Chair Repair

[Mike Henderson]

We had some discussions earlier about chair repair. Here's a chair I did recently. The first picture shows the chair prior to repair. I did some sanding on the chair rails just to check what kind of wood the chair was made of - it's walnut. If it was some cheap, light wood, I would not have taken the job because trying to stain the cheap light wood to look like walnut is just not worth it and generally doesn't come out looking very good.

The next couple of pictures shows two of the joints. Note that someone had tried to put some kind of glue in the joint. It actually looks like hot glue to me. Of course, it didn't work.

I disassembled the chair. Some of the joints could be pulled apart but on a few, I had to cut the dowels to get the joints apart. See the next pix which also shows some of that glue.

The last picture shows the chair completed. It was sanded and then sprayed with lacquer. I also re-covered the seat.

It's not very creative work, but it pays.

Mike

[John Dorough]

Mike,

How did you handle the caked on glue that is shown in the fourth picture? Were you able to use the existing dowels, or did you cut them off and start all over. The finished product looks great, by the way. Congrats.

[J. Z. Guest]

I'm curious to know how you did it too. From previous posts, I assume you bored out and put in loose tenons?

Would you mind posting in this thread your analysis of the joint failure? (Why it occurred, factors involved, photos, etc.)

The finished product looks great. Do you do this on the side or as a main job?

[Mike Henderson]

I'm curious to know how you did it too. From previous posts, I assume you bored out and put in loose tenons?

Would you mind posting in this thread your analysis of the joint failure? (Why it occurred, factors involved, photos, etc.)

The finished product looks great. Do you do this on the side or as a main job?

I retired so this is just a way to pick up some extra cash.

Regarding getting the old glue off the joint, I use my miter saw. The cut is "straight" but at a bevel angle. I estimate the bevel angle and make a cut aganst the glue. This allows me to see if my bevel angle is close or needs to be adjusted. I keep trimming until I get to the wood. Makes a clean joint.

I drill out the dowels with a smaller drill (these are 7/16 so I use a 3/8 drill) and trim out the rest of the dowels with a small chisel (1/8"). If the holes come out clean, I just put new dowels in and glue with epoxy. If the holes are too big, or damaged, I make them into a square mortise and put in a loose tenon (1/2 by 1/2).

Mike

[Brian Penning]

Mike»»we do the same type of work...
This..




Became this...





This was one of my toughest. It's still at the upholsterer's...
The dowels at the bottom of the back went right through the rear leg and into the curved section. Were 5" long.




Ready for the upholsterer...that Emmert vise in the back comes in handy for holding some of the components.

[Mike Henderson]

Brian - That's some complex work. I'll bet you have a well developed system to mark the components so you can put it back together exactly the way it came apart.

Mike

[Eddie Watkins]

Mike/Brian I've done chairs from time to time and the only way I have ever been able to do them is take them apart. The problem I have run into is most people don't realize the work involved and want to bring particle board chairs to be be re-glued and expect you to do it for $20. When I price it they act like I'm stealing. That looks like an excellent job(s).

Eddie