Modifying Old Furniture?

Q: Recently been teaching myself furniture refinishing. I buy cheap but quality-made used furniture on Craigslist, strip, sand, stain or shellac, wax, etc. and then keep or resell.

I’d like to use my Xcarve to add detailing to the tops of tables or stools, or use some woodworking materials to modify detailing, ex. use a spokeshave to add soft curvature to 90 degree corners.

Has anyone done this? What’re some things to watch out for?

I’m not in the process of refinishing, but, I’m creating a table for our laundry room. I haven’t had time to work on it lately, but will be back in gear next week hopefully.

The main thing I can suggest are jigs. May uses for them and ways to make sure everything lines up.

This might give you ideas.

depending on what you are working on, you need to be able to put the piece under the spindle. Might not always be as evident.

I bought this piece of walnut for $10.00. Enlayed it with African Padauk leaves, made the legs with Maple wood. About $40.00 in material and a couple hours labor. I was offered over $300.00 dollars for it. But the wife said no way she was keeping it. Yes, you can make some money with it if your wife don’t keep everthing you make.

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Basically. Trying to take boring but structurally sound pieces, add details, refinish and sell.

Where’d you source the sweet walnut slab?