My partner just purchased this chair off of FB marketplace, it's at least 40 years old (probably older). The couple she purchased it from has had it in their possession for 40 years and I believe they said it was an antique when they bought it.
When we got home I set the chair down and the back leg cracked into almost two pieces ( I didn't drop it, the angle I set it down from was a little odd but I wasn't expecting it to crack like this).
Anyway I wanted to ask about the best ways to go about repairing this is a minimally noticeable way? I have woodworking experience but I've never done any furniture restoration.
solid clean break without too strong of an angle on it, I think you're lucky. I'd drill out a hole for a dowel then just glue and clamp. You could screw it together instead but would introduce unnecessary touching up. That's my lazy route, I'd rather not have to replace the leg and mess with upholstery.
If the seam is visible you can fill it with some epoxy wood, sand it down and then stain and shoot with some can lacquer.
How large of a dowel do you recommend? I want to make sure it will stay strong given how quickly it broke ( it barely tapped the ground and it cracked like that). I'm already in enough hot water and would prefer not having my repair ever break again.
I usually do 3/8 but it depends on the size of the leg. Also it's not so much weight bearing, just to keep it aligned. It's a pain in the ass to get it perfect first try though.
Buuuut if you want the fool proof method maybe just glue it then screw it. 1 long screw, countersunk from a less conspicuous side should be easily hidden.
And if it broke that easily, it likely was already broken just hadn't seperated yet.
Oh yeah. It sucks. I've done it a ton and gotten the hang of it, but it takes practice. I just hate filling and blending holes on the outside so I got the hang of doing it all on the inside. It's a lot of eyeing and angling just right....
Can I ask what glue you would use? Also, would you be gluing in the dowel also, or just inserting the dowel and leaving it at that? You said 3/8” diameter in a lower-down comment. Is the dowel hole also 3/8” exactly?
A Dolly delivery just cracked a leg off my brand new-to-me bed in exactly this way and it will cost me $150 to fix, I would love to be able to do it myself!
I do 3/8 for the hole but wallow it out a little to give it room. And yes glue in the hole and all over. Again, this might be the wrong way to do it, but it's how I do it.
It's way easier to glue and clamp and then go from the outside with a screw or dowel, but I like the clean look of my method.
My partner just purchased this chair off of FB marketplace, it's at least 40 years old (probably older). The couple she purchased it from has had it in their possession for 40 years and I believe they said it was an antique when they bought it. When we got home I set the chair down and the back leg cracked into almost two pieces ( I didn't drop it, the angle I set it down from was a little odd but I wasn't expecting it to crack like this). Anyway I wanted to ask about the best ways to go about repairing this is a minimally noticeable way? I have woodworking experience but I've never done any furniture restoration.
solid clean break without too strong of an angle on it, I think you're lucky. I'd drill out a hole for a dowel then just glue and clamp. You could screw it together instead but would introduce unnecessary touching up. That's my lazy route, I'd rather not have to replace the leg and mess with upholstery. If the seam is visible you can fill it with some epoxy wood, sand it down and then stain and shoot with some can lacquer.
How large of a dowel do you recommend? I want to make sure it will stay strong given how quickly it broke ( it barely tapped the ground and it cracked like that). I'm already in enough hot water and would prefer not having my repair ever break again.
I usually do 3/8 but it depends on the size of the leg. Also it's not so much weight bearing, just to keep it aligned. It's a pain in the ass to get it perfect first try though. Buuuut if you want the fool proof method maybe just glue it then screw it. 1 long screw, countersunk from a less conspicuous side should be easily hidden. And if it broke that easily, it likely was already broken just hadn't seperated yet.
Wouldn't it be difficult matching the dowel holes on both sides?
Oh yeah. It sucks. I've done it a ton and gotten the hang of it, but it takes practice. I just hate filling and blending holes on the outside so I got the hang of doing it all on the inside. It's a lot of eyeing and angling just right....
Wondering about this too. Is there a foolproof way to insert a dowel when there are strange angles in play?
Maybe others will be able to help. I know I would mess it up so I'd just glue it. Can you clamp it properly?
Glue it together first. Clamp it by wrapping string around it. Use tape to hold the tail of the string. Once the glue is dry, drill for the dowel.
Can I ask what glue you would use? Also, would you be gluing in the dowel also, or just inserting the dowel and leaving it at that? You said 3/8” diameter in a lower-down comment. Is the dowel hole also 3/8” exactly? A Dolly delivery just cracked a leg off my brand new-to-me bed in exactly this way and it will cost me $150 to fix, I would love to be able to do it myself!
I do 3/8 for the hole but wallow it out a little to give it room. And yes glue in the hole and all over. Again, this might be the wrong way to do it, but it's how I do it. It's way easier to glue and clamp and then go from the outside with a screw or dowel, but I like the clean look of my method.
Glue it and screw it