How would you fix this broken dresser leg?

[paulwesterberg]

Hi,

See pictures of broken dresser leg:

https://imgur.com/a/PhpoUGR

I bought a dresser with broken legs which the previous owner had repaired with screws. I'm thinking I can greatly improve the look of the dresser if I can just figure out a good way to glue and clamp the pieces together. The problem is that the leg is at an angle and I really can't figure out a good way to put clamps and apply enough pressure to tightly glue the pieces back together. I figured (and hoping) someone that has more experience in woodworking would know what to do here.

[barryvabeach]

Hi,

See pictures of broken dresser leg:

https://imgur.com/a/PhpoUGR

I bought a dresser with broken legs which the previous owner had repaired with screws. I'm thinking I can greatly improve the look of the dresser if I can just figure out a good way to glue and clamp the pieces together. The problem is that the leg is at an angle and I really can't figure out a good way to put clamps and apply enough pressure to tightly glue the pieces back together. I figured (and hoping) someone that has more experience in woodworking would know what to do here.

  Sorry ,  I am having trouble with the photo figuring out exactly what is going on, the leg on the left side seems to have the same break starting.  For the leg on the right side, one option is to use a cargo strap,  loop it around the leg you want to attach, then up and around either the far end of that member, or if the cargo strap is too short, around the intersection of the two cross pieces, then tighten the strap and that should hold the leg against the end of the cross member while the glue dries.  You are right that screws are rarely the solution, and usually make things works.  Before you glue it, hold the leg up to the piece it needs to be attached to and see if it fits snugly with no gaps.  If so, then use a titebond or similar yellow glue.  If there are gaps, you would be better off with a 2 part epoxy, but in addition to clamping it, you will need to form a dam of sorts to keep the epoxy from dripping out of the gaps - packing tape can sometimes do that .

[msweig]

Could you just use the screws as the clamps? The holes are already there. Apply glue, apply screw (possibly a larger one if it isn't pulling tight enough/is loose), and then pull out the screw once the glue has cured. Then patch the holes (which you are going to need to do anyway).

Mark

[DaveR1]

Hi,

See pictures of broken dresser leg:

https://imgur.com/a/PhpoUGR

I bought a dresser with broken legs which the previous owner had repaired with screws. I'm thinking I can greatly improve the look of the dresser if I can just figure out a good way to glue and clamp the pieces together. The problem is that the leg is at an angle and I really can't figure out a good way to put clamps and apply enough pressure to tightly glue the pieces back together. I figured (and hoping) someone that has more experience in woodworking would know what to do here.

Clamp blocks of wood to the stretcher a little way in from the leg and so you can run a clamp or clamps between the leg and the blocks. Don't glue these blocks, just clamp them.

As for gluing it, I would clean any old glue from the mating faces, coat the faces with unthickened epoxy and let it soak in for a few moments; long enough to stir some fumed silica or wood flour into the remaining epoxy. Then butter the faces with the thickened epoxy and clamp it up. Wipe up any squeeze out right away and leave it. Do the same for the other leg, too. The unthickened epoxy will soak into the wood to make sure you get a good mechanical bond and the thickened stuff will fill the gaps.

[rwe2156]

As usual, things like this happen from poor design, but this isn't a hard one.

Use epoxy to glue it back on because it is a gap filling glue and very strong.

Clamp it across the other side and hold in place, then angle in a couple screws or dowels from the top and bottom of the cross brace. 
Do the same thing with all of them. If you don't have a clamp long enough, if you can get it apart, you can use a tie down strap.

You could install glue blocks, but that is much more involved, although stronger.

[DieselDennis]

Cut the old legs off of the base. Do this cleanly near the old legs at equidistant points to the base intersection.

Now cut the top of the old legs off, therefore removing the "half dado" and whatever of the base that was left in the leg. Now you have four good legs, slightly shorter. Cut a full dado through each leg to fit the base boards. Fit these shorter legs onto the slightly smaller base and assemble with glue and a couple of finish nails to hold it til dry.

Way better design, that won't break again, that looks about the same.

[paulwesterberg]

  Sorry ,  I am having trouble with the photo figuring out exactly what is going on, the leg on the left side seems to have the same break starting.  For the leg on the right side, one option is to use a cargo strap,  loop it around the leg you want to attach, then up and around either the far end of that member, or if the cargo strap is too short, around the intersection of the two cross pieces, then tighten the strap and that should hold the leg against the end of the cross member while the glue dries.  You are right that screws are rarely the solution, and usually make things works.  Before you glue it, hold the leg up to the piece it needs to be attached to and see if it fits snugly with no gaps.  If so, then use a titebond or similar yellow glue.  If there are gaps, you would be better off with a 2 part epoxy, but in addition to clamping it, you will need to form a dam of sorts to keep the epoxy from dripping out of the gaps - packing tape can sometimes do that .

Could you just use the screws as the clamps?  The holes are already there. Apply glue, apply screw (possibly a larger one if it isn't pulling tight enough/is loose), and then pull out the screw once the glue has cured. Then patch the holes (which you are going to need to do anyway).

Mark

Clamp blocks of wood to the stretcher a little way in from the leg and so you can run a clamp or clamps between the leg and the blocks. Don't glue these blocks, just clamp them.

As for gluing it, I would clean any old glue from the mating faces, coat the faces with unthickened epoxy and let it soak in for a few moments; long enough to stir some fumed silica or wood flour into the remaining epoxy. Then butter the faces with the thickened epoxy and clamp it up. Wipe up any squeeze out right away and leave it. Do the same for the other leg, too. The unthickened epoxy will soak into the wood to make sure you get a good mechanical bond and the thickened stuff will fill the gaps.

As usual, things like this happen from poor design, but this isn't a hard one.

Use epoxy to glue it back on because it is a gap filling glue and very strong.

Clamp it across the other side and hold in place, then angle in a couple screws or dowels from the top and bottom of the cross brace. 
Do the same thing with all of them.  If you don't have a clamp long enough, if you can get it apart, you can use a tie down strap.

You could install glue blocks, but that is much more involved, although stronger.

Cut the old legs off of the base.  Do this cleanly near the old legs at equidistant points to the base intersection.

Now cut the top of the old legs off, therefore removing the "half dado" and whatever of the base that was left in the leg.  Now you have four good legs, slightly shorter.  Cut a full dado through each leg to fit the base boards.  Fit these shorter legs onto the slightly smaller base and assemble with glue and a couple of finish nails to hold it til dry.

Way better design, that won't break again, that looks about the same.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I ended up using tie down ratchets and I feel like I got real good pressure on it at the right angle with that method. Great idea. The end result wasn't aesthetically perfect but much better than before and good enough for the short amount of time I had to spend on this project: https://imgur.com/a/cvQrkuh