ORIGINAL SCREWS SHOULD HAVE POINTED ENDS, WHICH HELPS IN DATING THE PIECE. FASCINATING HOW A PRO DOES NOT HESITATE TO TAKE FURNITURE APART! THE AVERAGE HACK LIKE ME, FORGET IT! ANOTHER AMAZING JOB BY YOU. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU, SIR TOM!
I had an oversized door on my 120 year old house. (Door was old, but probably not original.) Someone had striped off the veneer on the outside surface and replaced it with fake grained Masonite (horribly ugly). Inner window had a plastic insert. Knob and lock was so trashed it was a struggle to open and close the door. Because of you, Tom, I decided this door could be saved. I replaced Masonite with an oak veneer skin, cut out old lock section and put in a 3/4" patch about 4" x 6" and new antique door knobs and lock and got rid of plastic and resized window to fit a leaded glass one. Looks pretty darn good for an amateur (not even close to your level but...) I owe even thinking I could do it to you, Tom. Thanks. ( I did a LOT of color matching on that patch and it is pretty darn good. Again, thanks to watching you work again and again.)
I've realized that he's raised the bar on how I look at furniture and wood. I find myself being more critical and noticing things I hadn't, otherwise. Now I'm a pain in the butt😅
Good on you for taking on that project
A beautiful result… again
Surely not. merely a perfectionist, which in this kind of endeavor is a good thing.@@eddygonzalez6018
And every time you use that door, it’ll make you happy.
What a positive attitude you have Sir! Now for plan b. We just need to figure out what plan b is!!
No words of despair. No signs of frustration....just a clear focus on figuring out how to get the job done!.
Love it! ❤❤❤❤
Thank you!
I got a laugh out of that.
I have enjoyed each and every one of your videos, Tom, but this one is truly a master class. Watching you take the time to select just the right veneer through meticulously fitting it into the top of the table - it was a beautiful thing to watch. Then the color match? Amazing. But finishing it off during a power outage was an added bonus ... For us. Thank you for this Christmas gift.
I follow many restoration channels and NO ONE has ever done (at least on YT) the salvage of a veneer with this level of technical precision and artistry, we have truly had a masterclass.
You are so welcome!
Thank you!
Thank you for teaching us! ❤ happy new year! 🎆
I'm Gwen, from Manchester NH!
I am not furniture restorer, but I am very glad that furniture restorers have an opportunity to learn from you. As always, I am in awe of your patience and precision. Thank you.
You're welcome!
The figuring in that veneer all over that table is INCREDIBLE! What a beautiful piece of art. Thank you for saving it.
You're welcome! At first, I didn't realize what an outstanding veneer that was. I was so happy to save it
I went to High School in Australia in the 60's. Girls did sewing and cookery. Boys, woodwork. To this day I do not even sew on buttons and I loathe being in the kitchen. I would have done woodwork in a heartbeat. Watching your videos makes my heart sing. To watch you do your amazing work, taking pieces that sometimes appear beyond repair and making them beautiful and alive again. Your skill and patience appears endless and watching your videos is truly a pleasure. Thank you
You are very welcome! Thank goodness they don’t exclude girls anymore! When my daughter went to middle school they had “tech ed” instead of “shop”, and included woodworking. Because my daughter had experience, working with me, she was put in charge of supervising the other kids on the bandsaw. We were very proud of her!
When I started high school in New Zealand in 1980, girls weren't even allowed to do tech drawing, much less woodwork or metal work. Except one girl in my year who was really good at art and was given special permission to do tech drawing. She was top of the class; beat all the boys hollow. Now, the head of engineering at my son's old school is a woman. I'm so glad times have changed!
I was in school in the 70’s here in the states. I had started sewing when I was 9, and due to my mum’s poor cooking skills I also learned how to cook. When in junior high they wanted me to take home-ec (basic sewing and cooking) ,my parents insisted I was to be in small engine shop. I was the first girl to ever be allowed in the class. I loved it , first job was mowing lawns. But wood working would have sooo much more fun.
I also went to high school in the 60’s and it was the same situation then. I would have loved to do carpentry. I missed out on most home economics classes, due to my family moving so often and not being able to get into the class as a latecomer, but managed to take grade 8 sewing, plus grade 8 and grade 12 cooking. I love both sewing and cooking, having been self taught mostly. It was borderline turn-off, when an unpleasant teacher was the one leading the way. However, there is nothing wrong with any of these technical fields, and any education you can get. I would consider starting wood-working, except I am losing mobility now, and adjusting to having others help me, so I would rather hop on my old sewing machine and go through my mountain of shelved projects.
Also, I have spent a number of years working on my Faith, and in my slow, two steps up, one step backward fashion, have found this is the one thing truly worth spending my time on, as it involves my eternal situation. If I had my vitality, I would go ahead and start a new hobby. I know that healthy elders do this and contribute greatly to their community.
My point is, it is never too late, so I would encourage you to go for it. Blessings from Canada 🇨🇦
I too am Australian and had the same problem. I really wanted to do woodwork and metal work but I had to do sewing and cookery. I hate both to this day. Fortunately time did change, we still have a lovely coffe table my daughter made in woodwork!
PRETTY GOOD?!? It’s a masterpiece!!
Thank you!
Most weekend DIYer people would have looked at that piece, peeled the loose veneer, Bondoed the piece smooth and painted it. Thanks goodness people like you exist.
Thank you! I’m trying to show people that you can repair veneer. A lot of these DIY’s just don’t know what to do
I learned a lot when starting out in restoration from you, Tom. In our fledgling business, we had the opportunity to buy the broken leftover stock from a retiring antiques dealer - a once in a lifetime opportunity! We filled our barn with furniture and slowly but surely restored every piece. Katie 😊
Thanks! Sounds enticing!
That's wonderful katie!!
You did a great job repairing the veneer on the top, Thomas. I always love to watch you problem solve in these situations and come up with a good solution without replacing vast areas of the piece. I know that this is one of the parts of restoration you really enjoy which is one reason you are so good at it! Thank you for taking the time to film your work and share it with us.
You're so welcome!
Pretty good. Are you kidding me! That repair was “FANTASTIC “ once again.
Thanks!
😂😂😂 that’s exactly what I thought! If that is “Pretty good”, I can’t begin to imagine what a “fine job” would be!!
That top is absolutely gorgeous. I didn't believe you could make that patch work with all those crazy grain patterns, but it of course ended up nearly flawless. Really impressive stuff.
Thank you so much!
I applaud your approach to preserving the history of the piece.
Merry Christmas to your family.
Thank you!
The veneer is beautiful. Definitely the correct decision to save it. It looks like a forest in the setting sun.
Thanks! That's a nice image to think of
Thomas, you are a sorcerer. I remember watching my wifes daytime talk show where they had a famous make-up artist on. He said the true make-up artist will finish, and it should look like no work has been done. That the natural beauty is highlighted and imperfections blended in. You are an artist. Have a great holiday and fortuitous new year.
Thanks! I saw something like that years ago and it always stuck with me, he said it takes 13 steps to make it look natural!
I really enjoy watching the meticulous techniques you use to maintain the integrity of each piece. You're a true restoration craftsman. My dad was kind of like you in his shop. But he called it " Just puttering. "😊😊
Thanks! Yes, pretty soon they'll be saying the same thing about me!
I literally laughed out loud when you said flying moose!
Thanks!
Looks pretty good. We're very grateful you repaired the top instead of replacing it. The original veneer was too beautiful to lose.
I agree! It is unique. Thanks!
What a totally amazing repair, Thomas!! You are THE BEST!! I will never complain again about how hard it is putting a jigsaw puzzle together!! LOL
Wow, thanks! You can still complain about jigsaw puzzles - they're a pain
"OK, on to Plan B. We just need to figure out what Plan B will be." That about sums things up, doesn't it? Merry Christmas Tom!!
Oh yeah! Thanks!
Just before you mentioned flying moose, I was thinking amoeba. Another lovely video.
Amooba?
@@dlevi67 yep. Blob like single cell organism
Thanks! I guess just about anything could look like an amoeba! I didn't think of that
It's like restoring a Rembrandt. That wood is gorgeous.
Thanks!
You gave this lovely old piece the respect it AND its history deserve!
A very big thanks to you for showing us what a master of the craft is capable of and explaining why all-new veneer was not acceptable.
You’re welcome! I hope people are learning not to be afraid to repair veneer
Completely unbelievable!! Man, Tom, you are a god! To see your repairs magically disappear??!! Like WHAT!?! I've got a suggestion. Don't let me try it!! This just may be your best video. Thank you so much.
You're so welcome!
Your matching and patching of the veneer is pure artistry. I'm always blown away at the things you pull off in your workshop!
Thank you!
"All right, let's do it again; let's do it better this time." Meticulously organic, words to work by. Note to new viewers: be sure to stay to the end. That patch that seems to be glaringly obvious for so long almost disappears. I want to say that I knew it would, I just didn't see how he could do it. Of course he did.
Thank you! Yes! Stay to the end!
It's a joy to spend time with you Tom in your shop on a Saturday morning. What a gorgeous outcome for this pier table. thanks for bringing us along.
You're very welcome!
Thomas takes what many would toss and makes it glitter like gold. That spot in the middle would chase many away screaming but you just tenderly coaxed it right back into glory❤❤❤❤❤❤job well done sir!🎉🎉
Thank you! That made me smile! I'm very glad I was able to save that top
Merry Christmas Thom. Hope you and your family are all happy and healthy. Loved every video you made. Thank you for all you taught us. 🎄
You are so welcome!
Not only a superior job, but great heart: "That took me about one hour, and that includes a little time for petting the cat." (21:30) Love it!!
Thank you! All part of a work day!
Wow. Nothing less then amazing. I've never seen grain like that. It seems like matching the colors can only be done after years of experience. Really enjoyed this video.
Thank you!
Unbelievable. You resurrected that veneer on practically a microscopic level! I never thought that veneer could be saved.
Your camera work and angles are fantastic, BUT I want to see more of the reveal. I've just watched 3 of your videos, and they all have shown the pieces from a distance in a dark living room, which doesn't show us the beautiful wood grain. It's good to see the pieces in a destination setting, but first show us many close-ups from various angles in a well-lit room with light shining on the pieces. That's the only way we can see the rich glow of the gorgeous wood grain, and the finished angles of these amazing restorations you do. You are a master!
Thank you! We're aware of that and we are working on it. We are really lacking enough room and light
Amazing as always! I'm glad to see you take time to care for your shop cat! Echo, my shop cat will often provide me with a "cat scan" of my projects to make sure I don't miss anything. 😊
Thanks! I love that
Greetings from the BIG SKY. I sure think you've got coloring down to a science. Nice work.
Thanks! It's experience!
Thomas I always enjoy watching you create your magic with furniture restoration. Brilliant result.
Thanks!
"I think I see a flying moose." nearly made me spit out my coffee I laughed so hard. Thanks for another great video, Tom. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season.
Thanks! That's good! I wish the same for you!
Thank you! I think that's exactly right
I really appreciate you showing and explaining the origin if the piece and what its intended use was. I'm from Europe, so you often work on pieces in styles that I am not familiar with, and it's a great learning experience.
The work on the top of this piece looks incredible! I really like your approach to doing as little work to a piece as possible to preserve the history of the furniture.
Thank you! I appreciate it
The moose thing made me chuckle. The best auto mechanic here calls his shop Prancing Moose !!!😅
That's great! Every time I looked at it I saw something different. Here in Maine there are so many moose names, I don't think I've seen a prancing moose!
Watching your videos inspired me to attempt a veneer repair on an old marquetry sewing box with damage. And do you know....i think it looked pretty good!
Great! Good to hear!
There is a real joy in seeing that veneer flame back to life.
Oh it was! Thanks!
Wow, what a performance! Thanks so much. Absolutely the right thing to not replace that gorgeous original veneer. That patch is so good I prefer its history, personality, and character more than if it were brand new! What an inspiration.
Thanks! I'm so glad people understand what I'm trying to do
Every time you post a video we learn something new. Thank you so much
You're welcome! And every time I make a video I learn something new!
@@johnsonrestoration thank you for everything
The flame pattern is so interesting. So glad you you work like Julian, respecting and preserving every bit of the original as possible. No need to over-paint and no need to over-veneer. Love watching artisans at work!
Thank you! It is very flattering to be compared to Julian!
My great grandfather was a cabinet maker from Scotland who immigrated in the 1880s, and settled near Brockton. He must have worked without electricity for all, or nearly all, his entire life since that's just about when households were beginning to be electrified. Amazing to think how much has changed in just a few lifetimes.
I hope you have a merry Christmas!
Even within a lifetime: think of this video and this conversation... not possible 25 years ago.
@dlevi67 Yes they were, although I take your point. You just didn't go back far enough.
@@the-chillian I take your point, but I _did_ go far enough. Widespread means of posting high-resolution videos and commenting on them on a publicly-accessible website were not available 25 years ago.
You could have taken a VHS tape (at a lower equivalent resolution), and then distributed it physically to all your friends; good luck reaching audiences of several thousands, never mind millions, without serious commercial backing. Blockbuster was still going very strong in 1998.
JPEG and MPEG first versions were published in their entirety between 1991 and 1993; there was nothing available _to consumers_ in 1998 that would have produced this video in a digital format. Even if you could, you'd have a few issues in making the content available to the public at large (never mind dial up at 14,400 bps - which in 1998 was the norm; I remember having trouble finding modems that could reliably support 19,200 - even with 2-channel domestic ISDN at 128kbps you'd wait a couple of days to download 50 minutes of hi-res content).
As to comments or conversations, the first "properly interactive" commercial websites date to the early 2000s - RUclips specifically, to 2005. Yes, you could post "live" comments using BBS software in the mid-1980s, but they weren't usable in the same way as YT comments (crappy as they are). 😉
Thank you! Yes,it's all so quick. Both my and my wife's mothers grew up on farms in the 1920's, we are just 1 generation into it
Interesting! What will it be 25 years from now!
Wow , another amazing job, I thought I was a patient man, but you teach me what true patience looks like!
Last time I worked on crotch veneer repair, I started by stripping the finish and using a glycerin based veneer softener. Then clamped the whole thing flat. I think it helped make the veneer less delicate (some).
Thanks! That sounds interesting, I could have tried that with this top. I will try that in the future
In a disposable culture restoration is a type of magic. Enchanting.
Thanks! I like that!
The end result of this restoration is amazing Tom. The top is so beautiful and was worth every bit of your effort and care. I'm glad you took a bit of time to pay attention to your cat as well, that always brings good mojo. Happy Holidays!
Thank you!
"...Plan 'B', which is figuring out what Plan 'B' is." You have a subtle with that I appreciate; this is also a good descriptor for life in general! Thank you for showing your master craft!
You're welcome!
I'm thrilled that you could use a scrap just the right size and orientation for the patch. So satisfying to be able to use a smaller piece without cutting a hole in a new one. This is a lovely restoration. Such a joy to see and be included in your projects. Thank you so much for all the extra effort involved in making it possible. Have a blessed Christmas.
Thank you Alison! Yes, I did not want to cut a big piece, but I would have if I had too
I like how you work alone and with no background music and stay focused. With the occasional glimpse of boots in the doorway or under a desk you obviously work alone. Behind every good man there is a good woman.
Absolutely! None of this would be possible without Jane. Thanks!
Merry Christmas from England
Thank you!
Somehow to say you've restored this table is a huge understatement. You've give it a brand new life. Look at that top!
Thank you! That's nice!
Merry Christmas, Mr. Johnson
Thank you! First comment!
You are such an artist, Thomas.
Thank you! That’s nice
Wow this is one (in my opinion) of your best I’ve seen so far Tom. Absolutely gorgeous job on blending in that new patch. Wow!
Thank you!
What a patch?!? Completely disappear!! Absolutely amazing!!
I lucked out! Thanks!
I've learned so much from this video- thank you!
Veneer repair is always tricky and I'm still a novice at it, but your methods and abilities here are masterful and highly instructive.
Thanks! It takes experience so keep at it!
You have the patience of a SAINT! I wish I could be as detail focused as you. There are monks that use your videos to teach apprentices how to be calm and find inner peace.
Thanks! Yes Grasshopper
You are truly a master of your craft. Great work.
Thank you!
A bloody shame that veneer was damaged, in the first place, as it was such a glorious piece - I think you've performed a miracle saving it as well as you could. Its history now boasts the work of a true master restorer in its lineage and retains most of its original beauty. Great job Tom.
Thank you! That's very nice
Gorgeous work as always. The time and care you take to get every bit just right, never taking shortcuts or the easy way out, are an inspiration.
Thank you!
Thank you for explaining why you chose to patch, glue, and repair the old veneer rather than replace it. I'm always fascinated by your fussy work.
Merry Christmas!
Thanks!
Lovely to see your craftsmanship and skills again Tom - Thanks!
You're so welcome!
Your careful veneer repairs are always such a delight to watch.Keeps me glued to the screen!😏🇳🇱
I try to stick with it! Thanks!
Veneer repair requires the patience of Job! You are a master at patience and ALWAYS have a Plan B and the necessary tools and materials to do the repairs! Amazing! Great job, Mr. Johnson! Wishing you and Mrs. Johnson a happy holiday season from the beautiful Texas Hill Country. 🎄🎁🌟✨👏👍❤
Thank you! And my best to you and your family as well!
Always amazed at how you can bring back a disaster to a beautiful piece again.
Me too! Thanks
Impressive once again! There’s just no other restoration channel like yours! Have a great holiday season!
Ps - loved the natural light shots
Thanks! I like those too!
Tom,
I cannot believe you have ONLY 30 hours in this job. It took an hour just to fabricate that patch! Absolutely outstanding work. I'm not sure which was more inspiring your patience or the attention to details. Once again your "pretty good" is someone else's perfection.
Thank you! very nice
I love how it turned out. Always a joy to watch. Merry Christmas Tom to you and all your family with lots of love from Ireland.
Thank you! And my best to you and yours as well!
I've been watching Mr. Johnson for years and knowing what I know about his ability and talent, this episode title is simply click bait. We all KNOW in our heart of hearts that you will, in fact repair this table and it will look as good as the day it was made. And we all can't wait to watch you do it! Thanks so much.
You're welcome! Yes, unfortunately we have to do "click bait!" It's how the game is played
Considering its condition when you started, I'm amazed! I really thought you wouldn't get this nice of an outcome. Great job.
Thanks! I was wondering the same thing!
Thomas, “Looks pretty good.” ???????? I am in AWE!
Thank you!
Merry Christmas 🎄 and thanks for all your wonderful videos. You’re a great inspiration for me and my small workshop.
All the best to you and your family
Henrik from Denmark 🇩🇰
Thank you Henrik! And the best New Year wishes for you and yours!
I have never seen such a masterful save, Thomas! You, sir, are amazing! Thank you for saving this beautiful table. I am gobsmacked!
Thanks again! I love this table - it's in our dining room. I am so glad I could manage to repair the top - that veneer is magnificent
Hello Mr. Johnson, I just wanted to say that I enjoy your channel with its easy going flow that transports me from my every day cares to a peaceful oasis of furniture restoration. I love the work that goes into every piece you do and know that it’s not only a skilled profession but also a highly prized craft.
Merry Christmas to you and yours and a marvelous New Year🌹
Thank you! That is so nice
wonderful to watch a craftman working and so nice that
Tom is very calm with no terrible loud music playing in the background it so nice to watch Tom working love Christine xx
Thank you Christine!
I'm always in awe of your skill and patience! Thanks for another great masterclass!
My pleasure!
Your videos are always a prime time event. I waited to watch this one until I knew I had the time to watch it closely and with real attention. My heart warms up with love and joy, watching you work on all these wonderful furniture pieces. You, Thomas Johnson, are such a gift in my daily life, recovering from a horrible year. I really appreciate and love your work and your way of working and wish you all the best for the year to come! Thank you so much! Warmhearted greetings from Germany
Interesting astrophysical username... hope your 2024 is much better than your 2023!
Thank you Chandra! You warm my heart! And let me join dlevi67 in wishing you a happy 2024!
Superb job, with perfect and sympathetic preservation work. There was also a bit of clamp action near the end, without which, it wouldn't be a proper Tom Johnson posting. Thank you for all your postings throughout this last year. I hope you have a lovely Christmas and a happy new year. I shall look forward to your future presentations in 2024.
Thank you very much!
I just held my breath through that patching process, its a magnificent piece of furniture,really impressive.
Thanks! Yes, I was holding my breath too!
Thanks! I was holding my breath too!
My goodness I bet the owners were amazed with the transformation! It looked like you actually felt at one with the original artisans who had to work without electricity when the power was out. What a lovely table and so lovely to watch you work your magic patching and colouring. Thank you for taking us with you.
A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family Tom. 🙏👍
You're very welcome! And the same wishes for you and your family!
You mean you are the REAL Tom Johnson from Thomas Johnson’s furniture restoration. Great video. Thanks
Thanks! Yes, I guess I am the "real" Tom Johnson!
The veneer patch is extraordinary. Not to be too hyperbolic, but it’s amazing what you do.
Best of the holidays to you and yours. From down here on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.
Thank you! My best to you!
You are a patient magician! Excellent result, I learn so much watching you videos. Thank you.
You're very welcome!
Thank you for a great year of woodworking classes. I so appreciate all your lessons. Happy holiday to you and your family. I’m sure this video series is a family effort!
Thank you! Yes, it could never happen without the support of my wife, Jane
Your confidence and ability to disassemble pieces are qualities I wish I had more of.
Thanks! This was a tough one! I was having my doubts
Hermoso trabajo Mr. Johnson, fue una restauración difícil de hacer. Una hermosa mesa antigua que va a tener muchos mas años de vida gracias a usted. Gracias por compartir su arte, feliz navidad!
¡De nada! ¡Y los mejores deseos navideños para ti también!
Thomas, you never, ever fail to amaze me. Such a wonderful person.
Thank you!
Another beautiful job Tom!!! Patch work is incredible!!
Thank you!
The gild on the wealth of our experience is made up of the collection of patiently, perhaps repeatedly, correcting our well-intentioned mistakes, or judgemental errors in our work.
We learn much from your work ethic, Tom. THANKS!
Thank you! Well said! I like that
What a wonderful Christmas present. Another amazing restoration from which I, and I am sure so many others, have learned so much. It is very clear that the clamps you use are not the newest models and I would say they are much better for it. Modern clamps are so expensive and nowhere near as sturdy or well made as some the ones you use. Wishing you a very happy Christmas and a peaceful new year.
Thank you! Although these clamps were given to me because they did distort under pressure, but the work fine for me
I'm running out of superlatives stunning as always
Thank you!
Yet another masterclass. Even the lighting during they outage fitted!
Thanks! Yes, it worked out
You always make me feel happy and peaceful. It is so good to see someone with the knowledge, who takes the time to restore art to as close as possible to the original.
Thanks!
The classic "I think it looks pretty good".... Heh heh heh heh heh!!!!
I think it's a frickin miracle.... I can't believe you got it that good, to be honest...
I've seen that water damaged top so many times... I mean, on newer non-antique stuff.... But, a table like that, someone puts a plant on it, and waters the plant.... And then here we are, with water damage.... I had another lady with a really nice cedar chest, but she puts it in front of the window, and she's always got the window open "for some fresh air"... Even when it's raining... and there you are with water damage..... Sigh...
I saw that catalog you showed, I had to stop the video and laugh.... I knew Dr Johnson would never do this, but I would have called those people and said "Hey, how do you feel about a marble top???? No, this would be period correct, I found it in this old book..." Heh heh heh! I know it would be wrong... Clearly, I am not you... To me, the marble would have a chance to survive more than ten minutes in a "normal" home in 2023....
I think your comment at the end is a point well taken.... I personally, my skills are not there, to do the repair you did. I could spend 160 hours trying to fit that patch, it would still look like hot garbage.... I just never seem to get the result I want when I try stuff like that. You are a clamping master, also.... I'm amazed those Masterclass people haven't got a hold of you, to do a 12 hour series on "How to properly clamp anything, even a round post".... That patch, the patience of clamping the loose veneer 50 times, waiting 24 hours every time.... That takes a special individual. Of course, your years of experience, you also KNOW that, hey, this might take forever, but it's gonna work, this is gonna look good.... Where for me, there's always that anxiety that I'm going to mess around with this for a month, and end up re-doing it anyways.... So for me, what I'm getting at, is if you mess around with plywood and cheaper woods a lot, you get really good at edge banding and veneer and all that..... Not that it's easy, as you correctly point out, but i know I could re-veneer that table in 1/8th the time it would take to try and duplicate what you did... and my attempt to do what you did would come out with roughly 22% of the result you got... It would look mildly less crappy than it did when they brought it in.... Heh heh heh!
To be fair, what you could never get, is the unreal grain pattern in that top. You just don't find that anymore. Modern trees are grown by scientists on tree farms, to get perfect grain, perfect straight boards, perfect everything.... Veneer is cut in factories off of perfect trees, and has perfect straight grain in it.....That kinda looked like some kind of crotch figure to me, or maybe something near the base of a tree, with all that wild pattern in it.... So yeah, that was a very special piece of wood, on that top... Unless you had your own sawmill, and got your own trees from wherever.... You'll never duplicate that. So yes, if possible, it was well worth saving..... I really do applaud your effort, and your dedication to save that. I seriously doubt many people would have done that.
I mean, I shouldn't say that probably.... It is "possible", but it costs.... It's very difficult. Just on a whim, I bought this box of veneers... It was all crazy figure... It was all exotic wood, so I doubt it would have matched your piece... It was quite amazing. The guy who sold it to me claimed it was offcuts from a yacht company, that had put all these veneers in the interiors of some luxury yachts for some customers.... amazing stuff... But that's just, me lucking into it.... Unless you lived down the street from the luxury yacht company, and found a guy in production, and took him out to lunch, and casually dropped it on him "Hey, whaddaya you got for offcuts laying around???", I don't know how you'd really get a supply....
Your little carboard folder thing, with all those veneers in it, is kind of priceless.... Trying to match wood that was grown & cut 180 years ago is really super difficult.....
Anyways, sorry, this comment is waaaaaay too long.... Sorry about that. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to you & your entire family.
It is long! But I appreciate it so much. Thank you!
That turned out beautifully. One thing I'm really learning from you, after watching your videos for quite a while, is what it looks like to have patience and take the time to do a job right, being careful and tuning in the final result a bit at a time. That's a skill I never had but now in my fifties it's turning out to be really helpful the woodworking and home projects I've been taking on. Many thanks from a lifelong learner in Toronto.
Wow, thank you! Yes, you have to sneak up on the color!
Wow! Looks awesome, Tom! I really love how you preserve the historicity of the original wood in your restoration projects :D
Thank you very much! I love that word "historicity"!
Glad that you chose to repair the existing veneer, splendid result as well, looks authentic and original. Great job.
Thanks!
TOM, I LOOKED IT UP AND SCREWS HAD BLUNT ENDS UNTIL ABOUT 1859, DEPENDING ON YOUR SOURCE OF RESEARCH. SO, NO AMERICAN EMPIRE PIECE WITH ORIGINAL SCREWS SHOULD HAVE POINTED ENDS, WHICH HELPS IN DATING THE PIECE. FASCINATING HOW A PRO DOES NOT HESITATE TO TAKE FURNITURE APART! THE AVERAGE HACK LIKE ME, FORGET IT! ANOTHER AMAZING JOB BY YOU. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU, SIR TOM!
Thats interesting!
Thank you! Good info on the screws
It is!
Outstanding job, Tom. Belongs in a museum.
Thanks! maybe, but it sure looks good in our dining room!