Need advice restoring flat file wood cabinet project

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DjPhaze
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:49 am

Hello. I just purchased this flat file cabinet and i was wondering if any of you know how to properly restore furniture? I have a brief idea of how to do it.

Sand with 150 grit sand paper or something in that vicinity
Use a lightly damp cloth to remove saw dust
Buy a stain product for wood(Unsure if i should purchase water base or oil base. Also what type of color)

This is what i had in mind. Please let me know if im wrong. I dont plan on putting a sealer on it yet. Below are picture with text asking what to do for each picture.
Last edited by DjPhaze on Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:00 am, edited 6 times in total.
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DjPhaze
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:54 am

Here is a pick of the cabinet. Looks like oak to me.
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ackirkpatrick
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:57 am

let the damage stand out, it adds character. I would certainly get some Kozik and Jermaine toys for that top section.
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DjPhaze
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:01 am

ackirkpatrick wrote:let the damage stand out, it adds character. I would certainly get some Kozik and Jermaine toys for that top section.
Thanks for the advice Borat. lol.
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mr_rugby
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:04 am

rockbridge would be the person I would shoot a PM. If you have seen his wood working skills you would know why.

Best of luck
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DjPhaze
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 4:08 am

mr_rugby wrote:rockbridge would be the person I would shoot a PM. If you have seen his wood working skills you would know why.

Best of luck
I just pm'd him. Thanks
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jimmybing
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:02 am

I know you can buy wood putty, or plastic wood, to fill in things like nail holes. I used a lot of it when my wife and I were putting french doors in our office at home. Not sure how well it would work for the bigger chips in the file here. Should be good for the smaller stuff, though. Just fill, let it dry, sand it smooth, then varnish over it.
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DjPhaze
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 4:43 pm

jimmybing wrote:I know you can buy wood putty, or plastic wood, to fill in things like nail holes. I used a lot of it when my wife and I were putting french doors in our office at home. Not sure how well it would work for the bigger chips in the file here. Should be good for the smaller stuff, though. Just fill, let it dry, sand it smooth, then varnish over it.
the chips i have pictured are around a half in wide. They look alot bigger in the pictures. Thanks for the help.
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BlakeAronson
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 5:20 pm

is it solid wood or veneer over particle board? if the latter you can't sand very far. could also be plywood, which would fall somewhere in the middle of solid wood and veneered stuff when it come to how far you can sand. they have wood putty that is pre tinted to somewhat match and is stainable, get the color that is the closest match even if you intend to stain.

also I would sand with 220-250 if there aren't any major scratches. if there are major scratches try 120-150 first then finish it at 220 or higher. if it is veneer I wouldn't use anything courser than 220, major scratches will likely already be through the veneer.
8=====D~~~~
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DjPhaze
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 5:47 pm

BlakeAronson wrote:is it solid wood or veneer over particle board? if the latter you can't sand very far. could also be plywood, which would fall somewhere in the middle of solid wood and veneered stuff when it come to how far you can sand. they have wood putty that is pre tinted to somewhat match and is stainable, get the color that is the closest match even if you intend to stain.

also I would sand with 220-250 if there aren't any major scratches. if there are major scratches try 120-150 first then finish it at 220 or higher. if it is veneer I wouldn't use anything courser than 220, major scratches will likely already be through the veneer.
i really dont know what type of would it is. how can i find out?
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BlakeAronson
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 6:39 pm

post some more pictures of the edges and damage areas and maybe someone here can tell. from the pictures you posted it doesn't appear to be solid wood to me. i am guessing some or most of it is plywood, which is thin layers of wood glued and pressed together, the top layer is nice and can be stained, but the middle is crap which is why you don't want to sand into it. plywood can take some decent sanding, veneer (even thinner) cannot take too much.
8=====D~~~~
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DjPhaze
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 7:20 pm

BlakeAronson wrote:post some more pictures of the edges and damage areas and maybe someone here can tell. from the pictures you posted it doesn't appear to be solid wood to me. i am guessing some or most of it is plywood, which is thin layers of wood glued and pressed together, the top layer is nice and can be stained, but the middle is crap which is why you don't want to sand into it. plywood can take some decent sanding, veneer (even thinner) cannot take too much.
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DjPhaze
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 7:22 pm

BlakeAronson wrote:post some more pictures of the edges and damage areas and maybe someone here can tell. from the pictures you posted it doesn't appear to be solid wood to me. i am guessing some or most of it is plywood, which is thin layers of wood glued and pressed together, the top layer is nice and can be stained, but the middle is crap which is why you don't want to sand into it. plywood can take some decent sanding, veneer (even thinner) cannot take too much.
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DjPhaze
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 7:24 pm

BlakeAronson wrote:post some more pictures of the edges and damage areas and maybe someone here can tell. from the pictures you posted it doesn't appear to be solid wood to me. i am guessing some or most of it is plywood, which is thin layers of wood glued and pressed together, the top layer is nice and can be stained, but the middle is crap which is why you don't want to sand into it. plywood can take some decent sanding, veneer (even thinner) cannot take too much.
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DjPhaze
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Fri Mar 08, 2013 7:27 pm

My room has poor lighting. Sorry about the different tones of lighting in the pictures. i tried to make em as clear as possible.
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