28
Appreciation post: took me 4 hours to clean a wooden jewelry box I got for $3
I grabbed this little carved jewelry box at a garage sale in Des Moines for 3 bucks. Thought I could just wipe it down, but it had 40 years of grime stuck in every groove and hinge. Ended up using mineral spirits and a toothbrush for almost 4 hours before it looked decent. Anyone else have a thrift find that turned into a way bigger project than expected?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
garcia.tyler7d ago
My buddy got a vintage lamp from a flea market, thought it just needed a new shade. Turns out the whole wiring was corroded and it nearly sparked a fire when he plugged it in. He spent a whole weekend rewiring it and sanding down the brass base. Looked amazing after but he said it was the most stressful $5 he ever spent. Now he checks every single thrift item for hidden damage before buying. Glad your box turned out good though, those are the wins that make it worth it.
7
the_emery7d ago
@garcia.tyler that lamp story is wild, glad nobody got hurt. A buddy of mine bought a cast iron skillet at a church sale that looked like a quick scrub would do it. Took me helping him with steel wool and lye for 3 hours to get the rust off, and we reseasoned it like 6 times before it was usable. Sometimes you just gotta commit to the project once you start, but it does make the final result way sweeter.
6
hayden1445d ago
Question whether four hours scrubbing a $3 box is really a win. That sounds more like a labor of love than a bargain.
3