1950s Broken Typewriter Desk | Furniture Restoration
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- čas přidán 17. 05. 2024
- Free FB marketplace finds aren't always the best.
Missing drawer bottoms, water warped drawers, rusted typewriter mechanism, tarnished brass feet and a desktop with a burn mark on it.
When I reached out about this desk the photos showed it sitting in garage, however, when I showed up it had been sitting outside in the rain for days. All this aside, I thought this would be a unique and fun restoration as I've never seen a typewriter desk like this. It was frustrating and complicated at times but I think it turned our great.
If you liked this furniture restoration/furniture flip please like and subscribe to follow along for future DIY restorations.
If you have any questions feel free to reach out in the comments.
Thanks for watching!
- JM
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List of items used in my Furniture restorations
Klean Strip Premium Stripper - amzn.to/49FPZiQ (Amazon)
Krud Cutter Degreaser - amzn.to/3uG1zLT (Amazon)
Brasso Metal Polish - amzn.to/3ULUfJk (Amazon)
Carbide Scrapper - amzn.to/49iDObH (Amazon)
Detail Carbide Scrapper - amzn.to/3UNaNAQ (Amazon)
Ridgid Air Compressor - amzn.to/4bFtPyW (Amazon)
Nylon Brush - amzn.to/3SLN1SZ (Amazon)
Putty Scraper Tool - amzn.to/49HDF1h (Amazon)
Lacquer Satin - amzn.to/48iby7P (Amazon)
General Finishes Gel Stain Antique Walnut - amzn.to/48r5FoW (Amazon)
PreStain Wood Conditioner - amzn.to/42MqREJ (Amazon)
Black and Decker Iron - amzn.to/4bFfgLP (Amazon)
Disclaimer, the above links are affiliate links, so if you make a purchase with the links provided, I will receive a small commission. There's no extra charge, but it helps me out! - Jak na to + styl
I am in my 70s. Years ago my father, retired from the S.P. Railroad, brought a desk and chair almost identical to yours home. He restored them both and now my sister has them. They still look as good as the day he finished them. They still work well. Seeing the work you put into yours, they will last as long as you want them to.
These are great memories!
I worked in a Sears credit department in the 60s and 70s, and had a desk very much like this one. The weight of the typewriters made the spring mechanism much easier to raise and lower. Takes me back - nice job, too! The hardware takes the old girl up a notch - fit for any office today!
Very cool! I thought the springs were so heavy because the old typewriters were heavy. Takes a little muscle to open them but better than before when they were rusted haha.
Nice insight and history!
My dad’s desk from back in the day looked very much like the original. What an improvement! Gorgeous.
That would make the most AWESOME sewing desk. Just saying. I'm impressed that you got that mechanism back together!
Never thought about being a sewing desk! More than welcome to buy the desk if you want it!
I have an old teachers' desk I use. It doesn't have that spring shelf, but the pull-out one is perfect for a serger, and the large top makes cutting patterns a breeze.
@@restorationrhode I would *love* to but I think shipping to Wyoming would be a bit dear 😆😆😆
One more thing to add....the slide out tray. :)
Yes that is still missing
Agree. Should have made a new tray.
very nice job .. it's a real win for this desk that you didn't stain it and let the wood shine in it's natural beauty !
Thank you!
Beautiful restoration that brought back some nice memories. I worked in an office in the mid-1960s where all the desks were like this. Everyone smoked at that time, so it wasn’t unusual to see burn marks on desktops. The manual typewriters were so heavy that most of us just kept them at desktop level.
A bit off-subject: A few years later when I saw an IBM sales rep demonstrate their latest electric typewriter with auto-correction tape, I considered it a miracle-still remember it to this day.
Very cool! Those are some nice memories!
Don't listen to the naysayers.
11/10 for the spring mechanism and 10/10 for the polished feet. 12/10 for the tung oil finish. 9/10 for the drawer handles. ( I love all the memories attached to the wooden originals)
AND FINALLY, 19/10 for modeling your hot t-shirt.
Great video and restoration and repair are excellent.
Thank you..I enjoyed it. ❤
Thank you for all the support and inspiration!
That turned out to be a really nice piece of furniture and nice historic piece of restoration! I liked the new hardware.🎉
Thank you! I thought the hardware was pretty cool 😎
“This should probably be a two person (or three) job.” I have very often had the same thought when I’m on a project!
What a sturdy piece of office furniture. Thank you for going the distance and renovating 90% of it. That typewriter table mechanism was something to behold, let alone rehab it. That took lots of intestinal fortitude to tackle it; so you are forgiven for not making a new pull out board. Those pull out boards were used for a spiral dictation notebook to rest on when one was taking dictation, as I remember back to office world in the 1960's.
I know I need to make the pull out tray. It’s an odd dimension and don’t have some the tools to mill that size down.
I would bet a printer will fit where a typewriter used to go. Lovely restoration! Brought back memories of my first desk at mu first job in 1985. Worked at a university, where furniture was used forever.
I actually highlighted in my sales post on FB marketplace that it could be used to hold a printer! 😂
Back in the early 1970s i used desks like this in my first job, as a shorthand typist, working for the government in Sydney Australia 🇦🇺.
Doing my part to bring it back to its glory days.
That was fun to watch. Interesting piece. Thx for the laughs too.❤
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!
Excellent craftsmanship 😊
Thank you!
That little grey piece is from the game Battleship.
I know. I was trying to think of a battleship joke but couldn’t come up with one.
@@restorationrhode , 😆😆😆
OMG! I have a desk nearly identical to that in my study. It was my father's. Looks like yours had a pencil drawer in the middle like mine does - it is huge! That space left after the typewriter/monitor table pops out makes a great kitty hide out. Mine has a snuggly bed in it. Yours turned out great with awesome hardware. That light finish really freshens it up. This gives me some ideas...😮😮 Thanks for the familiar journey.
Great idea for the cat hideout!
Beautiful. The slanted drawer guides are for sorting different type of stationery. It would be nice to make those dividers and to get a fully restored Underwood No 6. or Royal 10 typewriter.
Thank you! I thought a good modern use would be to use it for a printer.
A bit of bees wax on the drawer bottoms will help the drawers slide more freely
I might go back and do that. I have some bees wax.
Truly a beautiful job. I would have liked to see the pull out tray replaced.
Next time I’ll be sure to make a tray.
I would have made the pull out tray.
Yeah... he should still add it in.
I might go back and add the pull out tray.
WOW!! You created a masterpiece! DDecker
Thank you!!
Love the hardware! The desk looks great!
I do confess I’m a bit sad that you didn’t make a new slide out on the right. Still fantastic!
Agree should have made the tray.
The finish looks great, nice hardware choice. I think I personally would have a cupboard and not all that hefty metal work.
Thanks! You technically could still use it as a cupboard.
I have a big oak desk like this just with two drawers on each side. Still in use today after doing a resto on it over 30 years ago. Seeing this one brought to life again was worth watching. Well done.
Thank you! I love giving old furniture new life.
This is beautiful! You kept the character, while still making it suitable for any home. Great work. 👏🏻👏🏻 thanks for sharing. 🇮🇪
Thank you! 😊
The finished product brought back lots of memories. Great work!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!
Such a great restoration. You did it well 👍👍
Thank you very much!
It's new again! Good job!🌷🌷
Thank you!
Wow...looks amazing
Thank you!
Beautiful work. It looks great!
Thank you very much!
Hi this restoration is beautifully done, the hardware match it so well.
Thank you!
Numberone restoration brother ❤
Thank you!
Lovely job, well done
Thank you!
Way cool restoration.. The jokes made it even better!! 😂.. I'm definitely a subscriber from now on!
Thanks for the sub! I’ll have a new video out in the next week or two.
@@restorationrhode you're welcome.. Awesomeness!
Love it! If you had to put new handles they were a great choice . Shame my sewing machine would not fit in there but if someone had an old one it would. 👏👏
Great idea! I was thinking a printer would fit nicely.
Great result, and thanks for the excellent 'narration'; made me laugh a few times :) And, anyone who has a dog in their videos pretty much gets at least a 'like' from me.
Glad you enjoyed it! I’m pulling on the heart strings of dog lovers haha 😂
I enjoyed the whole video but the miniature happy dance had me. LOL With all that work it should have been a BIG OL' HAPPY DANCE! I was really pleased with the wood grain under all that old finish. It really is beautiful. Also, I'd like to add, I vote for the new hardware. You really must find a new slide for the one that's missing to make it complete.
I agree should have made a new slide.
@@restorationrhode I'm sure you could find a piece that would work. It really is a neat set up and could store a printer, router, or computer tower to update the usage... unless you know a writer that still uses a typewriter! 🥰
I love it , stunning
Thank you!!
Awesome work brother!
Thanks!
Really nice work!
Thank you!
Subscription added. I love old furniture.
So do I! Thanks for the support!
love the hsndles
Thank you!
This was a true labor of love
Sometimes it’s a fight.
Awesome job! Great video and editing--fun to see some sandblasting. And the new hardware put it over the top!
Glad you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for future restorations!
I worked at a desk just like this at my first job. It’s probably missing a middle drawer, as well as the pull-out tray. Beautiful job on this restoration!
Thanks!
Very nice
Thanks!
Lmaooo THIS was a Boxing Day! 😂😂😂🤌🏾🤌🏾🤌🏾🥊🥊🥊🥊
Most days were boxing days with this restoration. Haha
Very nice, I used a desk like that and a manual typewriter at my first job. Thank the Lord for computers!
Ha! Yea, no need for 70lb sprints with 1lb laptops today!
The desk looks great, but I agree the slide out would make it complete.
It would. I might go back and replace it.
Bloody beautiful!! Just subscribed... great work.
Thanks for the sub! Stay tuned for new restorations!
That was a right dog, it's lovely after all yr hard work 😊
Thanks!
Nice job, but maybe some oxalic acid could've been used on that burn on the top? I also think some stain would've added to the contrast of the legs.
I actually did use oxalic acid on the burn spot. It did nothing so I decided to cut it from the video.
NICE NICE BABY!!!
Thank you!
Sweet 👍🏻 👍🏻
Thanks!
Cool 😊
Glad you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for the restoration of a desk chair to go along with it!
This type of desk, but only slightly different, is standing right in front of me! It needs redoing as well.
Ship it my way and I can restore it for you haha. 😂
Beautiful wood, I’m wonder if you could put a laptop in there?
Really nice work beautiful desk green hardware. The only thing I would do differently is, if I had it, would be to make the opening larger to accommodate my wheelchair.
Thank you! The top doesn’t fasten to the cabinets so you could move both the side cabinets apart a little wider to accommodate a wheelchair
I subscribed because I like your work. Jay is another one of my favorites.
Beautiful, but you didn't replace the writing board! 😊
I know. I should have replaced the tray.
Cool🙏
Thanks!
I think the desk mechanism is super-neat, but what practical use can anyone make of it?
No polyurethane finish? Did I blink and miss you putting that on? I think it really needs some hard acrylic protection so your restoration is not short-lived.
I’m glad you didn’t hurt yourself with those Springs. I thought you might.
The brass hardware is cool.
I used shellac on the top. I didn’t capture that on camera as I was trying to get the video out this weekend.
❤❤❤❤
Thank you!
You sunk my battleship!
Do you ever show the finished product to the folks you got it from originally?
Sometimes I show them. However I don’t think these people will care. When I showed up The owner pointed to the back of his house and then went back inside haha. 😆
Finished? Failed to reproduce the slide out .
Agree. I need to go back and make the tray.
My only criticism is the missing items that weren't replaced...
The missing drawer dividers (the slanted ones were for commonly used blank forms)
The missing pull out tray
The missing pencil drawer
I know. Going forward I’ll complete each piece 100%.
Great job. May I ask what type of wood it's made from.
I believe it’s oak and the top and sides are a cherry veneer.
@@restorationrhode thank you
❤❤❤
Nice job. Was the top a different species of wood… is that why it is darker?
Yes. I believe the top and sides are a cherry veneer and rest is oak.
I have neve in all my 78 years seen a desk like this. How bizarre, especially putting mock drawer fronts on the typewriter cupboard hideaway.
I agree I thought it was very unique!
👍❤️
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
What did you do with this once it was finished?
I sell them. I still have this available for sale if you are interested.
You could have easily make a new pull out shelf…
I know I know. I was rushing to get the video out.
Hope you have a day job.
Ha! GOT’EM!
Please talk
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