Restoring a Korean Chest - Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration
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- Опубликовано: 25 авг 2024
- Tom Johnson of Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration in Gorham, Maine crafts new square pegs for the back panel of this antique Korean chest of drawers. Tom has been restoring furniture professionally since 1979. Visit our website at www.thomasjohns..., or write us at thomasjohnsonrestoration@gmail.com. And for those on the west coast looking for custom framing, be sure to check out Tom's daughter's shop, www.emcollier.com (@emcollierframes on Instagram).
Your respect for the previous wood workers is one of the many reasons why I continue watching and looking forward to your next video
Thank you very much!
That is so cool! I took my students to Japan in 1999, attended a Chinese Bible church for 3 years to learn Mandarin and have many young friends who were adopted from a South Korea. I love the Asian-inspired anything! This is a beautiful piece. Thank you for repairing with reverence to the original artisans.
You're very welcome! Yes the Asians have such a great aesthetic
You never cease to amaze me. That whole video was amazing. Hand made pegs no less..........
Thanks!
All I originally wanted to do was learn how to make photograph frames, but you have made me fall in love with all wooden furniture and furnishings. It’s not just your amazing craftsmanship, it’s your desire to do the best job possible with an all too rare modesty. This was your best beginning yet though.
Thank you so much!
What an incredibly smart and helpful companion you have!
Oh yes! What would we do without her! Thank you
Thank you Tom aka "the unstoppable restoring machine"! Love your videos, thank you!
You're welcome! (sorry I missed your comment!)
I just found this old video. This is a nice chest. I have some old Qing dynasty pieces so I appreciate the Korean chest.
Thanks! Yes, I don't really know much about Asian furniture
Great job!
Thanks!
Amazing work, that is just lovely..
Thanks!
Another Finnerty. Woohoo!
*Your dog looks FAB in your glasses* !!!!!!!! *He's a smart dog* !!!!!!!!! *LOVE all of the antique pieces that you restore* !!!!!!!! #ThomasJohnsonAntiqueFurnitureRestoration
Thanks! She is a smart one!
Hi Suzy! Thoms repairs are awesome and Ella was a doll.
I absolutely love how that ontro aged, so beautiful
Thanks!
Lovely piece of furniture and a great, painstakingly executed repair. XXX
Thank you!
Beautiful!
Thank you!
Interesting square pegs. Never seen them square but I like that idea.
Thanks! Me too! I think if I ever need to peg something I will do square
I grew up with a lot I of Korean furniture. If the top was a single board wider than 12" -it was likely prewar. Nice repair. I want to make a chest like this now.
I know this was filmed 6 years ago, but it’s neat to see the variety of things you’ve worked on.
Thanks! That's good to know. These pieces are fascinating
Thanks Thomas for another great video. Merry Christmas. 😃
Thanks, I know this is late but I hope you had a good Christmas also
Short and sweet.
Thank you!
Great work!
Thanks again!
Hi Tom.
Great restoration. The Chest looks amazing.
Cheers, Michael Frey
FREY WOODWORKING INC.
FWI356 Thanks!
Great work. I'm glad you took a couple of minutes to consider (a question I had) why the pegs may have sheared. Also, apart from maintaining the authenticity of this piece, in general do you think that tapered pegs are more secure than straight pegs?
Hi James, thanks for watching. As I worked on it I realized that it really is a clever way to attach the back. In other words, if you put a spot of glue where the pegs go in, the taper ensures that the back will never come off.The original maker probably didn't use glue, but was building with green wood and was counting on the wood shrinking and holding the pegs.
I guess I'm kinda randomly asking but does anyone know of a good site to watch new movies online ?
@Conrad Johnathan i use FlixZone. Just google for it =)
@Ezekiel Kieran Definitely, have been watching on flixzone for years myself :)
@Ezekiel Kieran Thanks, signed up and it seems to work :) Appreciate it !!
Great Work......Thanks
You're very welcome!
Спасибо большое Томаз за видео. Всегда жду с нетерпением.
You are welcome! Thank you for watching
Looked like you were playing 'Whack-a-Mole' !!!!
It felt like it!
Great job with those pegs. I am wondering if it would have been a good idea to use glue on the surround of the back and not just in the peg holes. I understand that was not the original method and probably a major reason not to do that, but would it prevent the pegs from breaking if the wood shrank more or would it cause the wood panel to crack because of restricted movement? (P.S. Clamping opportunity missed).
Thanks! It wasn't glued originally, and I don't think it's necessary. I think the pegs breaking was a one time event, probably the case shrunk when it was first imported to this country
I have a Japanese chest with the same problem. I've not had the courage to do anything about it partly because the joinery is so foreign to me. Also, there is some missing wood on one drawer face and I've never figured out what type of wood it is in order to make a repair. It is amazingly light and amazingly strong. Then, on top of all that, the finish is foreign to me (some sort of light oil or wax?), so I don't know what to do to repair the finish if I work on it.
I think there is a technique in Japanese construction that compresses wood with a hammer. For example, imagine cutting a full / crossed lap joint. I think there is a Japanese technique that would make the notch just a hair too narrow to accept the other half. A hammer is then used to compress the other half. After assembly, the wood expands over time making a super-tight joint. The reason I'm mentioning this is that I wonder if this was done with the pegs on your chest. That could explain why they were so tight and might also be a super efficient way to fit them.
Oh, on my chest, the reason the back is off is because the back acts as the drawer stop. Over the years, it has just been beaten off of the back of the cabinet by the drawers. This is another example of a construction difference, actually. Western chests have empty space around the drawers and in back. The Japanese drawer has no wasted space around it and is dead up against the cabinet sides and back. On a western chest, you just have to fit the opening and adjust the runners / kickers while on the Japanese chest it seems like the whole case just has to be dead on and the drawer built to match. Quite humbling, really. Sorry- not trying to explain anything to you..just babbling in wonder about these chests.
Thanks! I'm not sure wht the wood is, but it closely resembles elm or chestnut, if you can find any. That's very interesting about the hammer joints. It sounds like something the Japanese would do! Clever. If you use shellac as a finish it will be fine. Possibly you could add drawer stops in the front, on top of the rail where a small block will catch the back of the drawer front. This is often done on western case pieces
@@johnsonrestoration If it looks like elm, its possible it could be keyaki (zelkova serrata). An Asian relative of elm.
Interesting as usual. Wondering why back in the day the builder would use square pegs to begin with rather than round. Seems like more work to make square pegs...
Thanks! Think about it - if you are making your own pegs, square is much easier
True. I was concerned, but if the square peg is slightly big it conforms really well
Super!
Thank you very much!
Acho a abertura de seus vídeos maravilhosas, Animais , frutas. , Vi sua resposta, Obrigada.
De nada!
Bravo Respekt 🤝Thomas 😍
Thanks!
Hi There, I have two Korean Chests. And one of them the metal design on the front is falling off. I don't know how to put them back on. Please advise do I nail it if yes, what kind of nail. Can I get a way with glue it on? if so what kind of glue do I use. Thanks.
Hi Amy, I'm behind in my comments, I'm glad you emailed
Nice work, exacting in details, but was pine the original material for the pegs?
Yes, or whatever the asian equivelant is
I just acquired this exact furniture piece. Any idea approximately what year it was made?
Thanks! No, I don't. I really don't know anything about Asian furniture, like how to date it. It was all made by hand, but they're still doing that today! I need to find a book on the subject. First up in a google search: koreamosaic.net/chests/
@@johnsonrestoration Thank you very much. So kind of you :)
Why use pine for the pegs? Or does it matter what kind of wood the pegs are made of?
No reason, I suppose oak would be stronger, but you're not really asking them to do a lot. Pine was just easier to work with.
1:43 I'm curious that Is it common for use a wooden peg on furniture? or is that just a korean way. Anyway appreciate your vids, Its really entertaining and ... even relaxing :)
Thanks! Definitely an Asian thing, but years ago western builders did the same
I am looking for a door for a 1908 korean chest on chest...can you steer me in the right direction?
Wow! no, I can't. You might just have to make one!
One quarter inch is about .63 cm
You've got your metrics down!
Using a marker on metal is a great way not to wastee tape. the marker wears off after a few days
change of environment from moving from korea to the usa mighta been the culprit
Thanks! Definitely the enviroment! So many problems are due to the enviroment. Here in NE we have such a swing in humidity between the winter and summer
It’s a hen parade!!!!
That's right! They love to march around!
Ahahahahahahah Great dog.... Great tools, great job!!!!!
Thank you! I am very fortunate indeed!
@@johnsonrestoration
sure, because you are good at work!!!!!!!
Seems odd to use square pegs...
Not really, originally nails were square, and they hold better than wire nails. Think about the way they enter the wood grain...
Square wooden pegs were known as treenails (or trenails) and go way back into history.
I have some 500 year old treenails that held a roof structure together made at the time of Henry 8th.
square pegs will never go out. it is "by design".
Thanks! Yes, I know! Sometimes they will pop out if you can access the end inside the cabinet, sometimes if they've already worked out a bit so you can grab them
Something witty about square pegs and round holes ought to come to mind...but I'm feeling too tired right now and will refrain...thanks Tom...(I hate you...is there nothing you can't do?)
Yours in deep seated inferiority
Dave
PS You've got pretty big sparrows over there...
Thanks again!
Ok I think we need to pass the hat round for Tom. The poor lad must be spending a fortune on first aid kits. In every video he seems to have a band aid on his fingers or blackened nails!
No question about it; he suffers for his art.
I think this is a Japanese cabinet. Built using the traditional "puzzle" method. No nails but precise measurements so each piece would click into place.
Yes. The owner told me she got it in Korea, but that doesn't mean it was made in Korea! I don't know enough about Asian furniture to be able to identify the country of origin. I'll try to do a little more research next time.
I think it’s one type of korean traditional furnitures which was used for storing clothes or books. Not using nails much is also korean’s traditional way of making furniture or Building a house. If you google ‘ korean traditional furniture museum tour ‘ and check the images, you can see a lot of same type of this & also different styles. BTW, i love your videos mr . Johnson. Its amusing & amazing to watch the magic hands changes the old one into the new and beauty! Love your animals!!
It always looks pretty good.
Making furniture without iron nails was common thing in east asian countries, not only in japan.
It is more likely to be Korean. Japanese chests often had a similar design, but they usually included far less metal work. The Korean chests had a less delicate look, and were less likely to make use of painted or lacquered decoration.
Another fascinating video. Thank you.
I use chopsticks because they have a square head
Wow! That's a great idea! Thanks
@@johnsonrestoration I am only a cardiologist and electrophysiologist so I have to use shortcuts because I came to the US with 2 hand bags and not even a screwdriver, let alone a chisel. I was always one tool short, so I had to get by by using rejected operating room tools and whatever I could find in yard sales.
Are you looking for a 48 year old apprentice?
Thanks! No, I'm not. Part of this "semi-retirement" is not having employees! Besides, you have the videos!