Mea Culpa, Formica-Topped Table

Okay, this is what I had to work with. Originally, this table was assembled in the usual manner, legs on the bottom, top well, on the top. It was pretty cool, not the coolest formica-topped table I’d ever seen, but the price was right and I didn’t think I’d be doing too much to it before reselling–de-rusting and cleaning. Well, I purchased this before I rented my workspace, so it bravely withstood a couple of rain storms standing in my driveway since my garage was too full. As a result, the formica started to separate from the base of the top. Thinking it would be a pretty easy fix, I started gluing (Gorilla Glue, if anyone’s interested) and tried to pull everything together with those ratchety things. What with the the angle of the table, and the ferocity of the glue and various user errors with regard to the ratchety things, it sort of ended up looking like the unfortunate picture on the left. The legs were still awesome, so I waited patiently until a different tabletop would come into my life.

And, it did, last week.

Fast forward. The curbside table as a whole was pretty beat up, so I just salvaged the top. The biggest challenge was figuring out the best way to marry the new top to the chrome legs. I thought I could simply attach the legs to the top, but the height wouldn’t have been correct, so I used parts and pieces from the original top and made it work. After many pieces of sandpaper (by the way, a tip: That purple sandpaper you can get now? It really lasts longer than the standard stuff.) it was ready for paint. I think it’s fun!

Nota Bene: This design is not a target. It’s a bull’s eye. Really.

When in Doubt, Bring your Camera

Early Wednesday I set out in earnest to hunt. There was an estate sale in Independence–Eastern Jackson County, or “Eastern Jack,” where there’s supposed to be all sorts of awesome things at awesome prices, so I was pretty excited. There was some cool stuff, but I forgot that this particular estate sale organization is notorious for overpricing. It really was ridiculous, for resellers definitely, and even for casual estate sale goers who want to pick up a nice deal for a collection or a gift. I bought a few vintage Christmas ornaments, but other than that left disappointed. I stopped at the Blue Springs Red Rack on the way back to Kansas City to see if I could find a few things there to salvage the trip and at least buy some things to cover gas, but all in all the morning was looking like a complete bust.

Slightly downhearted, I punched in “go home” on my GPS and headed off. Generally I love my GPS and feel pretty handicapped without it (notwithstanding it’s maiden voyage in St. Louis), but the girl sometimes sends me in unanticipated directions. I was seriously wondering why I was driving north on Jackson Street when I thought the highway would have been quicker when–ta da–I noticed some guys were very considerately bringing some great looking furniture to the curb from an abandoned house! Does my GPS know me well enough now that she suggests the best picking routes rather than the fastest ones? I’ve often been jealous of picker friends who casually tell me they found such-and-such on the curb, and sold it for hundreds of dollars two minutes later. The best I’d done was a gnarly fireplace mantle that I picked with my daughters. Yesterday, though, I found an awesome three drawer oak dresser in just the right state of distress, and a large round wood tabletop that will look great with a chrome base that once belonged to a formica-topped kitchen table.

It wish I could share the curbside jumble in situ, but no camera. Next week when I head back to the warehouse, you’ll get before pics and soon thereafter, after pics!