Shopsmith Forums

I am repairing an older oak chair. It is missing a rung that connects the front leg to the rear leg on the right side of the chair. The left side rung is 3/4" square and 13" long. There is a round 5/8" diameter, 3/4" long "tenon" on each end that mate with a hole in each chair leg. To make things more difficult the legs are further apart in front:
(top view of chair)
______ front
\_____/ back

(Sorry for the crude illustration but it is all I have).
I do have the left rung. Any ideas on how to duplicate the right rung. If the legs were in "square" configuration one could turn the round tenon on the lathe. Welcome any ideas. Thanks.
Dwight

I'm not sure I understand your question, Dwight. The configuration you describe is standard for chairs. Chair parts such as legs and rungs are typically turned on a lathe. The fact that the rungs are arranged in a trapezoidal shape does not, by itself, prevent you from turning them. Can you provide a photo that would clarify your difficulty?

With all good wishes,

Dwight - If I read you right, you want to match a rung that is 3/4" square and 13" long, with 5/8" rounds on each end. The rounds being 3/4" long. If this is correct, just set up a 3/4" square by 15" or 16" long, in your lathe. Turn the ends to 3/4" with the same slope as your left rung. Then saw off the ends to the right length.

But as Nick said, a photo would help.

Nick,
The rung is 3/4" square and not turned at all. The "tenons", which are round, do not come straight out from the end but at a slight angle, and the angle of the tenon at one end is different at the other end.

Having thought about this for the last few hours I'm thinking perhaps I can use the one good rung and set it on the table. Using the SS in the horizontal boring position, chuck a plug cutter and match the cutter to the round tenton. Mark its position and then substitute and clamp a new blank and "end bore" the tenon. And do the same procedure entirely for the other end. What do you think?
Sorry I can't supply a picture at this time.
Dwight

drl wrote:Nick,
The rung is 3/4" square and not turned at all. The "tenons", which are round, do not come straight out from the end but at a slight angle, and the angle of the tenon at one end is different at the other end.

Having thought about this for the last few hours I'm thinking perhaps I can use the one good rung and set it on the table. Using the SS in the horizontal boring position, chuck a plug cutter and match the cutter to the round tenton. Mark its position and then substitute and clamp a new blank and "end bore" the tenon. And do the same procedure entirely for the other end. What do you think?
Sorry I can't supply a picture at this time.
Dwight

Dwight
I think your on the right track but instead of using a plug cutter you should use a tennioning maker cutter. Most plug cutters cut a slight slant. A tendon maker which cuts like a pencil sharpner makes a tennion with straight sides.

Another idea would be to drill a hole in the rung at the right angle and glue a dowel in. If done properly it could end up be stronger than a tendon.
Ed

Dwight, You've thrown me with the plug cutter! If you were going to try using this as a dowel maker - Don't!
I didn't know they made plug cutters up to 5/8".

Sounds like you have a viable idea with the horizontal drill, however a photo is needed to envision what you have. Are the chair legs also square, rounded, straight, bent? What does the shoulder of the chair rung look like. Etc.

[attach]1732[/attach]

[attach]1733[/attach]

[attach]1734[/attach]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Dwight

Ed in Tampa wrote:Dwight
I think your on the right track but instead of using a plug cutter you should use a tennioning maker cutter. Most plug cutters cut a slight slant. A tendon maker which cuts like a pencil sharpner makes a tennion with straight sides.

Another idea would be to drill a hole in the rung at the right angle and glue a dowel in. If done properly it could end up be stronger than a tendon.
Ed

Dwight, I have to go with Ed on this one. IMHO, the "drill a hole and glue in a dowel" method wood be the easiest one, and it wood be plenty strong!

Tim and Ed,
I understand what you are saying about using a dowel and I would agree. But (and isn't there always a but) as you may see in the second picture that tenon is going in at a more extreme angle than the tenon on the other end in the 3rd picture. Seems that the 5/8" dowel would not go in very far into the end of the rung before coming out the side and would not be very strong. Looking at the actual rung there is less than 1/16" from the tenon and the side of the rung where the tenon and rung meet. The rear leg is 1 1/2" wide where this tenon goes into it. The front leg is 1 1/4" wide so I could make the rung perhaps 1" plus a bit instead of the 3/4" original size and make a match for the other side. Not ideal for looks and won't match the rest of the chairs but perhaps I'm being too picky. I appreciate your advice and suggestions. I'll research the tenon maker--not familiar with that tool.
Dwight

I would bet that the manufacturer of that chair had a special tool to form that. It looks like hand, rather than power, tools are the best bet to duplicate it. Since you are making just the one rung, contriving some scheme to use power equipment just doesn't seem to be warranted.

Dick