The Final Outcome

'After 16 months of work' 

Side Two - Lower Level

All the drawer rails were drilled out, cleaned and painted black. The right hand corner was rusted, this was cleaned and re painted. The bottom timber joint was split and not joined up. This didn't seem to be a problem as there was no movement within it. I inserted a small timber wedge into it just for added security then painted the metal.

Drilling out drawer rails

Rusted corner with split joint

Cleaning out with help from needle file

Torn away webbed lining

Corner repaired

Lining re-glued and taped

Grotty cockroach stained internal drawer

All four large drawers were re-lined as per the smaller drawers.

Re-lined large drawer

As for the out of alignment of the trunks side: The out come was that the bow came only from the right side edge itself. It went from the middle, where the main latch connected down to the bottom metal support strip. 

In the end with the new locks added, the trunk joining together without a problem ...

and all the worry I had over it.... I simply just left it as is. HA!

Reference 

http://www.shenandoahrestoration.com

https://www.brettunsvillage.com

www.antiquetrunksandchests.com

(Matt's website was down last time I searched. Find him on Youtube

Shellac Video - Youtube Titled

French Polishing A Piece Of Red Morrel Burl, By Clickspring

Sage Renolds

Covering and Lining a Box in One Proceedure - YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Dts3KUgsS4

Before and After

Originally bought 1

Originally bought 2

Cockroach damaged  - Before

Hanger side after

Top slider edge before

Top slider edge after

Bottom before

Bottom after

Divided before

Re-joined after

Adding the Locks

Both original locks were either damaged or rusted and needed to be replaced. I ordered two reproduction locks from Shenandoah Antique trunk Restoration 

The old locks removed showed the hole that the lock device sat into. There was a problem yep another one! with the new locks while the base shape fitted the same as the original, the actual design of the lock was different. 

The original was an all round shape that simply layed flat out over the trunks edge and fitted into it's mate on the other side. However, the new lock has an extended rounded point with a hook over latch attached to it. This didn't allow the latch to lay flush with the other sides metal edge, it was hitting under instead. 

Therefor the trusty 3mm ply was used to build it up. I cut a template using a coping saw and filed the scolloped edge with the needle file, seen below.

Damaged / rusted old locks

Locks removed and base shape showing

Rounded extended point with hook over latch.
Template underneath

Because the plate sat out higher I didn't need the use of the hole. Plus it now didn't line up anyway. So one good this was that the template didn't need to have the circle cut out. The only other problem was that the original holes were now out of alignment and could not be used.

The edge of the lock now met up with the metal edge of the other side and the lock closed together.

I did not want to fill the holes but tried to fit Chicago screws instead. This, although it might not look correct did work, and thats how it will have to stay.

The lock had the wording - Ohio Travel Bag stamped into the metal on the front plate. Fair enough, this did not bother me at all, but seriously! 'Made in China' was stamped right under it. 

This bugged me so much, like Hello! This is the front display, surly the stamp 'Made in China' could have been placed underneath. After all the work someone would put into doing up a trunk of any design and was in the need of a lock, would  want to have 'Made in China' splashed across its front. 

I distressed the wording out of mine, then also tickled a light spray of black randomly over the whole lock.   

Two original holes out of alignment.
Ohio Travel Bag label ... 'Made in China' removed

Chopstick use again

Chicago screws tucked underneath

I have always had the original  'dear little key' and wanted to display it with it's trunk. Although the modern key looks 'SO modern' I felt by having them together the original will help keep 'the new' inline and help tone it down. I also added a wee tassel for decoration.

I like having the original hanging with it's trunk- where it so belongs!

Side Two 

Side two of the trunk with its compartment and drawers is way more complex than the hanging style of side one. I started with a photo shoot like I did with one. There are several areas of concern with this side so extra shots were taken of those areas.  

It is a bit difficult to write this section up in order because there is a lot happening that cross over to one and other. Photos below will hopefully help it come together.

1. Side view-not finished but showing the internals of the trunks

2. Front view

  

The Top Compartment Area

First up there is a bracket at the base of the dome compartment that had broken away from the trunk during it's travels. Also the bracket which sat at the front had come out of alignment. 

Both theses brackets line up the divide board between the three small drawers and the pull down compartment. They both need to be replaced as well as strengthened. I decided to replace the four brackets that hold the base board to this whole compartment as well.

I sensed there could be re-alignment issues in doing all of this, so for the first stage I set it all up as a simple 'mock up' run to start with.     

After gutting the compartment I decided to add the 3mm ply that I did not use in side one. 

I figured because there is no sliding rail to contend with, for added support the ply just might work on this side . A small block of timber was added to the base where the bracket is to be replaced. Also the 3mm board will be support for the bracket that goes on the front. 

 The dome bracket and the three metal small drawer rails were put back onto the divider board and side of the trunk. The brackets on the base board were also put in place.

There was a very bad split in on one side of the front timber trim that supported the pull down flap when closed. I glued and taped it and although it did work I was concerned that it will still be too weak to hold the leather strap that was to fit into it - I will review this later. 

But for now the timber trim was taped into position for the testing of the section and the new board that I was going to use for the flap.

Both brackets and divide board were tested in the mock up and worked just fine. 

Luckily I decided to put back the three drawers just to see how it was going to look. In doing this I found a large gap from the top edge. I pulled it all down re checked the drawer rails, put it all back again, still the same. I thought the base board was out of alignment, but it wasn't. I re-set it all again for the third time, and still the same.

This was starting to do my head in!.... I ended up going back into my original photos like I have done all the way through the makeover, only to find the I had places the rails upside down grrr! I guess the moral here is to always refer back to photos as you can't rely on memory alone, specially when there has been a time gap in-between working the job. 

Again ALWAYS take before and during photos and lots of them.

Top compartment - very sad!

Compartment pulled down - no turning back now!

I could not believe the size and number of nails used
to hold this 5mm dividing board!

Inside bracket broken away at the base of the dome

Top bracket broken away from the front of the dome

Damaged right hand joint - bracket and divider alignment 

Close up of damaged timber joint and bracket

Very bad split in the timber trim of the pull down section

Timber added to inside dome section

New bracket added to the timber support at the base

New brackets added to one end of the base board

Once the mock up had been completed I pulled it all own, stripped all the lining, drilled out the remaining drawer rails and hingers from the pull down flap which were then cleaned and sprayed black. The trunk was then lined with paper and material like in side one once.

Once the trunk was lined with it's material I worked on the pull down flap. Again a piece of 3mm ply was used, this was lined the same as the drawers. Hingers were put aback on, I was worried that the Chicago screws would not fit side by side, but they did :-)

Pull down flap hinge 1

Pull down flap hinge 2

I could not use the original stud clips from the pull down flap, so I had to revert to magnetic clips instead. I did not have ant metal domes like that of the drawers, so I faked it by using dome shaped buttons, drilled them out and sprayed black. The metal rings would show on the second side of the flap so I disguised them by add ing two different size washers glued together and again sprayed black

Original stud clips

Magnetic clips

Back of the board with the fake look washers

Repaired timber joint

Completed section
 Fake buttons covering the magnetic clip fronts

Chopsticks were a great help when lining up the drawer holes and rails

Completed top compartment