The Discarded Workshop

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Hamilton, ON
The Discarded Workshop

Furniture repair and custom pieces using primarily hand-tools and reclaimed lumber

08/06/2026

A lovely pair

For sale: $500 sold together

This vintage dresser nightstand came to me in rough shape, peeling paint, broken top, missing handles. The last owner really did a number on it. (Me. I am the last owner or at least my partner 😉)

But the bones where there. Just needed an update of the paint, fixed some runners and new handles and these are like new again.

Mostly solid wood top, drawers, frame, with some hardboard. Very structurally sound and in like new condition.

Dm to claim

Dimensions

Dresser

33w× 38h × 18 deep

Nightstand

18w x 22h x 17 deep

08/04/2026

All in black please!

A client reached out to me. They had bought a custom dining room table in black and were wondering if I could make these match. (Last two photos)

The buffet and big cabinet were matching probably 1950'sish the corner was from the 1970's. These were such good quality builds heavy as heavy goes but so much life left in them. Finished in black with 5 coats of laquer to give multiple years of life to them!

Once I got all the doors off, glass out, shelves off i became a little overwhelmed by the number of pieces. Including thinking I was done only to realize I failed to finish on of the doors, imagine my heart break. Alas such is life it got done in the end.

I'm starting to book into the fall. So reach out now to book your place!

07/23/2026

On sanding

There is no way around sanding. But sometimes it sure is worse than others. This is an antique chair, client thought around 150 years old. Sometimes it's hard to do what the client wants, the patina on this chair was lovely. But it's not mine nor does everyone need to have my taste. Important thing is it stay in their house.

Shellac came off realively easy, but the stain didn't at all. I tried, oxalic, I tried hydrogen peroxide, acetone (i knew this one wouldn't work), and i even tried more stripper. Nothing really worked the stain was deep in the grain. But every time i touched it came off on my hands. I read a few months ago how some antique red stains used brick dust that was rubbed into the grain i wonder if that was used here.

The only solution was was to sand starting at 80 grit. There are no real tricks, pads help but are not a catch all solution. And the spindles shown in the video are so delicate i was worried about them snapping. So the only solution is to take a strip of sand paper back it with some duct tape and so slow and steady. Each spindle probably took around 10 mins for each grit.

Still a ways to go. But the red is almost gone.

07/17/2026

Fixing grandma chair.

My client recently inherited a set of chairs from her grandma. There were her favourite and was constantly tinkering with them. She really lit up when talking about her relationship with them. By the time they got to her they had seen better days. Our conversation initially started with her wanting to repurpose them in some sort of bench as she felt they were to rickety. After looking at them I purposed a bench, but also walked her through a simple repair, explaining that the joints had just come loose and simply repairing them would make for longer lasting piece of furniture.

This is a wonderful chair solid maple, beautiful texture on the back and arms, solid chunky legs to support weight. This chair can be repaired in a generation.

Chairs are so easily thrown out, but so simply repaired and can last for such a long time. You have rickety chair noone is alllowed to sit in. Shoot me a dm and let's figure out a way to change that.

07/15/2026

Everything is fine

The smoke from wildfires up north was so bad it hurt my lungs when I left the shop for 5 mins

But don't worry it's just indigenous communities burning.

Everything is fine.

We have a prime minister who says why even bother trying to hit our carbon reduction goals it might impact billionaire bottom lines

But don't worry we'll spend billions on pipelines and data centres.

Everything is fine

We have a premier who hasn't enacted a meaning climate policy in 9 years

But don't worry we'll build new highways, and reduce access to information. Who needs to be informed

Everything is fine

We have a mayor when the academic techs fascists say jump she says here's a special council meeting to lobby the council just make sure you say children will die if we hold off on building your unregulated datacentre for a year.

But don't worry, we'll still push people in encampments to edge of death, and support our racist police board

Everything is fine

Just wake up and go to work

Everything is fine

Everything is fine

06/30/2026

Family heirlooms of June.

Some of my favourite pieces are the small, family heirlooms that have only been kept in the family because great grand dad built them. These are 2 examples of that.

First is a set of sewing stools, that were broken and faded. The owner wanted them fixed but wanted to retain as much of the patina as possible. After a small glue up, shellac came to the rescue, with numerous very thin passes, brought the colour back while maintaining much of the years or wear!

The 2nd was from the family since late 1880s. The last owner an aunt in the 1990 decided to fancy it up with lovely (to her) nautical themed painting. It needed to be retired to allow that gorgeous old growth walnut to shine through. The colours of the walnut were truly amazing. Not sure the pics do it justice.

I will say it over and over the small pieces are almost always my favourite.

Do you have something sitting around your house that use a repair or refinishing. Shoot me a dm. I'm booking into August!

06/18/2026

To hold all your treasures

For sale: dm for pricing

Last October, I went to the store and saw this on the side of the road. I stopped looked at it, said no it's too much work and went to the store. On the way back I stopped again. The light was hitting the antique glass, the waves also shimmering. I texted my friend with a truck "can you help". While we were loading the owner who put it on the street comes out, talked to her for a bit, and then comes out with glass mosaic. I couldn't believe my luck. Anyways it sat in the shop for months. As I hummed and hawed about what to do. Finally, deciding to save only the glass case. Every single part has been taken apart, cleaned and reglued. I would say conservatively 80-100hrs of work has gone into getting it to this condition. But it sure is lovely and I'm pretty proud of myself to get it to this condition.

Art and crafts early 1900s glass display case with clear stained glass mosaic. Solid quarter saw oak throughout. Back is a period appropriate William and Morris wallpaper that is peel and stick if wanting to remove it. Completely repaired and refinished. 4 shelves that are very sturdy. This is lovely functional antique piece of furniture, that will require some care when using.

Some minor damage shows on one side nothing inconsistent with something for it's age.

One glass piece has a tiny chip in mosiac.

The door opens and closes however is sticky when closing as shown in video.

06/11/2026

Dressers of different styles

I've been trying to catch up on posting some work from this year. I've got all the pics just haven't taken the time to post

First up in the most recent and is a stunning transformation of this 1980s oak dresser. In my experience, black stain can be a frustrating stain to work with and can obscure the grain of the wood. Not on oak it came out stunning with the open grain coming through. The handles buffed to a nice brass.

2nd from way back in February. This great family heirloom dresser/secretariat. They just wanted it repaired and too look like it would have when it was new! Mission accomplished. The oak mahogany is so rich and the cherrywood 2nd was easy to colour match. Again these came out so nice!

Both were a pleasure to work on!

Do you have something that needs updating, send me a dm, and I can see what I can do for you.

04/10/2026

I think it's time for a proper introduction! I'm Blake McCall and I'm The Discarded Workshop. I work in a small shop primarily with handtools, and I'm attempting to be as sensitive to the impact on the land, water and air as I can be.
I accept commissions, so if you've got a piece that needs some repair or restoring, message me or check out my website at the link in my bio.

Address

Hamilton, ON

Website

http://thediscardedworkshop.ca/

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