Sputnik lights a no show, a finished H/W 1570G corner table and some Lane acclaim tables...

Well we finally figured out why it was taking so long to get the bulbs for the Sputnik lights. The a**holes canceled the order. I think they thought their pricing was too good as when we went to reorder they had jumped the price considerably. May look locally before trying to reorder. Was really looking forward to getting these in the store sale. The bulbs will go with the buyer for the lights and that's sure to escalate the pricing a bit when ready.

On a brighter note I got a call from a former customer that had purchased a H/W 1500 series round cocktail and two stop end tables from my wifes shop a couple of months ago and were looking for a corner table to round out their conversation pit.

Here's a couple of pics of the 1504G end tables redone in "wheat". Someone had restained a dark walnut finish when they came to me and yes, I could probably have sold them as is, but they were too pretty not to bring them back. Couldn't find a pic of the round cocktail but it's the same delicate lines as the ends. In my opinion, one of the nicest tables that they made.

They had called me looking for the matching corner table and this is one that I'd never seen in person but did have a corner table that might work for them. Here's the 1570G corner I did have and they said that this would work for their needs although I did have to refinsish to match their others.

Hard to tell with the less than perfect photograhy, but this will be a great match for the tables they already have. This design with the floating top will mesh just fine with the delicate lines of their other tables. Another great example of the design group at H/W and the construction is second to none.

Last little note for today are the Lane Acclaim tables someone had brought by to unload. Although Lane made gobs of this set, I really love the look and lines and have refinished a bunch of them with really good success overall. If I'd looked a little closer at the tables I may have been inclined not to pay quite so much, but overall a good deal. Picked up two step end tables, a long rectangular cocktail and a square cocktail. After a closer inspection the rectangular cocktail had some swelling from water damage and was not a candidate for refinishing as the veneer was lifting a bit and had some bad stains.Still usable as is and I will price to sell to a nondescriminating buyer that can live with it as is. Kind of a shame as this piece would have been more desirable from a sales point than the square table. Still looks good thought with a little TLC.



The two ends and the square cocktail I decided were pretty good candidates to get the full treatment.

For all you Acclaim fans out there that are considering refinishing your tables yourself I have a couple of works of advise. As much as these appear to be solid wood inlays in the tables they are in fact a walnut and oak veneer in the center portion of the pieces and great care should be taken not to sand through them!!! Many of the midcentury pieces are veneered and although they are way thicker and better than todays pieces, you need to be very careful when taking layers off.
I wish I'd had the foresight to take some before pics, but in my haste to start on them, the during and after pics will have to do. Can't turn back the clock after the fact...

This is the first time I've tried to remove the top step off an end table. Fortunately it was just one screw and a pair of dowels that held them together on each side and they didn't put up too much of a fight. Disassembled and sanded and ready to put some stain on. After I take the tops of tables down I restain with a golden oak stain. It brings back the color of the walnut and revives the color of the oak on the borders and really highlights the original inlays.

Usually have to let the stain dry down for 24-48 hrs before top coating. For smaller projects like this I normally just use can lacquer or urethane in satin or semi-gloss finish. I have a HVLP gun and compressor but  it takes awhile to clean up for the small jobs and I had 4 or 5 cans of semi-gloss urethane left from another job and well, path of least resistance deal...

Out to dry and hope to get all put back together tonight and clean up the legs a bit and they will be ready to go to a new home. Turned out great and they won't last long! I'll put up some post project pics soon...