How would you fix this?

[Scouter]

A friend of mine purchased one of those sit-up recliners from Amazon because of problems with his knees (recommended by his doctor). The delivery person dropped the package as they were carrying it to the door. They opened the box and everything looked okay so they accepted delivery, a couple days later the back gave way. They contacted Amazon and were told to repackage it and take it to their return center. Now, to get it out of the box they had to rip the box apart, a new box from UPS was $50, and there is no way someone with bad knees is going to load it into their car, even if it would fit (which it wouldn't). They finally convinced Amazon to declare the chair a loss and ship a new one. This time the delivery person (UPS this time around) rolled the box end-over-end to the door, the UPS person refused to wait while they called UPS to complain about the delivery, and wouldn't take the package back. They are hoping this chair will work.

Now, they asked me to look at the old chair to see if it could be repaired. I took a look, here is what I saw:


The support member for the frame is stacked pieces of wood (1/8", 3mm). Not plywood, just stacked lumber. I looked closely at each piece, there is no adhesive and the pieces all run in the same direction.





Behind the stack are two pieces, a cross member running to the support on the other side, and a triangular piece that is just attached to the cross member.



At the top is another cross member on the left, and a piece on the right that attached to another stack of boards which run down the height of the chair.



My thought is to cut the stack about 3" down from the cross members, sandwhich them between two solid pieces of lumber. Attach the lumber to the cross members with mending plates.

Think this will work?

Any other thoughts?

[Stwood_]

Wow. Thats terrible construction material and methods.

You method sounds fine. Either solid wood or even actual plywood would work.

[Scouter]

Wow. Thats terrible construction material and methods.

You method sounds fine. Either solid wood or even actual plywood would work.

Yep, considering the cost it's apparent they're not putting the money towards materials.

I went with solid core plywood and chair braces. Will post final photos when completed.

[Stwood_]

Yep, considering the cost it's apparent they're not putting the money towards materials.

I went with solid core plywood and chair braces. Will post final photos when completed.

[Cooler]

I guess the lesson is either:

1.  Have a friend that can fix damaged shipments.

or

2.  Examine very closely shipments to make sure it arrived in good condition.


(But I would personally make a claim against UPS and skip trying to fix it until that route has been tried.)


I am interested in what exactly that laminated lumber is.

[Scouter]

2.  Examine very closely shipments to make sure it arrived in good condition.


(But I would personally make a claim against UPS and skip trying to fix it until that route has been tried.)


I am interested in what exactly that laminated lumber is.

They did check the shipments, but delivery people don't tend to hang around for complaints.

First time was an Amazon truck, they did complain. Don't know about the second shipment, other than it was UPS.

I'm not up on what different species are in such small amounts, but from what I saw it looks like luaun or birch, leaning toward the former.

[Eurekan]

Hopefully your friend is writing an Amazon review with pictures. Sometimes the vendor actually reads those and will try to make amends. Usually not but you can only try and steer someone away from a terrible mistake.

[Eurekan]

Hopefully your friend is writing an Amazon review with pictures. Sometimes the vendor actually reads those and will try to make amends. Usually not but you can only try and steer someone away from a terrible mistake.

[Stwood_]

After lookin at that ply again, I remember getting in some cheap china ply for some shop cab bottoms.
That stuff stood here and bowed in the rack badly.
Ripping it, there was sections that came apart.
It was some birch ply that Paxton's was selling as a special deal. Yea.........

[Scouter]

Got it fixed, here are the photos.

I cut out the bad sections of the old piece, then I cut a lap dado into the top of solid core ply with my bandsaw, gluing it on the right side of the old stuff. Then I took the cutout and glued it to the top left. This sandwiched the old stuff between the two pieces of ply (there's a better shot of it below). I then screwed the sections together for added strength (two screws from the left, two from the right).

I also glued and screwed it to the cross member and triangle supports on the lower portion.




Closeup of the fix.



Put the upholstery back.



Finally I attached the bracket back on.




I tried wiggling and tugging on the fix, it flexes less than the other (original) side. Now I just hope that everything snaps into place. I had to make guesses on the angles for the bracket since the original was ripped to pieces.