Broken rocking chair

[cgmojoco]

This chair was apparently repaired once before.  It belongs to my mother in law.

The wood broke out where the bottom of the seat attaches to one side of the chair.  The seat was on the verge of breaking on the next hefty bloke to attempt a sit.

I was thinking of cutting a similar curved piece to fit into the just the area where the wood broke out and gluing to the remaining wood---but there isn't much original wood left (about 1/4" + a little of original wood where the break occurred) and not sure another attempt to repair there will work.

Also thought of using bondo just to get the thing looking right again, but then, there will be no strength for the domino.

Last thought was to chop cut that bad piece out and put a new piece in its place (end grain to end grain domino 5mm would be strong enough?) though it looks like I'll have to bend wood (never done this) to get a piece that will fit.

Any ideas are appreciated in advance--

Am I just going to have to make here an entirely new chair

This restoration stuff isn't easy!

 

[rdesigns]

Make a curved filler piece that will glue in long grain to long grain. You'll likely need to smooth and flatten the original wood to ensure a good bond to the filler.

Make the curve by lamination rather than steaming. Springback from steaming is unpredictable, and it takes considerable experience to judge how much springback you'll get.

The curve will need to be accurate, but thickness and width not so much. You will shape and shave the filler piece after it's in place.

 

[Alan m]

personally i would laminate up a new one. get some ply the size of the whole piece and glue and screw pieces of timber (good and strong ones) to the ply in line with the curve of the piece (allowing room for a ply skin to go along all the pieces of timber.
allow the piece to be glued up in tighter radiesus than the final piece to allow for some spring back (no rules as each one will spring back differently).
then cut strips of wood (nice and flexable ,ie ash etc)so that they will bend around the former easily but wont break. .
then a formaldihed (cascimite etc) or good polyurithan  glue and enough clamps so that you cant fit any more.

patching in pieces wont fix the problem it will just hide it. it would probably break again with just a patch.

think of it as a personal chalange to do the lamination and as another sting to your bow

 

[jmbfestool]

personally i would laminate up a new one. get some ply the size of the whole piece and glue and screw pieces of timber (good and strong ones) to the ply in line with the curve of the piece (allowing room for a ply skin to go along all the pieces of timber.
allow the piece to be glued up in tighter radiesus than the final piece to allow for some spring back (no rules as each one will spring back differently).
then cut strips of wood (nice and flexable ,ie ash etc)so that they will bend around the former easily but wont break. .
then a formaldihed (cascimite etc) or good polyurithan  glue and enough clamps so that you cant fit any more.

patching in pieces wont fix the problem it will just hide it. it would probably break again with just a patch.

think of it as a personal chalange to do the lamination and as another sting to your bow

+1   Most likely easier   defiantly better!

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Me three.  Making a new one is the best answer.

Now, good luck matching the finish!

 

[cgmojoco]

Thanks for the tips; I guess its the rebuild option.

The legs will just have to be a different color (but now I'll be building two legs instead of one).

I'm going to humble myself now.

This is my FIRST furniture project (aside from some custom large sliding door cabinets made in the garage if they count)

I don't have a bandsaw, though with the thinness of these legs (~2"), I'm thinking I should be able to fabricate the needed strips using my T75 and longish track (either my 1900 or 3000) and the parallel guides (that I just unpacked!)

I haven't done any woodbending before nor have I read up on it a bit.  Thinking because of time constraints (can't let the mother in law down!) youtube references are going to be where I'll start (and hopefully finish for this project).

If any of you have a web references that might help other than a youtube search;  please do drop me a line.

I have about 8 small clamps (looks like that will be my biggest problem aside from my lack of skill, I'll have to get more)

Christopher

 

[jmbfestool]

Thanks for the tips; I guess its the rebuild option.

The legs will just have to be a different color (but now I'll be building two legs instead of one).

I'm going to humble myself now.

This is my FIRST furniture project (aside from some custom large sliding door cabinets made in the garage if they count)

I don't have a bandsaw, though with the thinness of these legs (~2"), I'm thinking I should be able to fabricate the needed strips using my T75 and longish track (either my 1900 or 3000) and the parallel guides (that I just unpacked!)

I haven't done any woodbending before nor have I read up on it a bit.  Thinking because of time constraints (can't let the mother in law down!) youtube references are going to be where I'll start (and hopefully finish for this project).

If any of you have a web references that might help other than a youtube search;  please do drop me a line.

I have about 8 small clamps (looks like that will be my biggest problem aside from my lack of skill, I'll have to get more)

Christopher

If you lack clamps.    Like me I currently don't have many clamps yet  So I make a jigs which dont require any clamps only one or two straps or make a jig which uses wedges etc.  or my make own made up clamps quickly out of ply and bolts or screws to apply pressure.    It can all be done with no clamps just owning a lot of clamps is easier and quicker but is a expensive option!

Jmb

 

[cgmojoco]

Thanks for the clamp help!

 

[davee]

I don't disagree with the above posters in terms of what would end up with the best result.  However, I have built laminate rockers and would suggest that you would be taking on a very difficult glue up for a first time.  If you aren't in a time crunch (which it sounds like you are) you might at least experiment on simple forms before taking on a complicated one.  At least look for ways to simplify the design into multiple glue ups (what doesn't come to mind immediately). 

As a contrary view, why not attempt to repair the existing rocker and see how that turns out first.  Clean up the surface to be as flat as possible without removing any additional strength material.  Carve an oversized replacement piece focusing only on the interface with the old pieced.  Epoxy in place and shape to size.  MOL girth migth determine level of testing required???

Good luck - you are going into a learning mode whichever approach you use!