I have an old oak fold-top desk that has
been in SWMBO's family for generations.

During a move on a very cold day, the
desk fell out of the box of my truck
and onto the cold hard pavement. While I
was going round a corner doing about 35.
Needless to say, the desk suffered more
than the road did.

Somehow I still have SWMBO. I certainly
still have the desk.

I"ve been rebuilding and refinishing it
over the winter, and for the most part
I'm happy with the results.

However, one of the legs broke clear in
half. The leg is tapered, 11/4" square
at the top, to about 3/4" at the foot.
Just where it starts to taper, bout half
way, it broke. Ragged, miserable fracture.

This leg attaches to the frame of the
desk with dowels. The break is at one of
them. I don't know what to do with this
break. I can't just glue it back
together because it's essentially
endgrain to endgrain. I'm not confident
enough to dowel it inside the break and
I don't have a drill press.

Two faces of this leg will be hidden
after re-assembly, so I have some
places to hide patches. I'm thinking of
routing a channel on one of those hidden
faces and filling it with another piece
of oak. The dowel that is there doesn't
have critical placement and I could move
the dowel elsewhere away from the patch.

Does that make any sense, or is there a
better way of doing this?

Thanks.
--
Tanus

This is not really a sig.

http://www.home.mycybernet.net/~waugh/shop/

How long is the piece you are trying to reattach? 3"? 24"?

I do a lot of field repairs on all sorts of things. This is a pretty
common repair on table legs, desk legs, chair legs, etc. when the are
damaged. I can tell you without doubt that if this were a 3 inch or
so piece to be reattached, I would clamp the piece in place and drill
for a lag bolt. Yup.... I can hear the screaming now. But if you put
a 3/8" or 1/4" metal lag in using epoxy as your adhesive, you would
probably wind up with a leg stronger than the orignal.

Figuring that you will drill into the remaining stub about 3", just
get a 6" lag. You will also have the advantage of having the lag act
as a clamp to hold the piece in perfect place while the epoxy sets
up. Remember to drill a small recess in the end of the piece to
accomodate the head of the lag and a small flat washer.

Unless I was going to turn my own dowel to get the length and width I
wanted out of white oak or something equally as hard I wouldn't dowel.

If it is a long leg and it happened in the middle, you have an open
field of repair options.

Robert

"Tanus" wrote:

I have an old oak fold-top desk that has been in SWMBO's family for
generations.
snip
However, one of the legs broke clear in half. The leg is tapered, 11/4"
square at the top, to about 3/4" at the foot. Just where it starts to
taper, bout half way, it broke. Ragged, miserable fracture.

This leg attaches to the frame of the desk with dowels. The break is at
one of them. I don't know what to do with this break. I can't just glue it
back together because it's essentially endgrain to endgrain. I'm not
confident enough to dowel it inside the break and I don't have a drill
press.

Two faces of this leg will be hidden after re-assembly, so I have some
places to hide patches. I'm thinking of routing a channel on one of those
hidden faces and filling it with another piece of oak. The dowel that is
there doesn't have critical placement and I could move the dowel elsewhere
away from the patch.

Does that make any sense, or is there a better way of doing this?

Recently built a couple of bedside tables that have almost the identical
tapered legs, so will play the devil's advocate.

It would be pretty straight forward to make a new leg; however, I'm not
qualified to comment on how you would get the finish of a new leg to match
the patina of the existing piece.

Without a doubt, you could repair the existing broken leg with epoxy
thickened with micro-balloons, and yes, it would be stronger than before the
break.

There is a caveat.

It is almost certain that the repair would be visible, at least from one
side.

Just a couple of options.

Lew

Lew Hodgett wrote:
"Tanus" wrote:

I have an old oak fold-top desk that has been in SWMBO's family for
generations.
snip
However, one of the legs broke clear in half. The leg is tapered, 11/4"
square at the top, to about 3/4" at the foot. Just where it starts to
taper, bout half way, it broke. Ragged, miserable fracture.

This leg attaches to the frame of the desk with dowels. The break is at
one of them. I don't know what to do with this break. I can't just glue it
back together because it's essentially endgrain to endgrain. I'm not
confident enough to dowel it inside the break and I don't have a drill
press.

Two faces of this leg will be hidden after re-assembly, so I have some
places to hide patches. I'm thinking of routing a channel on one of those
hidden faces and filling it with another piece of oak. The dowel that is
there doesn't have critical placement and I could move the dowel elsewhere
away from the patch.

Does that make any sense, or is there a better way of doing this?

Recently built a couple of bedside tables that have almost the identical
tapered legs, so will play the devil's advocate.

It would be pretty straight forward to make a new leg; however, I'm not
qualified to comment on how you would get the finish of a new leg to match
the patina of the existing piece.

Without a doubt, you could repair the existing broken leg with epoxy
thickened with micro-balloons, and yes, it would be stronger than before the
break.

There is a caveat.

It is almost certain that the repair would be visible, at least from one
side.

Just a couple of options.

Lew



Robert had an idea earlier about lag
bolts, which moved me into thoughts
about metal reinforcement . I know if I
go that way it'll be strong enough, but
I'd rather avoid metal. Regardless,
thanks for the suggestion Robert.

I'd thought earlier of fashioning a new
leg, but SWMBO will notice and if I can
make this as authentic as possible, I'd
be happier. OTOH, I may have to do that.

I've seen you talk about micro-balloons
before but hadn't thought of it here.
I've never used them before, but I'd be
more than willing to give it a try.
Having it show on one side is not a
problem. It will be the side that
attaches to the frame and will mostly be
hidden. As well it's a rear leg and the
break is not in a place that one would
ordinarily see.

I'm pretty sure that this isn't the kind
of thing I'd get at a Borg. I'll call
around tomorrow but should I be looking
at boat building supply places?

Thanks for the idea.

--
Tanus

This is not really a sig.

http://www.home.mycybernet.net/~waugh/shop/

"Tanus" wrote:


I've seen you talk about micro-balloons before but hadn't thought of it
here. I've never used them before, but I'd be more than willing to give it
a try. Having it show on one side is not a problem. It will be the side
that attaches to the frame and will mostly be hidden. As well it's a rear
leg and the break is not in a place that one would ordinarily see.

I'm pretty sure that this isn't the kind of thing I'd get at a Borg. I'll
call around tomorrow but should I be looking at boat building supply
places?


Find a marine supply place in your area.

You can do a Google for on line suppliers.

There are lots of epoxy suppliers on line who will also have micro-balloons,
but they will be a little pricey.

NBD since you don't need much.

Break a couple of scraps then epoxy them back together for practice.

Lew

Thanks for the idea.

--
Tanus

This is not really a sig.

http://www.home.mycybernet.net/~waugh/shop/

Lew Hodgett wrote:
"Tanus" wrote:


I've seen you talk about micro-balloons before but hadn't thought of it
here. I've never used them before, but I'd be more than willing to give it
a try. Having it show on one side is not a problem. It will be the side
that attaches to the frame and will mostly be hidden. As well it's a rear
leg and the break is not in a place that one would ordinarily see.

I'm pretty sure that this isn't the kind of thing I'd get at a Borg. I'll
call around tomorrow but should I be looking at boat building supply
places?


Find a marine supply place in your area.

You can do a Google for on line suppliers.

There are lots of epoxy suppliers on line who will also have micro-balloons,
but they will be a little pricey.

NBD since you don't need much.

Break a couple of scraps then epoxy them back together for practice.

Lew

Thanks again. I looked today and this
place seems a bit dry on marine
suppliers (oh gawd that was bad), so I
may have to get it online.

Tanus wrote:
Lew Hodgett wrote:
"Tanus" wrote:


I've seen you talk about micro-balloons before but hadn't thought
of it here. I've never used them before, but I'd be more than
willing to give it a try. Having it show on one side is not a
problem. It will be the side that attaches to the frame and will
mostly be hidden. As well it's a rear leg and the break is not in
a
place that one would ordinarily see.

I'm pretty sure that this isn't the kind of thing I'd get at a
Borg. I'll call around tomorrow but should I be looking at boat
building supply places?


Find a marine supply place in your area.

You can do a Google for on line suppliers.

There are lots of epoxy suppliers on line who will also have
micro-balloons, but they will be a little pricey.

NBD since you don't need much.

Break a couple of scraps then epoxy them back together for
practice.

Lew

Thanks again. I looked today and this
place seems a bit dry on marine
suppliers (oh gawd that was bad), so I
may have to get it online.

Try Aircraft Spruce and Specialty. 8 bucks or so for a pound of glass
microbubbles. For what you're describing though you might want flox
or milled glass fibers instead--microballoons are a lightweight filler
without a whole lot of strength, epoxy with milled glass fibers on the
other hand is going to be stronger than the original wood.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

On Jan 28, 7:04 pm, "J. Clarke" wrote:
Tanus wrote:
Lew Hodgett wrote:
"Tanus" wrote:

I've seen you talk about micro-balloons before but hadn't thought
of it here. I've never used them before, but I'd be more than
willing to give it a try. Having it show on one side is not a
problem. It will be the side that attaches to the frame and will
mostly be hidden. As well it's a rear leg and the break is not in
a
place that one would ordinarily see.

I'm pretty sure that this isn't the kind of thing I'd get at a
Borg. I'll call around tomorrow but should I be looking at boat
building supply places?

Find a marine supply place in your area.

You can do a Google for on line suppliers.

There are lots of epoxy suppliers on line who will also have
micro-balloons, but they will be a little pricey.

NBD since you don't need much.

Break a couple of scraps then epoxy them back together for
practice.

Lew

Thanks again. I looked today and this
place seems a bit dry on marine
suppliers (oh gawd that was bad), so I
may have to get it online.

Try Aircraft Spruce and Specialty. 8 bucks or so for a pound of glass
microbubbles. For what you're describing though you might want flox
or milled glass fibers instead--microballoons are a lightweight filler
without a whole lot of strength, epoxy with milled glass fibers on the
other hand is going to be stronger than the original wood.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Thanks John. I'll look at both. It's looking like Lee Valley may be
able to fill the bill.

Tanus

"Tanus" wrote:

Thanks John. I'll look at both. It's looking like Lee Valley may be
able to fill the bill.


L/V has West System which is which is what you want.

105 Resin, 206 hardener & 407 micro-balloons.

You don't need the pumps, you can use disposable plastic cups (1 oz, 2 oz,
etc) from a restaurant supply house for measuring and mixing.

Lew

Lew Hodgett wrote:
"Tanus" wrote:

Thanks John. I'll look at both. It's looking like Lee Valley may be
able to fill the bill.


L/V has West System which is which is what you want.

105 Resin, 206 hardener & 407 micro-balloons.

You don't need the pumps, you can use disposable plastic cups (1 oz, 2 oz,
etc) from a restaurant supply house for measuring and mixing.

Lew



Good. I'm glad to hear that from you,
Lew. I was on the phone with LV this
morning and I got a guy who really
wasn't clear on the West line. Unusual
for LV because their service is normally
top notch. But reading from the website,
that's the combo I came up with too.
Thanks for the verification.

--
Tanus

This is not really a sig.

http://www.home.mycybernet.net/~waugh/shop/

"Tanus" wrote:

Good. I'm glad to hear that from you, Lew. I was on the phone with LV this
morning and I got a guy who really wasn't clear on the West line. Unusual
for LV because their service is normally top notch. But reading from the
website, that's the combo I came up with too. Thanks for the verification.

Don't forget to wear protective gloves.

I use non sterile surgical gloves from Harbor Freight, purchased when on
sale.

Have fun.

Lew