Starting The Month By Finishing a 5-Year Old Project!
When it's a labor of love, who notices the passing of time, right? Apparently I sure don't! In fact it's been so long that I don't remember when I started it but I'm pretty sure it was before my the birth of my last child so that makes it at least 6 years ago..... (ooooo - that was hard to admit!!) Let me begin by explaining that this unfinished project is a 200 year old steamer trunk I bought at an auction sale. It took up space in a storage shed while my youngest entertained the majority of my time for a couple of years, then I started blogging 2 years ago and I took pictures of it to do a "before and after" story (2 computers ago) - dang if I can't find those photos now! Hmmm ...
You have to understand that it was love at first sight for me when I found this trunk. I wasn't even deterred when other trunks at the sale were selling in the $100 range because I had never had the opportunity to buy one in such excellent condition before and I wasn't going to let it slip past... well, unless it went for $200 or something. Let me tell you I was really surprised to end up paying only $35 for it! I asked one of the antiques dealers there why it went so cheap and he told me it's because it had a hump top. (Hah! The very reason I wanted it!!) He said that most people wanted to use antique trunks as coffee tables so this one was entirely unsuitable! I couldn't have been happier!!
It had obviously lived in someone's nice dry attic for decades and forgotten but it didn't smell of mothballs (BONUS!). Although it had water staining in the bottom, all the wood was sound except for a small piece in the lid edge. The metal was quite sturdy with no worn-through bits although it had years of dirt and grime on it. Basically the entire thing looked black - the wood, the stamped metal "buckles", the metal sheeting - everything! The outside wood trim was also travel beaten but none was outright broken, just a piece of the top metal was torn when the top buckle trim tore off which I'm sure has a truly exciting story to accompany the event which no one is alive now to tell! So, sadly the trunk will keep it's secrets.....
So I determined that this summer would be "it" - when I finally finished cleaning and restoring it as much as I could without ruining it's character. What I did was pretty simple. First, I washed and vacuumed it. I sanded all the wood to get rid of the dirt and bits of left over varnish, most of which was worn or chipped off. Then I sanded the metal to get rid of the caked on grime. (It only takes a moment to say but it literally look many afternoons to accomplish!) I waited until we had had a week of rain before I used a danish oil finish on the wood. It has out in the workshop so had lots of exposure to the humidity. I was hoping to trap some much-needed moisture in it as it was powder dry and I was concerned about it being brittle. Then I used a rag and wiped the metal down with flat black Tremclad (I know it's not available in the USA so just think "rust prevention/treatment paint). It means it doesn't look "painted" but I have given the metal a new life by controlling any small spots of rust and preventing new ones from forming.
Inside the trunk I stripped off any loose paper and spent this weekend cutting and fitting tongue and groove aromatic cedar for all four side walls. (yes, this is a clue to my plans for it!) I used wide yellow cedar planks for the bottom. I didn't do anything inside the lid as it was actually in pretty good shape. It used to have a separate compartment in the top with a little hinged door but it is broken. I didn't see any advantage in trying to fix or change it so I just left it alone.
To finish off I screwed 4 rubber swiveled casters to the bottom so it's super easy to move around, 2 metal handles, one on each end and one on the lid because it was really difficult to get that heavy lid open.
So how is this fiber related, you ask? It now holds my overflow spinning fiber - pounds and pounds of superwash and other goodies I've had sitting around in cardboard boxes, tempting disaster. Now it's all safely (and attractively) stored - hidden, you might actually say! So that's how I spent my weekends this summer instead of dyeing, knitting or spinning - but it was SO worth it! Cheers all!
You have to understand that it was love at first sight for me when I found this trunk. I wasn't even deterred when other trunks at the sale were selling in the $100 range because I had never had the opportunity to buy one in such excellent condition before and I wasn't going to let it slip past... well, unless it went for $200 or something. Let me tell you I was really surprised to end up paying only $35 for it! I asked one of the antiques dealers there why it went so cheap and he told me it's because it had a hump top. (Hah! The very reason I wanted it!!) He said that most people wanted to use antique trunks as coffee tables so this one was entirely unsuitable! I couldn't have been happier!!
It had obviously lived in someone's nice dry attic for decades and forgotten but it didn't smell of mothballs (BONUS!). Although it had water staining in the bottom, all the wood was sound except for a small piece in the lid edge. The metal was quite sturdy with no worn-through bits although it had years of dirt and grime on it. Basically the entire thing looked black - the wood, the stamped metal "buckles", the metal sheeting - everything! The outside wood trim was also travel beaten but none was outright broken, just a piece of the top metal was torn when the top buckle trim tore off which I'm sure has a truly exciting story to accompany the event which no one is alive now to tell! So, sadly the trunk will keep it's secrets.....
So I determined that this summer would be "it" - when I finally finished cleaning and restoring it as much as I could without ruining it's character. What I did was pretty simple. First, I washed and vacuumed it. I sanded all the wood to get rid of the dirt and bits of left over varnish, most of which was worn or chipped off. Then I sanded the metal to get rid of the caked on grime. (It only takes a moment to say but it literally look many afternoons to accomplish!) I waited until we had had a week of rain before I used a danish oil finish on the wood. It has out in the workshop so had lots of exposure to the humidity. I was hoping to trap some much-needed moisture in it as it was powder dry and I was concerned about it being brittle. Then I used a rag and wiped the metal down with flat black Tremclad (I know it's not available in the USA so just think "rust prevention/treatment paint). It means it doesn't look "painted" but I have given the metal a new life by controlling any small spots of rust and preventing new ones from forming.
Inside the trunk I stripped off any loose paper and spent this weekend cutting and fitting tongue and groove aromatic cedar for all four side walls. (yes, this is a clue to my plans for it!) I used wide yellow cedar planks for the bottom. I didn't do anything inside the lid as it was actually in pretty good shape. It used to have a separate compartment in the top with a little hinged door but it is broken. I didn't see any advantage in trying to fix or change it so I just left it alone.
To finish off I screwed 4 rubber swiveled casters to the bottom so it's super easy to move around, 2 metal handles, one on each end and one on the lid because it was really difficult to get that heavy lid open.
So how is this fiber related, you ask? It now holds my overflow spinning fiber - pounds and pounds of superwash and other goodies I've had sitting around in cardboard boxes, tempting disaster. Now it's all safely (and attractively) stored - hidden, you might actually say! So that's how I spent my weekends this summer instead of dyeing, knitting or spinning - but it was SO worth it! Cheers all!
Posted by Gloria Patre at 9/1/2009 4:23 PM 
Categories: Other Projects
Tags: pirate trunk antique trunk refinishing antique
Categories: Other Projects
Tags: pirate trunk antique trunk refinishing antique
What a beautiful trunk - inside and out! But I'm wondering where you got the aromatic cedar. My DH has tried to get some for my rosewood chest and says no one here carries it any more.
Could you please also show us a pic of your trunk with yarn in it too?
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Hi Kim! Aromatic cedar is usually sold as closet liner. It comes in small cardboard boxes with about enough to cover 15 square feet (not much - enough to cover a 3'x5' square. I bought mine at McDermot Lumber but you should be able to get it through Home Depot or some other large home reno place or lumber yard.
Yes! I never thought about posting a pic with it full! I guess I should, eh? :o) Thanks for taking the time to say Hi!
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Congratulations on a job well done! That's super cool, and I like the smell of cedar!
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