8.27.2012

How Rub-n-Buff Changed My Life, or At Least Some Hinges

As you know from this post, I recently embarked on the Great Hutch Makeover. Here is what you should know about our hutch at this point in time:

1. It is built-in, but if it was an original part of the house when it was built in 1897, it has been changed since then. We know this because we are top-notch sleuths who trained with the Boxcar Children. And we once toured a boxcar. And the drawers were made of junky plastic and particle board and people were smarter than that in 1897.

2. It did not have any doors on it when we bought the house, just ghosts of nail holes past. If I had completed Year 2 of training with the Boxcar Children, I would be able to figure out where those doors disappeared to. As it stands, I only hold my Associates degree in Solving Crimes By Mooching Evidence Off Other People Who Did All of the Work. (That’s what those kids always did. But I digress.)

hutch2

The short version of the ensuing story (the long version will come in a later post when the hutch is done) is that to correct both of these details, we went to Lowe’s and bought new wood to make for the drawer fronts and doors. This was fine, except when you are making 8 doors, you need 16 hinges. And 16 hinges cost money. And I haven’t been getting paid all summer. So naturally, I procrastinated on the project until I serendipitously stopped at a yard sale and saw this treasure bag staring at me in a box labeled FREE. I wasted no time beating down the other shoppers and snatching up the goods for my very own.*

DSC_1005

*There were no other shoppers. But in my mind, my kung-fu was brilliant. 

The obvious problem is that none of the 38 (!) were the finish that I had in mind, but my motto is “Snatch free stuff first; figure out what to do with it later.” Later=buying some Rub-n-Buff from Michael’s in antique gold (yes, I’m crossing over to the dark side of gold and brassy in the dining room)…

rub-n-buff antique gold

…and transforming the coppery finish on the hinges (but only the part that will show…) to a subtle gold.

use rub-n-buff on hinges

It was easy, fast, and cheap. I used a 40% off coupon on the tube, making it cost only a few dollars, and I barely put a dent in it. So for mere pennies, we have new hinges. Let’s celebrate by making a lot of punny puns about how the progress of our hutch hinged on having hinges and how I would have looked quite unhinged if I had actually shoved other yard sale shoppers out of the way to get my hinges.

Because that would be hilarious.

Or lame.

Or a clear clue that it’s time to end this post. (See, clues. I told you I am an honorary Boxcar Child.)

What did you get done this weekend? Who wants to come yard-saling with me? Who wants me to teach them my Boxcar Children secrets?

29 comments :

  1. I seriously need some of that ... I have no hinges ... but have seen some awesome transformations. And yes, I would like to go yard saling with you. :)

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  2. SCORE!!! I'm going to have to remember that stuff - I'm sure some day I'll find a reason to use it....

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  3. Clever idea. My brother saved/cleaned all of the hinges in his kitchen. That was a fun task. Actually the fun task was keeping him on task.

    I can't wait to see this hutch transformation. I worked on making over some stool this week-end.

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    1. In true pharmacist fashion, I have to comment on you "making over some stool" Was the guaiac positive? :-P

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    2. Bahaha. Stools. Plural. I should learn to proofread my comments. What fun would that be though?

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  4. AWESOME!!!! GREAT FIND!!! I have a thrift store by me that magically always has what ever im looking for, for pennys ;> .
    Rub and buffs pretty cool! Good luck with the project. Cant wait to see the end result! :}
    P.S BOX CAR CHILDREN ????? ILL HAVE TO LOOK IT UP ON WIK,DUHH! :O

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  5. What a great deal! How lucky are you? Can i take a minute and whine that it never seems to work out that way for me? If I'm looking for something specific, I would never find it.

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  6. yet another reason i love rub n buff.

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  7. BIG score!! I'd love to go yard-saling with you, as long as you don't pull out any of your kung-fu moves on me. :)

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  8. FREEEEEE I love it!! Good job! I would go garage saling with you since my husband refuses! Especially since you have special moves and can karate chop other shopper for me!

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  9. WOOHOO! Watch out though: rub-n-buff is totally addicting. I used hardly any of my tube, and ever since, the rest of the tube has been calling my name and asking to be used on every single surface.

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  10. Hilarious! Glad you scored free hinges. I had no idea bout rub n buff before but I think I might be hooked. If things become mysterious around my blog, I hope you'll be the one they call in to investigate :)

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  11. Personally, I was more of a Nancy Drew girl...but that only led to me making a mystery out of EVERYTHING, EVER, and wanting a convertible.

    I cleaned half of three rooms over the weekend. So that's technically one and a half WHOLE rooms which is amazing. And then I slept for like 15 hours because getting down on the floor and scrubbing baseboards with a toothbrush is exhausting.

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  12. Great find! You have excellent thrifting/side of the road luck! I'm going to have to look into this Rub n Buff stuff- will it work to transform all the shiny brass hinges in my house to something nicer? That would be glorious!! Thanks for sharing- can't wait to see the finished hutch!

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    1. It would definitely work! Some metallic spray paints work well, too (the Rustoleum oil-rubbed bronze is lovely). Some metallic finishes are less-real than others, so you just have to test it.

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  13. Love me some Rub N Buff! That stuff works wonders!

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  14. I want to go with you! You find all the best free or next-to-free stuff!

    PS - Maybe you should come to Kansas for your Labor Day weekend - I'm going to a 500 booth flea market! Oh yes I am!

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    1. Um, what? 500 booths? You probably will need reinforcement. I’m on my way. ;)

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  15. Rachel8/27/2012

    4th Grade Crime Fighters, Erin! You could have covered those nail holes in salt and they would have begged you to let them tell you where the doors were hiding.

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  16. Great find! I wanna go yard-saling with you...and maybe with Amy in Kansas too ;)

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  17. We torn down some insulation and ceiling (and cleaned 95% of it up), finished wiring up a light in the new laundry room, finished some mudding of drywall, taped some drywall, took down what was left of the drywall in the hallway, played with the pup and I worked at my real job for 9 hours of Saturday...

    I would love to go garage saling but I work on all of the best days to go :(. Hinges look awesome and I had a random missing door in our house as well, your doors and mine are probably hanging out with Elvis somewhere.

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  18. I did nothing this weekend!!! I have an excuse though (recent carpal tunnel surgery). Love what you did with free junk - nothing better than kung fuing your way through a yard sale to get free junk and turning into something usable.

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  19. She hinges like a ninja!

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  20. I love me some rub n buff! Nicely done on the freebies as well. Feels good to get free things doesn't it???

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  21. i looooved the Boxcar children and I, too, pretended I was trained and ready for any mystery at hand. I haven't yet used rub n buff, but now I have a use for it...god knows i have a lot of different finishes in our 70s abode!

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  22. Your posts of nonsensical ridiculousness are always my favoritest. And yes, I do have a clue that that's not a word. See? Clues are abundant in Miami, as well.

    38 hinges. Free. Seriously? Girl, I'll go yard-saling with you any day. Of course, I'd have to buy my plane ticket first, but I'll be with you in spirit...until one day I get on Spirit to be in the flesh. Sounds like a very spiritual experience. ;) Perhaps finding a plethora of free and "reduced priced items" with you will help offset the cost of shipping (aka my flight. Ha!)

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  23. so i found my way over here from pinterest...where i was looking for trays as wall decor. i like what you did with yours (the mirrors) your writing amused me (true, sometimes i just want pretty pictures, but myself, i blog for the writing) and i have just discovered the joys of the tiny tube known as rub n buff. for all that, i needed to comment!

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  24. First - SCORE on the free hinges!! And second, yes, I would love to go yard-saling with you - but only if you tell more punny puns. ;-) I can't wait to see the final hutch!!!

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