05-06-2016, 03:04 PM
I was cruising home from a donut run last week when I spied two porch rockers on the curb. This is when it pays to live CLOSE to a high roller neighborhood. I dumped the groceries and sped back for my prize. When I returned I met my neighbor who had TWO MORE!!! The ample cargo area of my Navigator would hold only two at a time so I had to make two trips. WooHoo!
There are three more in very good condition. This one had a back post failure at the rocker joint. This is a common chair problem that I have fixed for over 50 years on a variety of chairs. Now that I have upgraded my tools, I was able to use the EXACT tools necessary.
First I drilled out the post. Guess what--forstner bits do not like tough end grain. Two separate bits smoked so I turned to my handy spade bit. (C'mon--it IS a hand tool. I used my hands.) At least the forstners made a nice cup to start.
Here is an out of sequence shot the broken post. I trimmed it before drilling.
I found a scrap hickory board and figured it would make a good dowel. Then I ripped it to 3/4 square. The dowel machine choked. This hickory was really tough. That is when I reached for my #65 chamfer shave and broke down the corners a bit.
The six inch x 5/8 dowel cranked out quickly, but not without a little sweat. Did I mention how hard the hickory is?
I cut the dowel and stuck it in the hole. The spade bit wallowed out the hole a bit so I used a strip of tee shirt to tighten up the fit.
So now it is glued and waiting for trimming. I need about 1 inch to fit in the rocker.
Once I reattach the rocker, I will begin to patch-glue the back cane and remove the seat cane. My plan is to replace the seat with exterior plywood and top it with a nice outdoor seat cushion. The chairs will get cleaned and repainted. My daughter has a covered porch that is waiting for them.
Thank you neighbors, who throw out stuff. And thank you, Stanley, for all of your useful old tools.
There are three more in very good condition. This one had a back post failure at the rocker joint. This is a common chair problem that I have fixed for over 50 years on a variety of chairs. Now that I have upgraded my tools, I was able to use the EXACT tools necessary.
First I drilled out the post. Guess what--forstner bits do not like tough end grain. Two separate bits smoked so I turned to my handy spade bit. (C'mon--it IS a hand tool. I used my hands.) At least the forstners made a nice cup to start.
Here is an out of sequence shot the broken post. I trimmed it before drilling.
I found a scrap hickory board and figured it would make a good dowel. Then I ripped it to 3/4 square. The dowel machine choked. This hickory was really tough. That is when I reached for my #65 chamfer shave and broke down the corners a bit.
The six inch x 5/8 dowel cranked out quickly, but not without a little sweat. Did I mention how hard the hickory is?
I cut the dowel and stuck it in the hole. The spade bit wallowed out the hole a bit so I used a strip of tee shirt to tighten up the fit.
So now it is glued and waiting for trimming. I need about 1 inch to fit in the rocker.
Once I reattach the rocker, I will begin to patch-glue the back cane and remove the seat cane. My plan is to replace the seat with exterior plywood and top it with a nice outdoor seat cushion. The chairs will get cleaned and repainted. My daughter has a covered porch that is waiting for them.
Thank you neighbors, who throw out stuff. And thank you, Stanley, for all of your useful old tools.
===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---
Please visit my website
splintermaking.com
Please visit my website
splintermaking.com
