Win a KitKat restoration

[brianh]

Would appreciate some advice please. I am in the process of bringing a Win a KitKat machine back to life and almost there with the front, new flash courtesy of Microsoft's Paint tool, and the mechanical bits (just need to buy a supply of kitkats to test it)

Advice I need is regarding the cabinet which is really solid and will clean up nicely but for the rotten section on the bottom, which I think is fairly common.

How best to repair this please? Do I chisel out the rotten area and fill it , or cut a section out and patch in a new piece, or try to replace the whole bottom plank? Not sure how it is attached as no screws visible. Any advice would be appreciated before I go too far and spoil it.

[widget2k4]

Looks to me like it's had or got woodworm?
Are you sure it isn't anywhere else in the cabinet?
Everyone will have different opinions on it but if it were mine it would be replaced. I repaired one once thinking it was good but the worm was still in it even after treatment. I found out the hard way.

[coppinpr]

If it's woodworm you will have to decide to treat or replace as Widget says. Only you can decide that and the risks involved.

If you decide to keep the base, it can be filled and sanded to a good finish. As it's the base and not the sides this might be a good option as it keeps to the original as much as poss. Filling using a wood filler of the correct colour sounds good but as soon as you sand it it changes colour to too light. What I do is rub a dark brown acrylic paint into the finished filler in light coats to get a close finish before the chosen top coats go on. As you probably know, you need to over do the filler to a point above the real wood when applying as it will shrink as it sets, A surprisingly good finish that doesn't show can be achieved with practice (the woodworm will be the key factor).
I think the base is screwed or nailed on. Others will know better than me.

[widget2k4]

All the Oliver Whales cabinets I have done are nailed on the bottom.

[brianh]

Thanks for your advice guys. Both of you very helpful as always. There are a few wormholes in the rest of the cabinet but all seem long gone as no signs of sawdust - I've given it all a couple of soakings in cuprinol wodworm stuff just to be safe and been keeping an eye on it for couple of months. Just seems a shame to replace what otherwise seems like a good solid cabinet, or will be after a good sanding down.

I think I will have a go at removing the rotten wood and filling, to start with, then if it shows too much worm damage I have the option to take the bottom off and replace it.