This is a fun project that Sis and I are working on. A client wants a cedar chest painted. None of us are quite sure how old it may be, but we are guessing that it was made around the thirties or forties. It has a few issues: peeling veneer, flecking shellac and numerous dings. But aside from that, it is in pretty good shape.
However, before the fun stuff can begin, we need to prepare the piece for painting. We felt that the bottom molding of the piece needed updating to take away the Art Deco feel, so we elected to replace it with simple 1"x4"s, which we routed the top edge with an ogee design and will cut a simple curve on the bottom. In the picture above, we have already installed a nailer piece on the bottom of the chest to accept the new molding.
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| MITERING JOINTS |
In this project, it is not important to save the veneer; and where the veneer is peeling, we cut it out or chip the entire sheet off.
Now all that is left to do is the sanding......
We have the chest primed and ready.....now, for the fun stuff. After samples were made and a drawing of the family shield was finished, and since the guys in the family were the primary users of the chest, the client wanted a more masculine design. It was decided that the top of the chest will have the family shield painted on a background of solid chocolate. While the belly of the chest will have an embossed alligator finish.
We are using a stencil (Faux Effects International, Crocodile stencil) and a plaster (Faux Effects,Venetian Gem). The stencil has register marks, so we simply match up the registration marks while blading the plaster evenly through the stencil.....And Ta da, the embossed section of the chest is finished. The tape is removed, and the plaster is left to set up for a few days....Then comes more fun. 
