![]() ![]() It used fumes that are created by constricting SF-503 under high pressure. Fumilator: It’s an air-tight machine that rapidly removes furniture finish. A stripping cycle is about 45 minutes, it’s strips veneer, brass, plaster of Paris, cane wicker etc., it operates on 30 gallons of reusable chemicals, it’s easy to operate, and it can be used indoors or out. Strip-O-Later: This machine does for furniture what dishwashers do for dishes. Mainly these out-of-state customers came from the twin cities of Bloomington-Normal originally. They do keep doll furniture in stock being that it’s asked for from time-to-time by customers.Ĭustomers, though mainly from central Illinois, sometimes come in from Chicago and some from as far away as Florida. They mainly upholster and refinish average-sized furniture, cane chairs, touch-up and do minor repairs on-site, and provide pick-up and delivery service for customers. no longer produces doll/children furniture. David is primarily in charge of the repairs, while Jim does finishing work and bookkeeping and Jeff does the stripping and customer service. Now the company is run by David and his two sons, Jim and Jeff. Their son David took over the shop in the early 1970’s, with his mother and father still being involved with the business portion of the company. The company no longer makes furniture for dolls, but since some customers still ask for it, they keep some in stock. refinishes ranges from valuable antiques to ordinary pieces with sentimental value to customers. Jim Shutt does finishing work as well as bookkeeping and Jeff Shutt is in charge of the stripping and taking care of customers. Though his parents still stayed active where the business part of the company was concerned. He took the business over around the early 1970’s. “The first thing I did was stand on a box to run a lathe,” David recalls in Kathy McKinney’s Pantagraph article. A.E.’s son David began working around the refinishing shop when he was around the age of 5. Then there was a furniture sander, a machine called a dewarping machine, and clamps to hold a piece of furniture that was to be worked on. Shutt invented a flusher that washes debris/remains off of furniture that’s coming out of the stripping machine. Shutt was ahead of his time: His machine not only speeds the work, but is safer because it keeps the volatile chemicals enclosed and reduces the fire hazard as well as pollution problems,” Kathy McKinney of The Pantagraph wrote in an article about the Doll Furniture Co in 1994. ![]() He manufactured the machine on order from other furniture refurnishers, calling it the “Stripolator” until about 1992. Related to the furniture business he invented a machine to strip furniture that is still in use to this day. He sent in a patent for a hog fence that got beat out by just one day when he was sixteen years old. He invented the first automobile turn signal and patented it. Not only did Shutt have an ability with wood, he was also an inventor. It’s still located on North Beech Street in Normal and sells custom furniture and refinishes other furniture. E’s son Dave, his sons Jim and Jeff and his wife Nancy. To this day the company is still owned by the Shutt family. They started out making furniture for dolls and children, but eventually began refinishing and upholstering adult-sized furniture. Shutt’s manpower in the painting and wallpapering business, he and his wife Berzie founded Doll Furniture Co. In 1944, when World War II took away A.E. 400 North Beech Street Normal, Illinois 61761īusiness Hours: 8:00am – 5:00pm Monday through Friday. Today it’s owned by Andrew’s youngest son David and his three sons.ĭoll Furniture Company Inc. The name of the company stayed even after they’d moved on to the upholstery and refinishing of average-sized furniture. In the beginning they made doll furniture and children’ s furniture. ![]()
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