Several years ago, I had just finished a coffee table for the living room -
butternut oval with two leaves and a shellac finish. About two weeks later,
we had people in after a charity auction to add up the proceeds. One of
them, a gentleman who certainly knew better, put a clunky old adding machine
on the table. I swept in and placed a towel under the machine but the
damage had already been done by a foot that had lost its pad. He instantly
appologized profusely. I am not sure I did the right thing but I just
could not bear to see the table ruined. Of course by now it has scratches
from the cat, mother in law's ankle cast and who knows what else. Maybe the
lesson is that furnature is to be used, even if we try for the perfect
finish.....
Dave