Workshop Diary: A Quick Bit of TLC, Custom Architect's Drawers & Why I'm Ditching Metal Runners

Hello, Picklers. Well, it's Monday again, and it's a big start to the week. Injured backs (moving furniture is a nightmare when you're in pain), family stuff, and everything in between. As much fun as it is to run a business like this, some days are just hard work. So I'll try to keep it chipper.Today I'm going to show you something genuinely difficult I'm working on, and tell you not to do it, to save you the hassle.Just finished: These lovely things have just come off the bench. They've got what I think is bone detailing. We stripped out all the damaged bits and used a light filler to balance them out. This isn't about being authentic. It's a little bit of TLC to liven them up. A cheap trick, to be honest, and that was the plan. I've also fixed a dowel. The whole thing is twisted, which we can't do anything about, but it's secure now, and that's what matters.The beast I'm wrestling: This one's for a client, an artist. It's a custom set of architect's drawers, and I've inherited a full set of metal runners with it. They're a nightmare. They're not running smooth, they're not running even and they're not balanced. I've never liked metal, even back on the farm working on fencing. I much prefer timber.The plan: I'm going old school and building my own timber runners. Paper art gets heavy, so each drawer will get its own runner sitting above it, and it'll slide backwards and forwards on timber rather than fighting those metal ones. I'd love to film the whole build, but honestly it'd be boring, there'd be too much swearing, and I don't think you'd learn anything clever from me.The top: I'm using some of this oak. The idea is to cut the panel down into strips, sand them, and pin them underneath with a little crossbar, so it ends up with a solid oak top made in strips. It'll be a beautiful, cool, country, rustic piece, and a real one-off. I was hoping to show you today, but I'll film it and share it later in the week as soon as I come up for air.The lesson: Not every project is easy. Restoration isn't just about sanding. As you go, it's about adapting your plan, and as much as I love adapting, this one has been really tricky. I'll get it done and make sure it works, but if you don't have the luxury of time and every tool going, really understand what you're taking on first: Assess what you've actually got. Work out where you want to end up. Make sure you have the time, energy, effort and budget to get there. Because this is supposed to be fun. When it stops being fun, you start throwing things, and I'm about 15 minutes away from throwing things. So let's keep it fun and call this one a learning experience.Thinking about taking on a project of your own? Drop me a note below and I'll help you work out the steps so you move through it positively. Have a great week, and see you Thursday for Q&A.

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