I may not be able to respond to everyone, but I am looking forward to reading every single comment. Also, if you wish to guess the challenges, I will include the answers after many have had a chance to guess. To avoid SCAMS, Never RESPOND to any giveaways through the comments section. I will make it very clear when I am giving anything away. Thank you for all your support. Barry
Someone posing as your channel responded to one of my comments saying I won a give away. I knew it was a scam, but I played along to see how much they would try to scam me for. Once I called their bluff, they disappeared. 😠 😡 👿
My dad was 50 when I came along. Needless to say, when, at age 10, I did "the math," I decided to spend time learning all about his wood-working skills. He was a man of deep conviction and faith, and we had many discussions about faith, life, and God's view. June 20th marks 29 years he's been gone. I'm glad you, too, we're blessed with a loving father. Being a public h.s. teacher, I attest there is no greater or more significant role for a man than to be a dedicated father.
My 90 year old father, spent most of his life (and nearly all of my childhood) as a missionary in Kenya. He taught me to love people of every race, religion, and culture, as well as their food, clothing, smell, language and so much more. He loved taking me on safaris, walks or bike rides through the African bush. He taught me all about the wild animals that we saw wherever we went. He taught me how important it is to know and understand history so I can make good decisions for today. He taught me to love the Bible and to understand the true nature of God. He was - and still is - gentle, kind, and hilarious. Though he can’t remember much these days, I remember everything he taught me. I love you, Dad.
Aww, what a wonderful story and a fascinating childhood! Thank you for sharing this, I could only wish my father had taught me to love the Bible, I had to find God on my own(thank the Lord for His relentless pursuit of us!). My father is 97 and an atheist and refuses to listen to anything about the Bible.
Barry, my grandmother would stop at every dump, pile of anything along the curb or roadside looking for treasures. I remember her refinishing EVERYTHING she found. She would strip off the old paint, varnish and refinish the beautiful wood underneath. She even reupholstered chairs she would find along the side of the road. I had to give you a sub because of your perfect calming voice! I loved your voiceover story too. You got my vote!
I like hearing stories about other peoples fathers. I wasn’t lucky enough to have a good dad and had a horrible step father but it’s nice to know there are good dads out there and people with happy memories.
I'm in the same boat. My dad spent his time behind bars at Menard State Prison in Southern Illinois. In fact, my dad taught me everything about being a father. Just do everything he never did.
Thanks Barry for sharing. My dad came from nothing - one of 9 kids born to an alcoholic welder and a homemaker - and went on to finish high school, college and have a great career. We never saw eye to eye on everything - he had extremely high expectations for us - but he taught me the value of working hard, being a good person and that there is nothing more satisfying than a job well done. I am lucky to have him around still and to be a great grandfather to our son. He did a lot for us - investing thousands into a computer in the mid 80s, paying for our college and helping us move into our own homes - and without any expectation of paying it back, since he knew what it was like to have nothing. Have a great Father's Day with your dad. Regards.
I think of my dad every time I watch one of your videos. He loved to work with wood and taught himself all the techniques he used to make furniture over the years. We all have items in our homes he made for us, and they are lovely momentoes to have. My dad was a role model in so many ways. He had a tough life. At fourteen he lost his own dad and dropped out of school to start work and to support his mother. I look back at the struggles he and my parents faced and I'm proud of how they survived and had a happy marriage for over 50 years. Losing him to cancer 4 years ago was very hard, but his legacy lives on. We talk about him every day, and I regularly quote him. My siblings and I often say "what would dad do?"we always seem to get an answer. The people in our lives that give us love and nurture us, leave lasting imprints. I am lucky to have many such positive influencers in my life, my dad being top of the list. He would've loved your channel Barry and would've given you every encouragement in what you do. You are in the role of influencer now and your positive messages are just as impactful as those between a father and a child. Keep doing what you're doing for as long as you get fulfilment and pleasure from it and share your experiences with us. We all benefit and we all grow in our experiences together. Much love from Liverpool, UK.
I am a new subscriber, but after watching how you restored this beautiful piece I just had to. Loved listening to you. So soothing! I cringe when I see a piece that has been painted over, it is like a blow to the soul. Much prefer the natural wood shining through, especially with something so old when the craftmanship was so beautifully done. They don't make them like this anymore or not that I can find. Kudo's to you!
Fantastic restoration, Barry!❤ I loved the story about your 4th grade teacher and when you revealed that the teacher was your dad, I teared up a bit.🥺 That was a sweet moment.🥰 My own father was a great man. He died when I was 24 years old and I miss him all the time. I will honor his memory, as I always do, on Father's Day. Stay close to your dad. You're going to be a wonderful father too!☺
I have a nearly identical little dresser like that at my cabin. Someday, I will strip and refinish it to bring it back to life. I hope it will be to as high a standard of craftsmanship as you have set.
I also have one that if not identical, is close enough to confuse. It had many layers of deeply imbedded paint. In the end I was left with three distinct layers, all melded and burnished. It is very unique, I get frequent compliments.
My father was an incredible man. Self taught carpenter, who could make almost anything out of wood. His love of family was incredible, even now 20 years after his death, I still hear stories of his kindness and big heart.
My father and I didn't see eye to eye during my teenage years, we disagreed on almost anything. After I left home I missed him more than I had anticipated and every time I visited I was greeted with a huge smile and I realised that it was my own teenage arrogance ( I knew best what was good for me) that caused the past tension between us. He taught me and my siblings to be decent caring human beings and not have any ill thoughts to anyone "different". As I and he grew older he delighted in my children and loved my wife who in turn adored him (She had never known her own father). In short my dad was my hero and I miss him every day. I am 60 now and m lucky to have had three kids of my own and, just recently, welcomed my 4th grandson into the world. I love your channel Barry, long may it continue. Jim, from Scotland.
Thank for the honesty in your story. A similar story at that and 60 here as well😅 he taught me more than I even know. darn "Cat's in the Cradle ", right 😅
This video warmed my heart. When you started talking about your fourth grade teacher I thought "how nice he's still in touch with his teacher!", and then you said "Thank you' Dad" and I shed a few tears. Family is everything to me, and it is so nice to imagine your father's pleasure when you shared this project with him. He must be very proud of his son, and anxious to walk the woods with his grandkids. My grandad was an agronomist, and we would take walks together, when I was a little girl, and my favorite game was to try to find a tree he could not name. I always lost! Grandad is long gone, and my mom and dad also. But their presence in my heart is strong. Here is to many years of you sharing things with your dad! Bless both of you. Hugs from Sao Paulo, Brazil
You are right about the scraping. The only time I would hesitate to do so would be with doing a really fine antique, or something with intricate detail that might be easily damaged by scraping. The same for chemical strippers. Some of the older finishes can be released, or for that matter renewed with specific solvents. Shellac for instance responds well to denatured alcohol, but Shellac does not respond to some strippers. I learned that one the hard way. Also, some lacquers can be toungh for any chemical to cut through, scraping or sanding is the best answer. Last note Iearned from an elderly neighbor when I was young who helped me with a few of my first projects, the importance of figuring out the old finish you are working with. Shellacs and related work well with scraping, but some of them, sanding heats the old finish and makes a mess and stains the old wood. Just some ramblings.
By the same token, older furniture that was produced in a factory was usually finished with nitrocellulose lacquer. This can be stripped with lacquer thinner.
My dad is the best man I know, always in hood spirit and able to do basically everything. He can repair all kinds of stuff, is hard-working, generous, creative and kind. I wish to be more like him ❤
Enjoyed your video and restoration. My dad... He was one of those people who could do and fix anything. Engines, house renovations, plumber, tiler, painter, builder, gardener... As a child I was often his assistant, handing over tools, passing things up to him, holding the ladder. Learnt to have attention to detail and always making sure things were square and plumb. 😊
Another amazing resurrection of a great furniture find, combined with a fantastic, and meaningful narrative throughout the process. I always look forward to viewing your next project videos. Bravo Barry! 👏
I think this is your best video to date. Loved it. What a special dresser, story, and honor to see you include your Dad. One day you WILL be an amazing Father. All the best to you.
I love how much time you dedicate to expanding on your furniture projects and connecting them to a larger story - either about the furniture, it's manufacturer, or a personal story. It's a nice reminder that these are more than just things - they are parts of homes and lives 😊
I’ve stripped and refinished several of these pieces over the years. I called them ‘sideboards’…I still have two in my living room. Both are painted but I’ve reworked their finishes. I love them because they hold memories…one was given me by my late brother George and the other was a kind elderly mother of a friend of mine. Good for you!
Such a heartfelt video ! I hope you do get to have children and share things with them, I think your dad would love that he has such a place in your heart and that he will be remembered always by what you teach your kids ! I'm sure he is proud of you 😊
Might be a long-shot, but I'm going with Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A for the cassette. Thanks for the great video as always. Brought back lots of memories of my dad, furniture my grandfather made, and a few of those special teachers I'll never forget.
Wonderful tribute to your Dad & Teacher! Your meticulous attention to detail and perseverence to restore these furniture pieces are a testament to the man he raised. My Dad was also a teacher - he taught American History - first in a high school and then later on at the college level. He taught for over 30 years. Sadly, he passed away 12 years ago now - at age 90. What I admire above all else about the man my Dad was, was his ability to teach himself to do whatever it took to accomplish something. My folks bought an old house (1854) when I was 2 years old. An old house has many many things that need to be replaced, repaird and updated in it. Since he was a teacher - there was rarely any extra $ to hire someone for these projects. So he taught himself how: plumbing, electrical, carpentry, drywall, wall papering, painting - you name it. More often than not one of us children were his 'extra pair of hands'. [there were 4 of us]. In his later years, finally retired, he taught himself woodworking - buiding cradles for one of my children and one of my sister's. He built a video storage cabinet for my Mom (who took more videos than she bought - but they all needed someplace to be stored). He also built a cabinet for each of the bathrooms - to replace wall mounted simple sinks , with substantial cabinets that suit the age / style of the home. I have now inhereted this family home. So many memories of all his 'project's and improvements' surround me here. There are machines and tools in his 'workshop' that I would be afraid to use - but would love to see them put to use by someone who knows how.... [Care to make a road trip to MA - ?] Thank you for giving me an opening to share about my Dad - I miss him.
Shawshank redemption. Loved this episode. You do beautiful wrk and I love the stories especially that your 4th grade teacher was your dad 🥹❤️My father adopted me and my sister when he married my mother in 1970. He was a 5th grade teacher then an assistant principal at my middle school. He passed away last yr at 81. I too was given the gift of outdoor education and appreciation to trees flowers birds etc. thank you Barry for bringing out the memories today ❤️
Thanks for this one Barry. I'm loosing my Dad to Alzheimer's but my memories of him when I was wee in the shed with a saw/hammer or a shovel. We made a kinda sit in seesaw out of the headboard and foot board of an old bed. I like this make over, it looks loved. ❤❤
love the dresser! are those knobs original? never seen knobs like those before on older furniture. tell your dad Happy Fathers Day for me. never knew my father. but i was lucky to have a few role models in my life so i did not miss out. they were fathers to my friends and have since passed on. treated me just like their daughter and i was grateful for it.
Lovely. Lots of love for Dad and teachers. I wish I could let my 6th grade teachers (whom I drove crazy because I didn't work hard) that the revenge is I am now a teacher.
I was late for your Live, but I really liked what you said about your father. My father was also my best friend and advisor. It's good to have these memories in the heart!! Great week for you!!
My dad wanted to do what you do. He loved making things right. He worked so hard to raise his 12 children and I know his passions were left largely unaddressed.
Thanks for the awesome and heartfelt story. This was an amazing restoration Barry. I remember going into our basement and shed just to see what my dad was working on. To this day the smell of a workshop reminds me of him.
Thanks for sharing such a touching story from your past. My dad had many occupations throughout his life, the most memorable to me was when he did carpentry work. I watched and learned how to use power and manual tools, which has proven to come in very handy throughout my life. Thanks Dad! And thanks to all the dads out there, know that your kids do pay attention once in a while lol😂 the dresser is awesome, by the way.
The movie is Shawshank Redemption. I’ve refinished a couple of these type of dressers, so I know how much time goes into it. Beautiful restoration, Barry!
Beautiful work as always Barry. Dad passed away this February 2023. While its still raw, he taught me so much about wood and how to work with it. We spent many a Sunday in the shed either chopping wood for the week, or just messing around making something. I think about him all the while..
As someone who came from an extremely dysfunctional family, I still struggle with finding joy in my life, even in the little things. I used to feel bitter when hearing someone's story and all the great things they went through in childhood. Now I'm just thankful that despite my own past not being great, that doesn't count for everyone. I'm glad you shared this nice story from your childhood, it made me think of the little things in my own childhood that made me happy. The dresser also looks great!
Such a lovely restoration and an even more lovely story! Barry, I enjoy your videos so much and the care you give to each item you work on comes through! Give your dad a great big hug from me for loving and nurturing such an amazing human being. Be well and may this Father's Day bring much joy to you and your family. PS The movie is one of my favorites. The Shawshank Redemption. Another favorite is The Green Mile. Both by Stephen King, my favorite author! His books definitely give one a deeper look at the human condition and what makes us tick. 😊
My father passed away in 2017. I loved him dearly and miss him desperately. We were extremely close and shared many long, loving conversations about life and the importance of family. Faith in Jesus was a common topic. My Dad was my greatest cheerleader and encourager. I appreciate your obvious love for your Dad as you spoke about him. Keep up the great work and I wish you continued success in your business. BTW, the movie was Shawshank Redemption.
My Daddy is 84 years old and still works on the farm everyday. The other day he was up on the roof of his house with the roofers! I have many wonderful memories of him but one of the best was how we rode on the tractor with him. This was a small Massey Ferguson and 4 kids. My brother(the youngest) would sit in Daddy’s lap. My 2 sisters would each sit on a fender facing inward and I stood on the drawbar on the back and held onto the fenders behind my sisters. There were kids hanging all over that tractor when we went down the road lol🤗 I had to keep my knees bent and if we hit a bump and I got bounced into the air, be sure i came back down on that narrow bar. Lol. People would have kittens if they saw us doing that today🤗 but it’s some of my fondest memories.🤗❤️🐝
Barry, thanks for another sensitive restoration. And for sharing your memories of your dad. My dad taught himself to refinish furniture in the 1960s, including re-caning chair seats and backs with flat reeding. I spent some happy hours working with him on projects. What a gift to think about him today! Thank you.
My father was a veterinarian so I had an amazing childhood. Too many stories to share here, but I’m so grateful I had the chance to thank him for a great childhood as he was preparing to leave this earth. He seemed surprised when I told him how grateful I was and started crying. 😢 He’s been gone for 5 years already!
Once again BRAVO 👏🏽. To the story telling, cinematography, editing and to embracing this new chapter in your life! Many of us don’t follow our hearts in making changes. Kudos to you for doing so. Can’t wait to see what this new chapter brings 😉!
I have to say it Again....BRAVO Barry!!! You don't disappoint. Wonderful restoration and story!. Warms my heart to know you love and respect your father. Men, husband's and fathers are the anchors of any family, and obviously your father did a spectacular job. Just as I'm confident you will too when the time is right. Until then, PLEASE keep doing what you're doing. Happy Father's day to everyone.
My grandfather was a carpenter, and I loved looking around his shop in his basement. I have some of his tools, and also some boxes and a chest he built from scrap from his work. They are beautifully crafted, and I have refinished them very carefully so their beauty shines through. My father was a mechanical engineer who loved to tinker in the garage fixing things, and I was his shadow because I love to learn how things work. We would sometimes spend a Saturday afternoon at little airports watching planes and talking to people in the hangars, Dad would just stroll in and start chatting with the pilots and mechanics, me in tow. Such fond memories, and I miss them both very much! Both of them are long gone, but I think I inherited their love of wood and tools; I am learning woodworking now and how to better refinish things. I have the time to pursue this now that I am retired.
Aw my heart when you said "thank you Dad". I didn't expect that one. It's great that you have such wonderful memories and your Dad sounds like an awesome person. He must be when he raised such an exceptional son. My dad passed away on 19th February this year - 3 years to the day after my youngest brother. Sadly, I don't have very many good memories of him. He wasn't the best husband or father. He mellowed a lot in later life thankfully although sadly too that mellowing came shortly before mam died so she didn't get too many good years with him but she loved him all the same. Lots of people had great stories of him at his funeral and how he had helped them or fixed things for them when they were kids. I didn't even have a memory of him helping to change a tyre on my bike. It was as if they were speaking about someone else that I didn't recognise. I recognised the movie. One of my faves. “I guess it comes down to a simple choice. Get busy living or get busy dying.” Love that movie. Love Stephen King anyway. Tried to figure out what tape was in the casette player but no joy. Looking forward to finding out. Take care Barry.
This was delightful to watch, and the finished result is beautiful. My dad was a carpenter and made most of our furniture. I loved to watch him work; it’s so satisfying to see nice, well-made old furniture restored.
💜I think about my Father every day. My Mother too. They taught me so much by example, humility, frugality, and being of service to others. There were also many practical lessons. I am 75 years old, and I still do a lot of things like my parents taught me. They were here during the depression and that shaped their whole lives. Thank you for sharing this project, and your thoughts.
Love the end result and the unique hardware. I had a similar style dresser for my son--a taller one. I wish I had kept it. A very nostalgic video. Caused much reminiscing.
Wow it looks amazing. I love how you are so detailed when restoring every part of this cabinet ❤️ I can see how much it truly means to you doing this. The patience. You had seen it’s natural beauty the moment you spotted it. To me that is an art a gift that only few have. I thank your father for opening your eyes to Gods creation 🙏 to view the world as you do. Great job! You give me inspiration & that I truly thank you for 🙏
One of my favorite memories with my dad was when i went to the pay lake that he and my uncle owned and it was winter and i watched my dad ice skate on the lake. This was a side of my dad that we really never got to see. I will always remember it fondly. Thank you Berry for sharing memories of your dad with us.😊
You are a wonderful story teller. I have an oak desk more than 100 years old that I helped my Dad refinish. He was a very patient man who taught me so much.
My father passed away 20 years ago. He taught me gardening, knife safety, and work ethic. My father in law taught my husband how to build, roof, cement work and also telephone repair. This has served my husband well and he has taught me and our children.
I see you're listening to The Shawshank Redemption...classic. However, I must state ...your work is beautiful. You have given this piece a new lease of life.
The dresser in this video reminds me so much of the one that my paternal grandmother had in her bedroom. It had been painted several times by the time I inherited it in the early eighties. I stripped the paint and repainted it in a creamy white (not too different from the original color) and I still use it. My dad was pleased with the result.
Everything you do Barry is done with love and great consideration for the item that you are restoring. You have endless patience and produce a high end finish every time. From this I can see that you are/were an amazing paramedic which is something to be proud of. My dad and I had a difficult relationship and as such we never really knew each other. He was not a bad man and was hard working but we never did anything together not even talked as I was growing up. I think that it stemmed from how he himself was brought up. Best wishes.
I have noticed the same things about Barry. He treats each piece with respect to its history, which I truly appreciate. I've also thought that Barry was no doubt a very caring paramedic. 🤍 I'm sorry to hear that you and your father missed out on getting to know each other. Having a distant father can really leave scars, which I relate to. Most of the time, they are simply repeating the way they were raised, but that doesn't make it any less scarring. Hopefully, you've been able to thrive despite your upbringing. 🌸
Amazing restoration! I love seeing the versatility in your furniture restorations. As for a nice memory with my Dad. It actually comes with helping my dad make my sisters’ cedar/hope chests. After he would engrave them he would let me, at age 7, come in and paint them. Needless to say, he told me I was doing it for my sisters so there would be more importance of doing a good job. I spent hours painting ever so delicately to make sure I did well. When I was painting he talked about the importance of family and how it’s the most important thing. It something I’ll never forget. It’s also probably one of my favorite and most vivid memories with him, and as he starts to deal with early onset Alzheimer’s, it’s one he remembers just as vividly as I do. “Red in the hearts and blue in the ribbons” as he made sure to remind me. That time with him is probably why I still love doing furniture restoration and woodworking, when I get the time to, because it takes me back to that memory. Love that you shared those memories with us.
Beautiful... My father taught me everything I know. From diy projects to using power tools, to working on cars and so much more..I am forever grateful and miss him dearly.
You know that girl... she wears lots of makeup and she's drop-dead gorgeous. Then one day you see her with no makeup and you're shocked. She's even more beautiful without the makeup! You see her how her creator intended her to look. Well that's what you do to so many pieces of furniture. You do beautiful work, Barry.
It always warms my heart to hear stories from people about memories with their dads because I get to imagine myself in their shoes. My father was present for my entire childhood, but he was such a horrible parent that with the exception of seeing him at my grandma’s funeral, I haven’t spoken to him in over three years. Please say hi to your dad for me and let him know that I think he’s awesome!
Thank you for sharing the story. You made me very emotional. My dad passed away 2 years ago and he used to teach me about all things nature, how to fix things and make things and how tools work lol. He loved making things and fixing things in his workshop, and over his lifetime collected so many tools. And, even though I was his daughter, he decided to leave me all his belongings, woodworking tools included. It has been collecting dust in my garage since he passed, and about a week ago I decided to clean out the little building in my backyard, give it a paint and turn it into a little workshop where I can honour my dad by using his tools to start my own projects and maybe turn it into a business. Your story was very relatable , I only wish I could call up my dad and tell him thank you again. I am grateful we were so close up until the end, and that I always told him how much I love and appreciate him. Thank you again for the video :)
You're such a wonderful storyteller! I always enjoy listening to your commentary when watching your restorations. You did such a phenomenal job, as always, and brought so much life back to this piece. Great job!!!
My father was a finisher by trade. He had his own shop for a while and I beeped out by stripping pieces customers brought in. It is a truly satisfying process.
Great restoration. I love your passion for old neglected furniture and how your able to make it into a beautiful and functional piece of art as it was intended. I especially love the paint stripping magic. Never gets old. Beautiful story about your father/teacher. I’m sure he is very proud of the man you have become. Wish him a Happy Father’s Day and I wish you one as well, if your a dad. I’m going to go have a visit with my dad today. At 85, he is still tinkering and fixing things around his home. I grew up watching dad save furniture (he’s an upholster) and even though I never learned that particular trade, I also love to create and recreate things through sewing. I also love to remove paint and neglect from wood furniture and make it beautiful and useable for my own use. It’s quite a satisfying feeling. 😊
I have an old, stained glass window that was original to our family’s cottage, built in 1926. As a child, I always admired it. While renovating the cottage, the window was removed, and sat in a corner. My dad, knew how much I liked it. So one day, when no one was around, he put it in a large, plastic garbage bag, snuck it into the back of our old station wagon, and told me not to tell anyone. I still have it to this day, and think of my dad whenever I look at it. ❤
Thank you Barry for sharing. My father was a carpenter and was in Hawaii when Pearl Harbor was attacked. So he joined the military at that time. He ended up meeting my mom. They had 3 children including me. I have their bedroom furniture that they bought in 1947. The pieces need to be restored and one day I hope that I can find someone like you to do that for me. Just started watching your channel today and you seem to really care. For this reason I have decided to subscribe. Thank you.
My father owned his own house remodeling business. I loved playing with and organizing his tools. I would spend hours nailing a scrap piece of wood just to take all the nails off and do it all over again. I liked the squeaky sound the nails made when I pulled them out. Even to this day, I still like that sound. He would come home, and I would run to kiss his cheek. He always smelled of sawdust and sweat. I still love the smell of sawdust. Thinking of this makes me nostalgic. Thanks, Barry.
Barry it was fantastic as always! I was wondering through the entire video if You Were going to keep the glass hardware or try to put something that was closer to. Correct back on the dresser but it looked great in the end.🎉
I just got back from a beach vacation with my family, father included. He taught me so much growing up, we'd go camping every year. Still learning from him and getting to put the knowledge to use every day.