04/30/2026
Today was a day for estimates. If you are looking to have something done woodworking related, please reach out to me through messenger or on my cell phone at 847-366-8191.
The first estimate was because the customer has finish deterioration going on behind the handle of the cabinet doors. This happens because of the oil in peoples skin and fingernails. I wanted to see how bad it is to see if it’s something I can cosmetically fix or not, but unfortunately, the finish is literally peeling away and if I try to do just that area, it’s going to stand out like a sore of thumb. Also, using aerosols will not give me the finish thickness I need to match the rest of the door. Another challenging part about that job is, the cabinets are natural cherry and cherry darkens with age, so if I go to fix the areas behind the handles, I will need to sand it down to the raw and then that one spot will be lighter than the rest of the door. I can chemically alter it, but it won’t change color at the same rate as the rest of the door and therefore would end up sticking out like a sore thumb at some point. Unfortunately, to do things the right way, I would have to strip and refinish all of his kitchen cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Also, the reason for redoing everything is because the shine level of a pre-catalyzed lacquer in a dull/matte sheen is shinier than what he has now, so the only way to get a lower level Sheen is to use urethane and then it becomes more expensive. Another negative to doing just the area is, I don’t know how long that would even last him before it would end up looking the same way it does now and then he would have spent his money for me to do a Temporary Band-Aid for it to come back again and then he has to invest the money to strip them all and redo it at that time.
The next customer was looking for a custom walnut vanity to be made. They are also looking to have the MCM dining room table refinished. 
The last estimate of the day was doing a kitchen modification and changing it from a hood to a microwave above the range and also where the built-in microwave is at now, making that a regular cabinet. Both of these areas are not straightforward and could involve uninstalling some of the cabinetry to reinstall it level and plumb. In addition to all of that, the crown molding has to be redone as well.
As I explain to everyone at estimates, I don’t do just OK work. Things we need to be done the right way. 😁
