Broken Chair...need ideas

[Bugle]

I need suggestions on how to repair this broken chair...lag screw?, dowel?

I know there are plenty of experts here, so I appreciate the professional advice. Here's what it looks like now:

Top:

Bottom:

 

[PChristy]

Wish I could help you out Preston but the only thing I know about chairs is to sit on them - we have a few good chair craftsman here and I am sure they will help you out

 

[nelsone]

Can you post a pic of the entire chair? You will probably be best off if you can remake the piece that broke, but I'm not sure how difficult that would be.

 

[Bugle]

Here is the entire chair (and Katy, who likes to pose!). Making a new piece is above my pay grade.

 

[FredP]

if you can't make the new piece you could use a lag or screw with a large washer [larger than the socket]. it's an ugly fix but is not seen unless you are crawling round on the floor.:gar-Bi be sure to pre-drill to avoid splitting. some glue cant hurt either.....:icon_thum

 

[nelsone]

Kinda figured it had that kind of back. You can try Fred's suggestion, but if I were you I'd just buy a new one unless it has some sentimental value. I know we're all woodworkers, but sometimes it just isn't cost effective to repair something.

 

[wdkits1]

I just finished repairing 2 chairs just like that one, broken the same way .P***Poor design but repairable none the less. Use a clamp to hold the broken tenon back in it's proper location and drill a 1/2" hole up through the tenon about an inch or so. Cut a square dowel so that it goes into the tenon and use 2-part 5 minute epoxy to fill it up. Will never break in the same place again.

 

[Gofor]

Two ideas:

#1. Glue it and screw it in from the bottom (pre-drill as Fred said).

#2. Push the piece in as far as possible, and then drill a 3/8 hole through the bottom up into the top piece about about an inch. Pull out top and apply glue, insert into hole and then tap in a glued 3/8 dowel. Trim off dowel after it sets. Trick is to get the drill at the right angle to follow center of top piece.

Go

 

[froglips]

I've seen repairs for this kind of failure. You are in "fun" territory

Rebuilding the bent frame of the back is unlikely an easy job.

As the rest of the back is still in place, you'll want to rig up a way to work on the chair upside down with the back clamped as well as can be in place.

You can drill into the bottom of the broken back. Maybe 2 or 3 inches if you can. I'd not suggest more than 1/2 the diameter of the back.

Then insert a dowel that can be used to fill the hole. Likely need to create something stepped. So you can fit the top half in the back, but fill the hole in the seat. Here is a good place for epoxy. It can not only add a bit of extra strength, but you won't need as precise a fit. Might research how much flexibility you'd want in an epoxy for this joint.

Don't use a dowel from the home center. Either make one or seek out one that is as much straight grain as possible. I'd also look for oak or maybe ash. Something that can hold up to some racking.

If you had access to a major hollow chisel mortiser, you could make a square hole that would have much better glue surface and strength. But thats a pretty big machine to work around the chair.

Sadly, there is no way the chair will be as strong as it was.

Another more radical option is to make a longer cut in the back and sister in a new piece. That would be the strongest fix, but may require extra effort to match the stain and be a more involved in place cut.

Best of luck!

Oh, hi to Katy!

Jim

 

[Bugle]

Thanks everyone. I knew I was in the right place for good advice. I'll let you know what I do and how it works out.

 

[CrealBilly]

some of that 3500 PSI epoxy I used on my grandsons rocking chair would most likely work on that. It's some strong stuff and takes a long time to dry.

 

[8-Ball]

Might I suggest a construction screw or metal rod instead of the dowel in the aforementioned suggestions. My dog virtually demolished a coffee table base that I had made and I counted on the steel in the construction screws for strength, the thread for surface area, and the epoxy for the adhesion... Stronger than the original...

If you go for the larger diameter rod, cut some grooves in the rod to provide a good key for the epoxy...

Remember, you are not "screwing" in the screw, nor will it every be removed by unscrewing it. Don't use drywall screws... derned things are worthless...

 

[adowden]

A woodworking friend once suggested drilling both the top and bottom to accept a piece of threaded rod and epoxying it in.

Amy

 

[Bas]

Will never break in the same place again.

I just love the subtlety of this statement

 

[wdkits1]

Originally Posted by wdkits1

Will never break in the same place again.
​

I just love the subtlety of this statement :smile: __________________
Bas.

Maybe I should have said "Will never break in the same place if I fix it"
Having repaired dozens of chairs with no call backs I can say that my methods work for me but may not work for someone else with less experience in repairing furniture.Quality workmanship still counts whether it is a repair on Granny's 150 year old rocker or the cheap Ikea dining room chair that they forgot to put glue in the joints at the factory or used the cheapest wood known to man. I have seen and repaired them all.:wsmile:

 

[KC7CN]

A woodworking friend once suggested drilling both the top and bottom to accept a piece of threaded rod and epoxying it in.

Amy

This should work!

“All of life’s problems can be solved with two things—duct tape and WD40. If it moves and it shouldn’t, you need duct tape. And if it doesn’t move and it should, you need WD40.”—Unknown

I think it's about time to add Epoxy to the list! :slap: You should see my old vacuum cleaner and pencil sharpener! Ugly - yes, but they still do the job!

-Don