I learned what I know from an old timer with a shop in Santa Monica, California. I would be right at home in your shop. It's all very familiar and understandable. A very functional workspace. Thank you for the tour. Love your channel.
I love your story. Thank you for sharing it and your shop. I love shop tours. My Dad did a little furniture restoration among other hobbies. He did spend time showing me different techniques and I cherish that. It's amazing you had the opportunity to work daily and learn so much from your Dad. I bet he would love your shop!
A well equipped and tidy workshop to cater the needs of woodworking restoration projects. Canadians are good in Woodworking ...... ( may be due to the abundant of timber forest in the country.....! ) She is indeed a professional in carpentry restorations works, a great lady who is capable to restore any old antique/damaged items back to its original lively condition. Well done Trena......Greetings from the Far East.....
I love the shop tour - expecially the box fan arrangement on the wall. It must be a dream come true to have your own shop, done the way you want it. What a great show -- best find ever!
That spontaneous grin when the spray booth fans kicked into high gear was hilarious. This is a really well rounded workspace. Favorite details include the roll up door, the booth (of course), the “wall of clamps” and that brilliant radiant heat ceiling. Good stuff
To begin with, I was very surprised when you responded to my request for a tour of your shop. I envy you having such a well laid out shop. Mine is most of a two car garage in which I try to keep all of my tools in reach and like you, I have no doors on my shelves or cabinets. I like to be able to see everything at a glance. All of my heavier tools are on wheels so they can be moved to the job when needed. An old fellow I worked for many years ago had us stop periodcally all work and put all the tools away and clean the whole shop. A practice I still follow to this day, even since I became that old fellow. I love your videos and have learned a ton of stuff from you. Thanks so much Trena.
Your story is delightful Trena. Your dad must have been exceptional as you appear to have an abundance of knowledge! I've just recently found your channel, and, having recently retired I'm learning how to do all sorts of things from watching. If I manage a trip to south western Ontario, CoVid willing, I will certainly be stopping by to thank you in person. You are a gem!
Wonderful of you to share your means of 'expression' with us! Carpentry, whether it be building, refinishing or repairing takes creativity just as any other art form. Your heart comes through with your work and it is truly moving to see not only your ability, but your passion for your work. I have to say, you have found your calling! Thank you again for sharing and please don't ever stop! :-)
Well we have a little bit in common my dad's name was John and he taught me everything that I know about woodworking furniture refinishing carpentry etc... Thanks for sharing your story really touch my heart. Pam
One thing about working & honing your skills/craft elsewhere is you learn what you want & don't want in your own shop/studio. My dad, also a 'John' refurbished furniture, from upholstery to wood pieces. Iver the last few weeks, I have realized I want to return to the family 'business'. Thank you for sharing your life.👍😎
It's nice to see somebody as visually disorganized as I am yet you completely understand and know where everything is accessible to you. Some people just don't understand how that works. Good for you.
Love the shop and where it all began! You do not see that much anymore. You have so many skills, that building stuff wouldn't be that far off. There are so many things out there to help with organization. Not only are they fun to build, but they can really bring your shop to a whole new level of organization and improve your workflow. One of the things that I think would be awesome for your shop would be some french cleats. You can make little fixtures for similar like items, and keep them stored together, and if you want, you can move them around. I have seen people do whole cabinets on them, and move them around based on their needs. Wonderful set up!
What an awesome shop Trena , it looks amazing from the outside too. my shelves are organized caos too and everything has it's place , this only works if you work alone !
Hi Trena ! I'm from Brazil and a huge fan of your job. Actually, I'm a beginner in terms of restoration, but for me it's amazing to see what we can do with our hands. Giving a new life for an old furniture is really incredible. Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year !!!
It's obvious your dad did an amazing job teaching you the trade and it's awesome to see you honor your dad like you do. btw by the looks of things, I think you need to train up an apprentice to help you with that work load. Cool story....I live in Ontario If it were up to me I'd move out west as well. I lived their in my early twenty's and I miss it greatly..
I am amazed at the beautiful work you do! Just looking at you I would have guessed you to be in your very early 20’s. Keep up the great work. The world needs people like you.
Just stumbled across your channel, watched a couple of videos and now this one. Congratulations on all your success, seems like you did it exactly the right way - learned from a trusted mentor, then started small on your own and built it up from there. Now you have your dream shop on your own property, that looks absolutely fantastic. I love doing a little refurbishing myself, cannot imagine what it would be like to have all that equipment and the skills to know how to use it. That must be like going into your own special playground every day and just having so much fun doing such rewarding work. And what better way to honor your father, than to continue working in the hand craft field that he clearly taught you so well. You’ve made him a very happy man, no doubt about that. I wish you all the very best 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🙏🏻☺️
Hi from Australia Trena, I've only just found your channel and think its wonderful! What a gift to have trained up with your dad- so amazing to learn alongside him when you were growing up. Keep doing what you do, because you seem to be a natural, with a great affinity for restoration and repair... respecting the individual pieces and returning them to their glorious roots! Well Done Trena. Your 'crafts-womanship' is fantastic.Best wishes to you.
Very nice shop. My shop is a 8 x 20 portable building I had built in the construction class at a local junior college. I'm sort of land locked on my property, but it's my get away spot on earth. Discovered your channel this week and been enjoying it.
wow you are sooooo lucky!!!! you are my dream come true trena....i live in northern maine in town and pick up pieces to refinish in my living room!!! the cellar is not good for shop work and the garage has a dirt floor and brick no insulation... so.. there you go!! im not as experienced as you, but do very basic stripping and sanding and gluing and staining and thats basically it..i dont know how to re apolster.. and with such a tiny work space...not happening. lolol but im proud of what i can do.. i have redone 2 full sized dressers, a sewing cabinet , a old oak chair, a side table that goes behind a couch..and now working on a kneeler table thats about 24 inches high with no kneel pad ..just the table...old growth oak solid... which was warped /cupped and had that black varnish left in places...i soaked the top in the tub for 24 hrs and then laid it as flat as i could and weight it down and repeated til i have it 95% flat as possible with out it spilitting...i have stained it a golden oak and waiting for the 2nd coat to dry ..im seriously loving this right now;];];] as with that painted cabinet you re did ...its almost like that piece was screaming to breath and show off its beauty;];];] i also watch a thomas johnston here in lower maine.. he does antiques repairs.. hes awesome too...im learning alot from both of you;];l];] thank you and your dad for everything you have a awesome teacher;];];] stay safe and keep putting out those videos;];];] you do outstanding work!!!!!
Thankyou! Sounds like you are really enjoying the process. Love it. I’m also a huge Thomas Johnson fan and would love to come visit his shop in Maine cheers!
Great tour of your shop,it’s difficult to get organised properly when your so busy,but I’m sure you will get there,and your father is so proud of you I’m sure.
Your shop looks good, I am enjoying your work, you are easy to listen too (teaching taught you that -according to my wife a retired teacher). Looking forward to many more of your presentations. Ed - CT
Lots going on in your shop. It's well thought-out and organized. AND .. there's a lot of very nice furniture to view. Your work must be rewarding, both financially and emotionally. *I'm jealous. 😀
Thsnks for the important background you have given. Your work inspires me and having moved my worldly goods to a new house in Lobatse Botswana, my tools are still in disarray. This tour has inspired me once again. Thr movers smashed, scraped, dented and broke quite a few bits of furniture and so there is work ahead.
Hi Trena, I just found your channel. I liked the tour and story about your dad. I have a lot of fond memories working with my dad on projects around the house, but I like the way you carried on the tradition and honor your father. Plus you do amazing work... I like to goof around in my (tiny) woodwork shop I made just for fun (not serious or business like you), But you are awesome and inspire me! I'm now a new subscriber! (BTW it looks like I have the same Delta table saw as you do)
Interesting story, I am a 28 year professional restorer and antique dealer in the Washington D.C. area. Nice to come across your channel. Prepping to start one myself. Best wishes.
I remember how much I enjoyed working with my father in his garage. The bond between father and daughter is stronger when you work together. It is so fun. Your videos bring up beautiful memories. Bless you and your father.
I have been enjoying and learning from your videos for a while, and tonight decided to watch the Shop Tour video. I am quite pleasantly surprised to learn that not only are you Canadian, but you are local. Keep up the great work.
Perfect! Answered a raft of questions I had, but thought too much to ask. Great setup, and I'm with you on, "I like to have stuff where I can see it." Nifty vid of shop's construction, also. Amused how many projects are jammed in there - consequences of success. Old dog advice: You're in the restoration business, not a storage facility. Auto body shop I use had the same problem. Now, he schedules a drop off close to when he is ready for your project, or calls if he's ready sooner. Thanks for sharing your story. Cheers.
Love this! I've been watching you for a week or so and I'm always happy to discover I'm supporting a fellow Canadian. BC born but living near Toronto now.
Hello! saw your last video today! Love your shop, I did not see any Fire Extinguishers in your shop ABCs are great to have at each end of the building. I am now a subscriber, am in Chicago and looking forward to your next project! God Bless.
Wow not sure how I got this in my page, but the shop is a dream for any person working in woodcraft. 2) she looks like a young Swedish model. Plus she is a hard working craftsman, that is very impressive. Hope she has continued success!
I am duely impressed with all you have done and your attention to detail when you repair your customer’s products. You didn’t introduce your camera person?
I am in the Detroit area and how i wish you were here lol lol My late beloved was from Montreal so i am familiar with the talented tradesfolk in the greater Montreal area Many European craftsman live in the greater Montreal area...I am sure Ontario is similar,...
Nothing quite as special as a dad as his little girl spending time together. I miss mine every day. Having a teacher qualification and many years experience in woodwork I am wondering what it would take for you to get RPL on a trade qualification? I’m thinking there would not be too much study for you to get it? It would be amazing for your business to take on an apprentice. Greetings from Australia and blessings to your family
I am only bench joiner but when I get to repair furniture I love it Big workshop great that your workshop is next to your house very nice stay safe 👍👏👏
Thank you for sharing this with us. I have just found your channel & love it. I've got some old family pieces which I wish to restore & you are helping me understand what I need to do. From a grateful Aussie.
Just saw a couple of your videos. I work wth wood and furniture alot, and was telling my wife that I bet your dad taught you, and you probably grew up in his shop? ( like my girls do!) I could tell by your methods and lingo. He taught you well! But then I see this video of you saying it, and had to laugh!! 😄 I was taught by my dad as well, and he was hard to work wth at times! But I understand it more now that I have kids and are trying to teach them! Thnx for sharing that!!
I have just recently found your videos and they have been so helpful ! My parents helped me to learn many of these skills and I use them in my painting, paper hanging and handyman business…as they maintained several rental properties while we grew up in SW Michigan. Enjoy your attention to detail and was curious how you care for your used rags after doing finishes. Thanks for your efforts. Jim
Hi Jim, Stain rags or any oily rags are laid out to dry and then kept in a designated metal flammable waste bin until i take them to the toxic waste facility. thanks for watching.
@@johnsfurniturerepair You’ve given me so many tips…here are a couple for you. 1-Lightly sand fingertips using wet-or-dry sandpaper after they become dry and rough from sanding or overuse. Follow with hand lotion. 2- At the paint store, when matching stains for customers, we occasionally would add small amounts of white paint or white tint to give a slight milky look to stains that needed extra foggy feel. Your bending chair project, I recently saw, reminded me.
I love that, while it’s “busy”, it has a flow and organization that works like a sewing machine for you! Some questions and thoughts: in the early part of the tour there is a tripod stand with a circle on top of it. What is it? Your corner workbench made me feel right at home, especially seeing that you’d placed a pencil sharpener and vise close by! And the cover and cover keeper for the fan over the workbench put an instant smile on my face! Simple, straightforward and it works! No woodworker has ever said they had enough clamps! Lastly, has your daddy ever been to your shop? I’m sure he’s proud as a peacock regardless! Thanks for a great look inside! Keep fixin!
I was curious about your lathe and why it is turned with the back facing out. at first I thought you might be left-handed but that doesn't seem to be the case. Every lathe I have ever known the headstock is on the left end. I would venture a guess that it is an old Beaver brand lathe, made right in Ontario. Your assessment of it may be accurate but you should've seen the first lathe I ever owned, much worse than yours. Bought it at age 12 in 1968, what a POS. but it helped get me going now I have a massive 800 pound industrial lathe, and those old machines offer a lot of capability for a reasonable price. Loved the tour, what a nice space.
OK, So I asked a few day's ago why "John's Furniture Repair", but after watching your video's I figured that one out, but thought I would take the shop tour to be sure of my conclusion, then I heard you say words "like WE" and then "My Husband" OH how my heart broke, my Dream girl is married. I will follow you anyway because of your great work, and my heart will mend in time, no patch for that. lol Teasing you love your work Pat.
Does. Your dad still work in the shop? My dad's John too! He made wooden equipment and chairs for my special needs students for years! He turned there 2 car garage into a shop! I work in it now making wooden toy wands it's fun and we have a good time! Lol. Dads 82 now! Uses a walker but he's working mostly in the basement now.