My deceased father-in-law

Served in Germany during the Cold War.. Officers Aid. Private housing. He had his wife over there with him… my wife was born there. Came home and worked for the newspaper as a photographer. Started dairy farming… ended up with six kids! Was a lifelong subscriber to Mother Earth News and National Geographic…. Had beehives and a small orchard. And that brings me to the point of this post.

I have what I would consider to be a family heirloom. The shell of his Apple press. It’s been on my porch for years sitting over a flower pot. Slightly protected by porch roof overhang.

Anyway, it’s not gonna last forever out there. I want to do something with it. Respectful of his life yet something not to just be stashed away in the attic, somewhere, collecting dust. I thought possibly a man cave chandelier. Or even a lamp. Or IDK…

I don’t know … either way I thought maybe soak it in something to preserve it long-term without affecting the patina much, if at all.

I thought who/where better to ask than here!

17” dia x 13”high

Two questions
How to preserve it?
What to do with it?

Just an idea:
Is there something else you could make with it?

My wife was very close to her Grandmother.
When her Granny passed, we took what corrugated metal was usable from the old unused chicken coop we tore down.

Years later, I made two of these for her.
It fits the farmhouse decor of the rest of the home.

On the farm, we’d treat wood and iron implements sort of like that by mixing 1/4 mineral spirits and 3/4 boiled linseed oil and brushing it on. The spirits help the oil penetrate. Cheapskates used motor oil that had been drained from engines, instead of boiled linseed oil.

Either will substantially darken the wood.

What about preserving the wood with epoxy, with the epoxy replacing the wood that’s rotted away? I don’t do this, but I’ve seen something like that done at woodworking shows.

Sell or give it away to the first person who will appreciate it .

( And hope it doesn't show up on antiques road show for $180,000.00 )

The apple screw press basket is a common enough item. I'd recommend replacing it with new. Not worth cost of restoration unless if he made himself.

Pass it on down line now to wherever it would go when you die.

Seal it with epoxy. Not that hard to do, just take your time, look for slow curing epoxy.
What to do with it is a different question-
Do you have extra blankets? Roll up blankets and toss them in there.
Keep it on the porch and use it as some sort of seasonal decoration- toss corn and pumpkins in there around fall time, Easter kinda stuff around that time of year, Santa/Christmas stuff for December…

Tell the kids who it belonged to, pass it on to them.

quote:

Seal it with epoxy.

What kind? I was thinking Bondo, but there's probably something better.