Fix It Suggestions

db5 · Post by **db5** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 4:57 pm

I salvaged a bench that was thrown out because the legs had broken off. I considered cutting off the broken ends, drilling and inserting a dowel and drilling a short piece repair the broken end and gluing everything. Another alternative is the same plan but instead of the dowel use these in the picture; more work, more chance of messing up something but it would be sturdier I think.

What are your recommendations with supporting logic?

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:21 pm

[quote="db5"]I salvaged a bench that was thrown out because the legs had broken off. I considered cutting off the broken ends, drilling and inserting a dowel and drilling a short piece repair the broken end and gluing everything. Another alternative is the same plan but instead of the dowel use these in the picture]

I assume the mating piece contains a broken off round tenon. If that is valid, I would do as you suggest.

1. Cut off the broken tenon and then drill for a dowel (about 2" long).

2. Drill the mating piece to accept the replacement dowel.

3. Glue the resulting pieces together.

Alternate plan: Make a foot stool.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:44 pm

Sorry, I don't know the parts I'm looking at in the photo. I assume those two pieces are from two of the broken legs? Are they the broken tops of legs? Or are they the feet of the legs? Whichever, I guess their position doesn't matter much.

Your idea of sawing off the dowels and inserting a new dowel into a drilled hole is a good fix. I don't understand your making of a new short piece. Drill as large a hole as you can and make or buy matching dowels. Use oak or maple hardwood for dowels.

Perhaps you could saw off all four legs in the same manner and insert dowels into all 4. This way the table should be level without inserting a short piece/

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 6:15 pm

I presume those are the leg 'tops' and the broken stuff is an original round, 'splined' tenon. Splined as in 'grooved' for glue escape.

If that be so I concur with earlier comments. I would be wary of the studs. Concentrated stress.

Question is, what are the legs made out of?

db5 · Post by **db5** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 9:07 pm

JPG40504 wrote:I presume those are the leg 'tops' and the broken stuff is an original round, 'splined' tenon. Splined as in 'grooved' for glue escape.

If that be so I concur with earlier comments. I would be wary of the studs. Concentrated stress.

Question is, what are the legs made out of?

Those are the tops of the legs that were attached to the bottom of the bench. The material is pine. I need to create another tenon for each so they will bit back in. What is left of the broken tenon is splinters. So I have to recreate that. I was concerned about the stress issue so I'll go with a new dowel, the right size, drilled through with a peg inserted and glued into the leg.

Thanks for the suggestions.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 9:38 pm

db5 wrote:Those are the tops of the legs that were attached to the bottom of the bench. The material is pine. I need to create another tenon for each so they will bit back in. What is left of the broken tenon is splinters. So I have to recreate that. I was concerned about the stress issue so I'll go with a new dowel, the right size, drilled through with a peg inserted and glued into the leg.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Assuming your bench has aprons, you can fasten a block (triangular, rectangular, or other shape) to the inside of the aprons and dowel to the blocks. I'm thinking of thick blocks maybe 1 1/2" think or thicker. If the blocks were fastened to the aprons with glue and screws, they will be a firm base for the legs. Screws from the outside of the aprons can be covered with plugs or applied designs.

If you don't have aprons, you can make some. You can even install heavy blocks at the corners of new aprons with mortise and tenons. This way the blocks will become a feature of the apron rather than a block on the inside.

There are many ways to fix the broken legs.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:15 pm

I was thinking drill into the leg = to the size of the original tenon, and insert a single dowel etc.

worknhard · Post by **worknhard** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:25 pm

[quote="db5"]I salvaged a bench that was thrown out because the legs had broken off. I considered cutting off the broken ends, drilling and inserting a dowel and drilling a short piece repair the broken end and gluing everything. Another alternative is the same plan but instead of the dowel use these in the picture]

I have made similar repairs using dowel screws… very similar to the hanger bolts in your picture, but with wood screw threads on each end. Trim off the tenon on the leg, mark the center, then predrill for the dowel screw… do the same to the surface where the leg will mount. Glue up both surfaces then torque the screw/leg up to the mounting surface. I think you’ll find that as you torque the leg to the mounting surface it will self-center and bring the mating surfaces together tight. A wood dowel would be preferred however getting the hole drilled on axis so that the leg and mounting surface mate up well could be a challenge.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 12:21 am

worknhard wrote:I have made similar repairs using dowel screws… very similar to the hanger bolts in your picture, but with wood screw threads on each end. Trim off the tenon on the leg, mark the center, then predrill for the dowel screw… do the same to the surface where the leg will mount. Glue up both surfaces then torque the screw/leg up to the mounting surface. I think you’ll find that as you torque the leg to the mounting surface it will self-center and bring the mating surfaces together tight. A wood dowel would be preferred however getting the hole drilled on axis so that the leg and mounting surface mate up well could be a challenge.

This is when a horizontal boring machine comes into play!;)