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Broken chair leg
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10-26-2017, 11:53 AM
I have this chair. I was going to re-glue all the joints and have it recovered. Well, it slipped off of my workbench and one of the back legs broke off at the seat and leg joint. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how this could be repaired? It's not an antique, but I really want to save it if I can. HELP!
![[Image: 37910100281_89ea82afe6_n.jpg]](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4512/37910100281_89ea82afe6_n.jpg) ![[Image: 37910104161_8a48f37d11_n.jpg]](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4443/37910104161_8a48f37d11_n.jpg) ![[Image: 26149263949_f99aa32e84_n.jpg]](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4487/26149263949_f99aa32e84_n.jpg) ![[Image: 37910097281_ee824351fc_n.jpg]](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4503/37910097281_ee824351fc_n.jpg)
I don’t see any pictures
10-26-2017, 12:50 PM
Oh boy, that's a bad spot for a break. All I can do is wish you luck that someone has a workable idea.
10-26-2017, 12:59 PM
(10-26-2017, 11:53 AM)falcon Wrote: I have this chair. I was going to re-glue all the joints and have it recovered. Well, it slipped off of my workbench and one of the back legs broke off at the seat and leg joint. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how this could be repaired? It's not an antique, but I really want to save it if I can. HELP! Ooh, that's not good. I think I would glue it back together first. When the glue has dried I'd route a slot in the back of the leg with maybe a 3/8" bit, maybe around 2" long on each side of the break, and as deep as you can go w/o risk of coming out the front. Then make a spline to fit and glue it in. When that has dried, trim the spline flush with the back of the leg and redo any joinery that needs help. John
10-26-2017, 05:43 PM
(10-26-2017, 12:59 PM)jteneyck Wrote: Ooh, that's not good. I think I would glue it back together first. When the glue has dried I'd route a slot in the back of the leg with maybe a 3/8" bit, maybe around 2" long on each side of the break, and as deep as you can go w/o risk of coming out the front. Then make a spline to fit and glue it in. When that has dried, trim the spline flush with the back of the leg and redo any joinery that needs help. I think that's the best solution. I saw a spot by Matthias Wandel and that's how he did it. However, the break on the chair he was working on wasn't quite as splintered as mine. He had two relatively smooth surfaces to work with. I'm going to give it a shot. Wish me luck. Ray 
10-26-2017, 07:08 PM
(10-26-2017, 06:04 PM)goaliedad Wrote: Dowel??? Miller dowel you can get them at Lee Valley, Amazon, quite a few places. You want the shorties I wanna say they are 1 1/4" long, all of them are stepped, so you need to use their drill bits too. Original was for fixing broken off noses on stair treads, so you know they take rough handling. Gonzo easy, and they work. On your part angled is best, but you want to join as much meat as possible. I think that break looks like you got one shot to get it right, or it's fireplace fodder. If it were mine I'd be using a Miller dowel. ![[Image: 41k3200s3.jpg]](http://www.leevalley.com/us/images/item/woodworking/turning/41k3200s3.jpg)
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya
 GW
10-26-2017, 07:49 PM
(10-26-2017, 07:08 PM)Steve N Wrote: Miller dowel you can get them at Lee Valley, Amazon, quite a few places. You want the shorties I wanna say they are 1 1/4" long, all of them are stepped, so you need to use their drill bits too. Original was for fixing broken off noses on stair treads, so you know they take rough handling. Gonzo easy, and they work. On your part angled is best, but you want to join as much meat as possible. I think that break looks like you got one shot to get it right, or it's fireplace fodder. If it were mine I'd be using a Miller dowel. Steve, one of us is seeing it wrong. It looks to me like the leg is broken in two. I don't see how you could use a Miller dowel in that situation. John
10-27-2017, 01:07 AM
I did a repair to a pressed back oak chair using the method described by John. The leg on my chair is thinner in width than yours so I let the spline on the inside of the leg stand proud of the surface to get better strength, but the one in the back of the leg was made flush and just about disappeared.
10-27-2017, 02:48 AM
(10-26-2017, 07:49 PM)jteneyck Wrote: Steve, one of us is seeing it wrong. It looks to me like the leg is broken in two. I don't see how you could use a Miller dowel in that situation. Hi John I'll admit to a lot of confusion after looking at the pics. He has 2 pics of the chair appearing whole, though is does have straps and duct tape on it, and I'm not clear how that all fits in. Then a pic just showing a very unclean break, with only his description of where it is, but it's taken so close up that it really isn't clear from the pic as to where it's broken. goaliedad suggested dowel, so I took "one of the back legs broke off at the seat and leg joint" and if it can re-approximate like it appears to do so in the 2 pics my thought was a "Miller" at an angle through the break would allow cross grain to the break, and with glue allow it to afix. One thing is for sure, it's a poor break in a place of a chair where it most needs to not be broken. I know the Millers to be incredibly strong inserted straight in, completely across the grain, or angled through the grain. If you are seeing more than I described, you are probably correct I may not be seeing whatever it is you are about this situation.
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya
GW |
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