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Nov. 18, 2025 | Posted in Senza categoria , | Tags:, Reporter: | Course: Woodworking

Furniture Restoration Summer Course (#8) – R.T.

Day 50 (Monday)
Continued restoring the antique table. I used ox glue to bond areas where the veneer on the tabletop surface was peeling. First, I protected the peeling sections with cellophane tape to prevent losing any parts if they came off. Then, I injected the glue, drove nails into the veneer’s edge, and secured it with a pressing board. I performed all these steps myself.
This was my first time properly injecting glue, and adjusting the right amount was difficult. I aimed to inject enough that it overflowed slightly, but driving the nails precisely along the edge during fixing was also challenging. When I peeled it back the next day, the veneer was firmly bonded, and the nail marks were neatly aligned with the edge. My teacher gave me a passing grade, saying, “Filling the gaps with filler should be fine.” However, glue bonding requires prolonged fixation, and choosing the right method for this remains a future challenge.
Finally, I took charge of attaching veneer to another section using adhesive, while the instructor glued the veneer to the open part of the tabletop. This concluded the class.

50日目(月曜日)
アンティークのテーブルの修復作業を続けた。天板の表面の化粧板が剥がれかけている部分を、牛の膠を用いて接着した。まず、セロハンテープで剥がれかけている箇所を保護し、万が一剥がれてもパーツを失わないようにした。その後、膠を注入し、化粧板の境目に釘を打って圧着用の板とともに固定した。これらの工程を一通り自分で行った。
膠の注入を本格的に行うのは初めてで、適切な量の調整が難しかった。やや溢れるくらいの量を目安に注入したが、固定の際には釘を正確に境目へ打ち込む必要があり、その作業も難易度が高かった。翌日剥がしてみると、化粧板はしっかりと接着されており、釘の跡も境目に収まっていたため、先生から「充填材を埋めれば問題ない」と及第点をもらえた。ただし、膠の接着は長時間固定が必要であり、その方法の選択が今後の課題だと感じた。
最後に、別の箇所の化粧板を接着剤で貼り付ける作業を自分が担当し、天板を開いた部分の化粧板を膠でつける作業を先生が行い、授業が終了した。
Furniture Restoration blog
Furniture Restoration blog
Day 51 (Tuesday)
Today, I worked alone on reconstructing and bonding a missing veneer piece. The teacher selected the wood species for the material, but I handled the entire process myself: from pre-treatment and shaping to gluing. I roughly shaped it with a saw, then carefully worked with a chisel and sandpaper, constantly checking the width. I also mixed and applied the two-part adhesive myself. Overall, I think the result was satisfactory.
Towards the end of class, I observed the teacher injecting glue into the cracks along the edge of the tabletop. I had been unsure about the fixing method, but seeing the teacher use the same approach I had considered confirmed the validity of my choice.

51日目(火曜日)
この日は、欠けている化粧板の再建と接着を一人で行った。材料となる木の種類は先生が選定したが、下処理から成形、接着までの工程を自分で担当した。鋸で大まかな形を整え、のみと紙やすりで幅を慎重に確認しながら作業を進めた。2液性の接着剤も自分で調合して使用した。全体的に満足のいく仕上がりだったと思う。
授業の終盤には、先生が天板の縁の割れ目に膠を注入する作業を観察した。固定方法に悩んでいたが、自分が考えていた方法と同じであり、その選択の妥当性を再確認できた。
Furniture Restoration blog
Furniture Restoration blog
Furniture Restoration blog
Furniture Restoration blog
Day 52 (Wednesday)
I started with finishing the veneer I had glued the previous day. I removed excess adhesive, trimmed away overhanging parts, and then rebuilt the veneer on another section. This time, it was repairing a much smaller chip, making it extremely delicate work.
During the process, the veneer cracked multiple times, requiring several re-makes. The cause was using a chisel against the grain. I learned that shaving against the grain creates stress and makes the wood prone to cracking. The instructor advised using a saw instead, making me realize the importance of choosing tools suited to the wood’s properties. At the end of the class, I finished the work by gluing the completed veneer.

52日目(水曜日)
前日に接着した化粧板の後処理から始めた。はみ出た接着剤を取り除き、余分な部分を削って整えた後、別の箇所の化粧板を再建した。今回はより小さな欠けの修復であり、非常に繊細な作業となった。
途中、化粧板が割れて何度も作り直すことがあった。原因は、木目に逆らってのみを使用したためである。木目に沿わずに削ると負荷がかかり、割れやすくなることを学んだ。その際は鋸を使う方が良いと先生から教えられ、木材の性質に合わせた道具選びの重要性を実感した。授業の終わりには、完成した化粧板を接着して作業を終えた。
Furniture Restoration blog
Furniture Restoration blog
Day 53 (Final Day, Thursday)
The final day began with an introduction to wax-based fillers. The method involved mixing sienna earth into wax melted in a double boiler to adjust the color. It hardened quickly and seemed easy to use. However, since it always required a double boiler and took time to prepare, I felt its applications would be limited.
Afterwards, we worked on repairing the edge of the tabletop by shaving prepared wood into a smooth curve. It was my first time using a plane since September, and I was initially nervous. However, by carefully shaving along the marked lines, I managed to achieve the desired shape. I believe the key to success was checking the surface after each shave as I progressed.
At the end of class, the teacher said, “You worked really hard. It went by in a flash.” It felt like all my effort had paid off. The interpreter also asked, “Are you sure you won’t stay?” which made me realize once again that I had earned their trust. I strongly felt that I wanted to apply what I learned here to restoration work in Japan, hone my skills, and return to Florence again.

53日目(最終日・木曜日)
最終日は、蝋を使った充填材の紹介から始まった。湯煎で溶かした蝋にシエナの土を混ぜて色を調整する方法で、固まる速度が速く、使いやすそうだった。ただし、常に湯煎が必要で準備にも時間がかかるため、用途は限られると感じた。
その後、天板の縁部分の修復として、準備された木材を丸くカーブを描くように削る作業を行った。鉋の使用は9月以来で、当初は不安があったが、目印に沿って慎重に削ることで思い通りの形に仕上げることができた。削るたびに表面を確認しながら進めたことが、成功の要因だったと思う。
授業の最後、先生から「よく頑張ったね。あっという間だった。」との言葉をいただき、これまでの努力が報われたように感じた。通訳の方からも「本気で残らないの?」と誘われ、改めて自分が信頼を得られていたことを実感した。今後はここでの学びを日本での修復活動に活かし、技術を磨いて再びフィレンツェに戻りたいと強く思った。
Furniture Restoration blog
Furniture Restoration blog
Furniture Restoration blog
Furniture Restoration blog
Furniture Restoration blog

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