As a former cabinetry carpenter, (entry level), I appreciate the thoroughness. I’m not a professional, but definitely have a lot of experience and appreciate the detail in these videos. Thank you!
People are tossing these types of chairs in dumpster all the time and we have this man is showing you how to refurbish them for personal use or perhaps making couple bucks off it!
And to maintain their versatility, you can buy a modern adaptor (try amazon), so that you can use any of your bits - Phillips, pozidriv, torx, etc. I still use mine, even though I’ve got modern 18v tools. Old school 🤣
Thank you Scott for the excellent teaching! I'd shake your hand but from watching you crank down on those clamps I can tell you've got the grip strength of a blacksmith! Virtual high five from me. Safety first!
I am not watching your vids in any order but every vid just teaches me more and more. AND lets me know where I have done "wrongs" in the past. Awesome channel!
You have been a true blessing. I have a moving company that recently enlisted me to repair damaged furniture. To this point everything has been fairly straightforward, but I know the more complex pieces will appear. Thank you for the thoroughness of your videos. I appreciate the detail you go into.
I have a chair that I'm right in the middle of taking apart to re-glue it. Very similar construction. This is exactly what I needed. Greatly appreciated.
Du har varit en sann välsignelse. Jag har en flyttfirma som nyligen anlitade mig för att reparera skadade möbler. Hittills har allt varit ganska okomplicerat, men jag vet att de mer komplexa bitarna kommer att dyka upp. Tack för noggrannheten i dina videor. Jag uppskattar detaljerna du går in på.
Thank you very much. My step mother just broke the left front leg off a very similar chair, she saved the inner corner piece of leg along with the corner block and leg. I've never seen a chair with that type of corner block, and double dowels on both stretchers. So, I've been scratching my head on how to get the leg back on with dowels from both side. You just showed me how, I would have never thought to take it all apart make the repair and put it back together from front to back. THANK YOU
I've got a chair that's "similar" to this one and WOW! you made this look sooooo easy! I gives me hope that I can fix it. I just need about 100 clamps! Right now I don't have any, so I need to do some "clamp" shopping! Thanks for making this and you got a subscriber for life!!!
Glad you found this helpful Brian. I chuckled when you mentioned you need to do some clamp shopping as I also need to purchase more clamps... in fact, I've got an upcoming video to test the top brand name trigger clamps and a few from Amazon. I hope that will be helpful for you. Cheers. Scott
All I can say is if your watching this for the first time....get a pen/tablet so you can take notes. What a wonderful and informative video. Glad I subscribed and thanks so much for packing it full of great tips/tricks and the explanation to go with them.
I am so glad I found your videos. I have been collecting chairs in varying states of disrepair for years. Some just need new upholstery but others need more extensive repairs
I'm so excited to learn how to safely take loose chair pieces apart without damaging or breaking them! Other helpful hints will make all the difference when I start on my own wobbly chairs.
This guy is a master, to my skills, for sure. Great lessons here. Principles applicable to multiple instances. Excellence is acquired through focus and drive.
Scott you are phenomenal... just a pleasure to watch your great videos! Your detailed demonstration is exceptional, with great pace, logical sequence, and comprehensive step-by-step process. THANK YOU!!!
Thank you very much for this very well-made comprehensive and well articulated video. Everything was thoroughly explained and I found many useful hints eg how to get the glue out of the bottom of a mortise
How about repairing the back inlay work? I have some old chairs with a broken inlay and I don't have a clue on how to remove it, reproduce it, and then reinstall it? Subscribed, and thanks for showing how the work is done!
Thanks for the excellent videos. I am struggling w a broken chair where the mortise in the H stretcher has broken off. I've seen you repair legs which have broken off and I've replaced dowels but the H stretcher seems like the weakest link in making the chair stable.
It's best to screw in the corner blocks when the glue is still wet on them. That way the screws provide clamping pressure. The exception is when using epoxy adhesive. I hope that helps. Scott
Thanks for the very useful videos. I love the way you go slowly and thoroughly through each step. Very clear and well narrated and produced. My question is, why do these pieces of furniture fail in the first place? Is is bad design, poor materials, or misuse? And if so, isn't it likely to fail again?
Good question Frank. Chairs are subjected to a live load. We constantly shift our body weight on these chairs, and eventually that wears down the chair. It's typical that a chair needs to be reglued every 20-40 years, depending on the use. For other types of furniture, repairs are usually due to moving damage or poor construction techniques. I hope that helps. Scott
@@FixingFurniture Many thanks for your reply. I suppose that if you want big, heavy, and probably very expensive pieces of furniture, then they will last much longer. But if you want something a bit lighter (and less expensive) we should not expect it to last as long.
@@worcesterexchange554 Chairs experience a lot stress as Scott stated. One doesn't hear it much today but "Don't lean back in that chair" or Keep all four legs on the floor" are excellent rules to extend the life of a chair.
I know this video is kinda old, but do you have a link to the later video covering the other chair at the beginning? That is the kind I am having an issue with now.
Thanks for this, and for all the great videos, Scott. One quick question: for a chair where all the joints are loose, do you recommend disassembling and regluing all the joints at once, or do you ever glue in stages, for example taking off and re-assembling stretchers, then other parts? Or maybe it depends? I can see where it may be a tradeoff between having enough open time (in particular for a novice like me), and making sure all the angles are ok on the finished chair?
Thank you, Scott, for your inspiring tutorials. I have a chair that is similar to to the blue one you worked on. My main problem is the grooved rails are broken up where the grooved brackets joined. How would you solved this problem? I’m contemplating cutting out the broken section and gluing in new wood, then groove the new piece to match. I would appreciate your thoughts. Thank you. Donna
I am a hobby wood worker myself and I have been watching all your videos and they are the best that I have seen on TH-cam. What do you normally charge for repairs? Or what do you use as a starting point? I would like to start doing a few side jobs but I don't want to overcharge the customer, but it would still need to be worth my time in taking on the job. I don't know if you already have a video on this topic or not. If you don't want to talk about cost I completely understand I just figured there was no harm in asking. I hope you have a great day!
My chair (solid wood, but built commercially in the 90’s) seems to have a lot of screws through the joints, I am thinking perhaps to hold the glue joints while drying. Taking them apart is a real challenge. Is it worth fixing? The wood is solid cherry and I hate to throw them away. Also there are green pieces where the dowels would be. Are they metal, and how can I tell?
Question? My chair with a seat cushion has 3 tenons on each side connecting the side rails to the back leg. The right side is secure. On the left side two of the tenons are broken and the block holding the corner is loose. Will the chair need to have both sides separated from the back, then drill out the broken tenons, replace them, and sand all connecting surfaces before gluing and clamping? Have I forgotten any steps?
Awesome video! Quick question. I have pretty much the exact same chair. I need to repair the chair as it is pretty wobbly. However, it looks like the chair was repaired haphazardly years ago and several of my corner blocks are broken and need to be replaced. I could send you a picture if you would like. Is creating new corner blocks something that is realistic to do? And, if so, do you have any suggestions on how to proceed? My corner blocks have the same horizontal grooves like this chair does. Not sure how to recreate the grooves. Thanks!
While I'm no furniture repair expert by any means, I just received a broken chair leg similar with the exact same blocks, the blocks are pretty beat up from someones previous repair and I was going to remake them. I'm thinkings that reproducing the block should be a relatively simple process of: measuring the existing blocks, cut the miter angles then create the groves on the router table or table saw with dado stack. I'm thinking that way I can control depth and width of the grooves on the block. But I'm anxious to hear what the master says
I'm currently repairing some chairs with this same type of angle corner blocks, with the layered mortises going into those grooves on the frame. Such a PITA. I've had to re-cut them on my router table because they were so poorly done originally. Some are too thick to even go into those grooves, and were just sitting on the top of them, providing zero support.
Thanks for the video. It's very helpful. At the start of the video you showed the older upholstered chair and mentioned you would show that repair in another video. Has that video been made yet? Forgive me if you have, but I can't find it. We have a chair like this and are keen to learn some tips before making it worse. Cheers from Australia.
Thanks for your question. I have the video shot but not edited yet. I have at least 1 more video to put up before that one. If you want to be added to our email newsletter, you'll get an email when it's up. You can sign up by sending me an email scott@woodenitbenice.ca with the subject Sign Up
For the upholstery on chairs, I just published the first of a 2-part series on repairing an upholstered chair. The second video that will be published next week shows reinstalling the upholstery. I hope you like it. Scott. th-cam.com/video/xTdWl3zuBBk/w-d-xo.html
Great channel. I have a couple of old armchairs, on both the arms have multiple large cracks that have separated quite a bit - at some points more than 1/4 inch. Do I need to do anything more than clean, glue and clamp?
Have dining table chairs made in 1940's, so would that be considered antique and if so, how does one determine what type of glue to use for a re-glue? Thanks and enjoy your video teaching..
Perfect. This is almost the exact construction of our chairs that need repair. Our screws are stripped out-the ones that attach the seat to the frame as well as ones that hold the corner blocks. What do you suggest?
I just had a similar chair have a leg collapse from the corner joint. This chair does not have the "H" bracket between the legs. I remade the corner block, drilled the holes for the bolts/screws to connect to the leg through the block. It just recollapsed on me. Suggestions?
Hi Scott, Brilliant video. I note that you didn't replace the screws in the corner brackets (reinforcing the frame). Why is that? Do you feel the glue was sufficient?
I must have put those in after the glue dried. The screws aren't important as the corner blocks are not structural, their purpose is to provide a screwing surface to attach the seat. This is one of 8 chairs I've been repairing, one at a time. The customer picks up one chair, and drops off another. I've become very familiar with the details of these chairs over time. Thanks for you question. Scott
@@FixingFurniture That answered another question I had. Two corner blocks had holes where the screws went into the chair the other two were on the top and I couldn't figure out why. Now I know it's to put screws into the seat. What kind of chairs are these?
Thanks very much for your videos, which I too find very helpful. I do have a couple of questions. Do you ever consider putting plastic wood or any other filler in the screw holes before you replace the screws that hold the corner blocks or the upholstered seat top? And what do you do if the fit is not tight on a particular joint? Do you (can you) replace the worn dowel with one that provides a better fit? Thanks again.
Hi Tom. For screw holes, I don't add filler to the holes. If the screw is turning and not gripping, the easiest fix is to use a larger screw. #8 screws are most common, so moving up to at #10 usually does the trick. If a mortise and tenon joint is loose, it can be wrapped in a thick plane shaving. I don't come across worn dowels in my work. I hope that helps. Scott
@@FixingFurniture your video really helped! I just repaired FOUR antique wooden chairs I found headed to the trash… instead of driving screws in all over the place I took the time to take them apart and repair them like you teach and I am VERY happy with the results! The chairs no longer wobble and they will be loved for many more years! There was a number of old repair attempts but no one took the time to do it properly. You’re an excellent teacher! Thank you so much!!!!
When did you put the screws back in the supports in the back, before or after the glue? I have those on my chair too but mine don’t need to be drilled out. My chair was repaired by an idiot. There are finish nails everywhere, even on the seat. (I have removed them but now I wonder how to fix that. Maybe sand it, fill it and get a similar stain? It’s a tiny hole and I don’t want to refinish the entire set. Oddly, only this chair is damaged and repaired poorly.)
I have a question: I'm trying to reglue some antique chairs and would like to know how you would remove wooden screw covers (plugs) from screw holes. One of them is pushed in below the surface. Do you have any suggestions ?
@@FixingFurniture Thank you for replying. The type of plug I have is a surface type plug ( rounded on top but is pushed below the surface) I guess I would have to drill it out , replace itt and stain it to match ?
@@davidpruyne for the embedded plug, yes you will have to drill a pilot hole and drive in a screw. Hopefully you can save that with a bit of wood filler. For the plugs that are on the surface, see my last video, which shows how I do that when repairing the chair. Cheers. Scott
Hi, Scott. Thanks for the comprehensive and useful video! I inherited a mid-80s Danish Teak Dining room set, and many of the chairs are getting loose. Would it be a workable solution to drill through the four corner blocks under the chair, into the legs (or side frame), and put in 8 screws at an angle, two in each corner? I don't have much woodworking experience (or tools), and am looking for a simple fix.
Please don't do that. The chairs will get more damaged over time as the joints move and loosen. It needs to be taken apart and re-glued. I've seen so many poor repair attempts as people look for shortcuts... in the end, the chairs are worse off and often will cost more to repair later. I hope that helps. Scott
No, it doesn't affect the glue up after it dries. The only side effect is that it will slightly discolour bare wood... which usually isn't seen by anyone as bare wood is typically on the hidden parts of furniture. I hope that helps. Scott
Wow, what a pain in the butt all this is. It’s fun to watch. I hope you’re getting paid a lot to do all this work on dining room chairs. And I wish you were in Richmond Indiana so that you could do mine.
Yes, most of these videos are work from paying customers. A furniture repair business is a profitable business to run compared to custom woodworking. That's what I used to do. I'm happy to hear you're enjoying our videos. Scott
It's easy. They clean up with warm water and regular soap. If I forget to wash them, the glue I use dissolves so the brush can be washed up in about 5 minutes. I hope that helps. Scott
Fixing Furniture Yes it does, I’m about to enter a new career of fixing furniture and your videos and answers are very helpful, I don’t think I’ll be doing anything as serious as your doing but it still very helpful. Thank You
These "Yankee screwdrivers" are common old tools, so you might be able to find one cheap at a second hand store/thrift store/flee market, etc. I got mine in a box of 25 used tools for $20
I'm using a PVA glue by Lee Valley Tools. Here's a video I just published covering details about common glues used for furniture repairs - th-cam.com/video/qK0IR8WT_jE/w-d-xo.html
I've never seen those clamps used for spreading! That is worth watching the video alone!!! Thank you!!
Glad it was helpful! Here's a video I made to test out various clamps you may also like th-cam.com/video/4o32qUx1dlw/w-d-xo.html
As a former cabinetry carpenter, (entry level), I appreciate the thoroughness. I’m not a professional, but definitely have a lot of experience and appreciate the detail in these videos. Thank you!
I appreciate that Jonathan! I hope you subscribe to our channel. Scott 🇨🇦
Thank you for this video! You are a very good teacher, so easy to understand. This tutorial was really well done.
People are tossing these types of chairs in dumpster all the time and we have this man is showing you how to refurbish them for personal use or perhaps making couple bucks off it!
Yes, there's a lot of quality furniture out there that can be reused. Scott
I haven't seen one of those screwdrivers since I was in my father's shop in the 60's. It seemed like a technical marvel to me.
Yep, I have one of those that belonged to my grandfather.
I used to use one all the time. Still have three different sizes
And to maintain their versatility, you can buy a modern adaptor (try amazon), so that you can use any of your bits - Phillips, pozidriv, torx, etc. I still use mine, even though I’ve got modern 18v tools. Old school 🤣
Yeah, I kept all been used by my late father too..
My dad had one, got it from his grandfather
Thank you Scott for the excellent teaching! I'd shake your hand but from watching you crank down on those clamps I can tell you've got the grip strength of a blacksmith! Virtual high five from me. Safety first!
High five! Thanks for sharing that - it made me smile. Scott
Learning SO MUCH from you. Thank you 😊
I have nothing to say really, but I appreciate your content, and wish to help with the yt-algorithms.
😂😂😂
Hi! Thank you, Scott, for you tutorial. You are a very good teacher, so easy to Understand
I am not watching your vids in any order but every vid just teaches me more and more. AND lets me know where I have done "wrongs" in the past. Awesome channel!
You have been a true blessing. I have a moving company that recently enlisted me to repair damaged furniture. To this point everything has been fairly straightforward, but I know the more complex pieces will appear. Thank you for the thoroughness of your videos. I appreciate the detail you go into.
You're welcome Terry. I'm glad to hear they're helpful. Thanks for subscribing! Scott
I have a chair that I'm right in the middle of taking apart to re-glue it. Very similar construction. This is exactly what I needed. Greatly appreciated.
That's cool! It makes me happy to hear this is helping you with your project. Good luck. Scott
th-cam.com/video/bPssoihBzLU/w-d-xo.html
Thanks. I’ve always watched your tutorials. Educational and never skipping ads. I’m your avid fan.
Thank you. I appreciate that! Scott
Du har varit en sann välsignelse. Jag har en flyttfirma som nyligen anlitade mig för att reparera skadade möbler. Hittills har allt varit ganska okomplicerat, men jag vet att de mer komplexa bitarna kommer att dyka upp. Tack för noggrannheten i dina videor. Jag uppskattar detaljerna du går in på.
Happy to hear our videos are helpful for you. Moving companies are a great source of business. Thanks for sharing that. Goededag Scott
Thank you very much. My step mother just broke the left front leg off a very similar chair, she saved the inner corner piece of leg along with the corner block and leg. I've never seen a chair with that type of corner block, and double dowels on both stretchers. So, I've been scratching my head on how to get the leg back on with dowels from both side. You just showed me how, I would have never thought to take it all apart make the repair and put it back together from front to back. THANK YOU
I've got a chair that's "similar" to this one and WOW! you made this look sooooo easy! I gives me hope that I can fix it. I just need about 100 clamps! Right now I don't have any, so I need to do some "clamp" shopping!
Thanks for making this and you got a subscriber for life!!!
Glad you found this helpful Brian. I chuckled when you mentioned you need to do some clamp shopping as I also need to purchase more clamps... in fact, I've got an upcoming video to test the top brand name trigger clamps and a few from Amazon. I hope that will be helpful for you. Cheers. Scott
Thanks for such an informative video series! I’ve been able to repair several dining room chairs from the 1960s using your excellent instructions.
Thanks alot, the vinegar got rid of the glue in about 15 minutes or less. Really appreciate this video.
Would love it if you did a video on various clamps. Thanks for all your videos so far. I’ve enjoyed them all.
That's an interesting idea Joshua. I'll add that to my list. Thank you. Scott
All I can say is if your watching this for the first time....get a pen/tablet so you can take notes. What a wonderful and informative video. Glad I subscribed and thanks so much for packing it full of great tips/tricks and the explanation to go with them.
I am so glad I found your videos. I have been collecting chairs in varying states of disrepair for years. Some just need new upholstery but others need more extensive repairs
I'm so excited to learn how to safely take loose chair pieces apart without damaging or breaking them! Other helpful hints will make all the difference when I start on my own wobbly chairs.
That's great! We have lots of videos that can help you with your chair repairs. Enjoy! Scott
This guy is a master, to my skills, for sure. Great lessons here. Principles applicable to multiple instances. Excellence is acquired through focus and drive.
Glad you liked it Mark. Cheers. Scott
Is so helpful the way to explain all the step. Very good job . Thank You:)
Always good. Best videos on furniture period.
Video content containing years of practice to reach this skill level. Deep respect for this man
Vinegar in the joints is brilliant. Thanks for that.. I've got syringes on the way lol.
OMGyou have it going on- just watching one of your videos I now know many of my problems are because I am a hot mess!
Glad you're finding our videos helpful. I hope you subscribe. Scott
Thanks for the video. It allowed me to figure out how to loosed the glue on a cross piece and use the spreaders to separate the chair legs
Thank you so much! I have a very similar dining chair that is wobbly! Your video is excellent!
I love your videos, thank you for teaching!
Yankee screwdriver is what some people here in the UK call a hammer. My father had one of the Stanley Yankee Screwdrivers - always fascinated me.
You make it looks so easy with the quick gribs. Thanks for that tip.
You're welcome!
Scott you are phenomenal... just a pleasure to watch your great videos! Your detailed demonstration is exceptional, with great pace, logical sequence, and comprehensive step-by-step process. THANK YOU!!!
Thank you! You've made my day with your comment! I appreciate that!
Thank you very much for this very well-made comprehensive and well articulated video. Everything was thoroughly explained and I found many useful hints eg how to get the glue out of the bottom of a mortise
Great help. I have one (of 6) at dining table. Problem solved.
That's great to hear Stephen. Glad it worked out for you! Scott
Love the screwdriver!!
Great video Scott. When I look at that nice old chair, I keep wondering why someone painted it grey.
Scott I was going to ask what glue to use if there is a loose joint but then I watched your video on glue and got the answer.. Epoxy! Thanks.
That's great. I'm happy to hear you're finding the videos helpful. Cheers. Scott
So many great tips on these videos. Thank you!
You're welcome. Thank you for subscribing! Scott
It was a good video scott
That chair was so well glued together 😂 I have 6 that all need glue if you need one that's coming apart.
How about repairing the back inlay work? I have some old chairs with a broken inlay and I don't have a clue on how to remove it, reproduce it, and then reinstall it? Subscribed, and thanks for showing how the work is done!
Thanks for the excellent videos. I am struggling w a broken chair where the mortise in the H stretcher has broken off. I've seen you repair legs which have broken off and I've replaced dowels but the H stretcher seems like the weakest link in making the chair stable.
Thanks for this! Great information!! I had a Yankee screwdriver years ago, it was so handy!
Great video. When do you screw the corner blocks during the reassembling process. After the glue has cured or as part of the clamping step?
It's best to screw in the corner blocks when the glue is still wet on them. That way the screws provide clamping pressure. The exception is when using epoxy adhesive. I hope that helps. Scott
Thanks for the very useful videos.
I love the way you go slowly and thoroughly through each step.
Very clear and well narrated and produced.
My question is, why do these pieces of furniture fail in the first place?
Is is bad design, poor materials, or misuse?
And if so, isn't it likely to fail again?
Good question Frank. Chairs are subjected to a live load. We constantly shift our body weight on these chairs, and eventually that wears down the chair. It's typical that a chair needs to be reglued every 20-40 years, depending on the use. For other types of furniture, repairs are usually due to moving damage or poor construction techniques. I hope that helps. Scott
@@FixingFurniture Many thanks for your reply.
I suppose that if you want big, heavy, and probably very expensive pieces of furniture, then they will last much longer.
But if you want something a bit lighter (and less expensive) we should not expect it to last as long.
@@worcesterexchange554 Chairs experience a lot stress as Scott stated. One doesn't hear it much today but "Don't lean back in that chair" or Keep all four legs on the floor" are excellent rules to extend the life of a chair.
Thanks for your videos. I do love repairing chairs, but they can be somewhat complex.
You're welcome! Scott
Love these videos!
Thanks for doing them!
Thank you Samuel. That's encouraging to hear! I appreciate you taking the time to post a comment. Scott
Please remind me which glue you used for the Windsor chair. I am doing an old rocker and will need a larger open time as I am a still slow
Thanks for your videos. Really useful and the best.
Glad you like them! Thanks for sharing that. Scott
I know this video is kinda old, but do you have a link to the later video covering the other chair at the beginning? That is the kind I am having an issue with now.
Thanks for this, and for all the great videos, Scott. One quick question: for a chair where all the joints are loose, do you recommend disassembling and regluing all the joints at once, or do you ever glue in stages, for example taking off and re-assembling stretchers, then other parts? Or maybe it depends? I can see where it may be a tradeoff between having enough open time (in particular for a novice like me), and making sure all the angles are ok on the finished chair?
Thanks Scott, I’ll give the vinegar a try next time I try a repair
Where to find metal corner brackets? I have an antique chair it’s missing one. Can’t use it.
That's a good question. Try this website www.thehardwarehut.com/furniture_legs.php
Thank you, Scott, for your inspiring tutorials. I have a chair that is similar to to the blue one you worked on. My main problem is the grooved rails are broken up where the grooved brackets joined. How would you solved this problem? I’m contemplating cutting out the broken section and gluing in new wood, then groove the new piece to match. I would appreciate your thoughts. Thank you. Donna
I am a hobby wood worker myself and I have been watching all your videos and they are the best that I have seen on TH-cam. What do you normally charge for repairs? Or what do you use as a starting point? I would like to start doing a few side jobs but I don't want to overcharge the customer, but it would still need to be worth my time in taking on the job. I don't know if you already have a video on this topic or not. If you don't want to talk about cost I completely understand I just figured there was no harm in asking. I hope you have a great day!
I got a question wear can I get information on slides and hard wear for under tables
I'd start with woodworking stores. If that doesn't work, search for hardware suppliers online. I hope that helps. Scott
My chair (solid wood, but built commercially in the 90’s) seems to have a lot of screws through the joints, I am thinking perhaps to hold the glue joints while drying. Taking them apart is a real challenge. Is it worth fixing? The wood is solid cherry and I hate to throw them away. Also there are green pieces where the dowels would be. Are they metal, and how can I tell?
Question? My chair with a seat cushion has 3 tenons on each side connecting the side rails to the back leg. The right side is secure. On the left side two of the tenons are broken and the block holding the corner is loose.
Will the chair need to have both sides separated from the back, then drill out the broken tenons, replace them, and sand all connecting surfaces before gluing and clamping? Have I forgotten any steps?
Awesome video! Quick question. I have pretty much the exact same chair. I need to repair the chair as it is pretty wobbly. However, it looks like the chair was repaired haphazardly years ago and several of my corner blocks are broken and need to be replaced. I could send you a picture if you would like. Is creating new corner blocks something that is realistic to do? And, if so, do you have any suggestions on how to proceed? My corner blocks have the same horizontal grooves like this chair does. Not sure how to recreate the grooves.
Thanks!
While I'm no furniture repair expert by any means, I just received a broken chair leg similar with the exact same blocks, the blocks are pretty beat up from someones previous repair and I was going to remake them. I'm thinkings that reproducing the block should be a relatively simple process of: measuring the existing blocks, cut the miter angles then create the groves on the router table or table saw with dado stack. I'm thinking that way I can control depth and width of the grooves on the block. But I'm anxious to hear what the master says
Great video, thanks for posting.
Thank you Tom. I appreciate that. Scott
I'm currently repairing some chairs with this same type of angle corner blocks, with the layered mortises going into those grooves on the frame. Such a PITA. I've had to re-cut them on my router table because they were so poorly done originally. Some are too thick to even go into those grooves, and were just sitting on the top of them, providing zero support.
Thanks for the video. It's very helpful. At the start of the video you showed the older upholstered chair and mentioned you would show that repair in another video. Has that video been made yet? Forgive me if you have, but I can't find it.
We have a chair like this and are keen to learn some tips before making it worse.
Cheers from Australia.
Thanks for your question. I have the video shot but not edited yet. I have at least 1 more video to put up before that one. If you want to be added to our email newsletter, you'll get an email when it's up. You can sign up by sending me an email scott@woodenitbenice.ca with the subject Sign Up
For the upholstery on chairs, I just published the first of a 2-part series on repairing an upholstered chair. The second video that will be published next week shows reinstalling the upholstery. I hope you like it. Scott. th-cam.com/video/xTdWl3zuBBk/w-d-xo.html
I have to collect some chairs soon but too many for my car and cant do more than one trip so this should help for the one chair which won't go in. :-)
Would you consider using band clamps on a glue up like this?
Great channel. I have a couple of old armchairs, on both the arms have multiple large cracks that have separated quite a bit - at some points more than 1/4 inch. Do I need to do anything more than clean, glue and clamp?
Thx bro really enjoying your videos
Glad you like them!
Have dining table chairs made in 1940's, so would that be considered antique and if so, how does one determine what type of glue to use for a re-glue? Thanks and enjoy your video teaching..
Hide glue would have been used. Here's one of our videos about types of glue th-cam.com/video/qK0IR8WT_jE/w-d-xo.html
Perfect. This is almost the exact construction of our chairs that need repair. Our screws are stripped out-the ones that attach the seat to the frame as well as ones that hold the corner blocks. What do you suggest?
The easiest fix is to buy larger screws. Cheers. Scott
very helpful , i may apply the skill in my DIY video. thanks.
Glad it was helpful! Scott
@@FixingFurniture sometimes i fix house stuff in my way. and think about clean the gutter without ladder.
I just had a similar chair have a leg collapse from the corner joint. This chair does not have the "H" bracket between the legs. I remade the corner block, drilled the holes for the bolts/screws to connect to the leg through the block. It just recollapsed on me. Suggestions?
Hi Scott, Brilliant video. I note that you didn't replace the screws in the corner brackets (reinforcing the frame). Why is that? Do you feel the glue was sufficient?
I must have put those in after the glue dried. The screws aren't important as the corner blocks are not structural, their purpose is to provide a screwing surface to attach the seat. This is one of 8 chairs I've been repairing, one at a time. The customer picks up one chair, and drops off another. I've become very familiar with the details of these chairs over time. Thanks for you question. Scott
@@FixingFurniture That answered another question I had. Two corner blocks had holes where the screws went into the chair the other two were on the top and I couldn't figure out why. Now I know it's to put screws into the seat. What kind of chairs are these?
Do you re-screw the corner blocks, or does the gluing suffice?
Thanks very much for your videos, which I too find very helpful. I do have a couple of questions. Do you ever consider putting plastic wood or any other filler in the screw holes before you replace the screws that hold the corner blocks or the upholstered seat top? And what do you do if the fit is not tight on a particular joint? Do you (can you) replace the worn dowel with one that provides a better fit? Thanks again.
Hi Tom. For screw holes, I don't add filler to the holes. If the screw is turning and not gripping, the easiest fix is to use a larger screw. #8 screws are most common, so moving up to at #10 usually does the trick.
If a mortise and tenon joint is loose, it can be wrapped in a thick plane shaving. I don't come across worn dowels in my work.
I hope that helps. Scott
love it!
Thank you
You're welcome Pat! Cheers. Scott
@@FixingFurniture your video really helped! I just repaired FOUR antique wooden chairs I found headed to the trash… instead of driving screws in all over the place I took the time to take them apart and repair them like you teach and I am VERY happy with the results! The chairs no longer wobble and they will be loved for many more years! There was a number of old repair attempts but no one took the time to do it properly. You’re an excellent teacher! Thank you so much!!!!
That's new to me; but wich types of glue does vinnegar affect? Nice video.
Vinegar will loosen hide glue and PVA (commonly known as carpenter's glue or yellow glue). Thanks for your comment Leo! Scott
my question can you use hide glue on a chair like the one you
Were doing the gray chair
Yes, you can
When did you put the screws back in the supports in the back, before or after the glue? I have those on my chair too but mine don’t need to be drilled out.
My chair was repaired by an idiot. There are finish nails everywhere, even on the seat. (I have removed them but now I wonder how to fix that. Maybe sand it, fill it and get a similar stain? It’s a tiny hole and I don’t want to refinish the entire set. Oddly, only this chair is damaged and repaired poorly.)
Lee Valley . Are you in Canada ? Im in Ontario .
I have a question: I'm trying to reglue some antique chairs and would like to know how you would remove wooden screw covers (plugs) from screw holes. One of them is pushed in below the surface. Do you have any suggestions ?
Yes, here's a video on that topic to show you how to do this. Cheers. Scott
th-cam.com/video/BeKOu7ng-HE/w-d-xo.html
@@FixingFurniture Thank you for replying. The type of plug I have is a surface type plug ( rounded on top but is pushed below the surface) I guess I would have to drill it out , replace itt and stain it to match ?
@@davidpruyne for the embedded plug, yes you will have to drill a pilot hole and drive in a screw. Hopefully you can save that with a bit of wood filler. For the plugs that are on the surface, see my last video, which shows how I do that when repairing the chair. Cheers. Scott
He is the Bob Ross of furniture
Lol - Thanks Bruno! Scott
@@FixingFurniture I've learned a lot with your videos!
Adding some soap to your vinegar would help break its surface tension and let it flow easier/deeper into the joints with less work.
Hi, Scott. Thanks for the comprehensive and useful video!
I inherited a mid-80s Danish Teak Dining room set, and many of the chairs are getting loose.
Would it be a workable solution to drill through the four corner blocks under the chair, into the legs (or side frame), and put in 8 screws at an angle, two in each corner?
I don't have much woodworking experience (or tools), and am looking for a simple fix.
Please don't do that. The chairs will get more damaged over time as the joints move and loosen. It needs to be taken apart and re-glued. I've seen so many poor repair attempts as people look for shortcuts... in the end, the chairs are worse off and often will cost more to repair later. I hope that helps. Scott
I'm struggling with a chair repair. The leg is split but not broken and does not want to go back together. Any suggestions?
When you use vinegar to soften old glue, does it have any effect on subsequent glue-up?
No, it doesn't affect the glue up after it dries. The only side effect is that it will slightly discolour bare wood... which usually isn't seen by anyone as bare wood is typically on the hidden parts of furniture. I hope that helps. Scott
Hello,
Is it possible to speak with someone about a furniture repair? I need some expertise.
Thank you,
Geri
Can you fix the old time doors the same way?
Yes, doors can be disassembled and re-glued.
Question how do you price a job like this
Wow, what a pain in the butt all this is. It’s fun to watch. I hope you’re getting paid a lot to do all this work on dining room chairs. And I wish you were in Richmond Indiana so that you could do mine.
Yes, most of these videos are work from paying customers. A furniture repair business is a profitable business to run compared to custom woodworking. That's what I used to do. I'm happy to hear you're enjoying our videos. Scott
How do you clean your glue brushes.
It's easy. They clean up with warm water and regular soap. If I forget to wash them, the glue I use dissolves so the brush can be washed up in about 5 minutes. I hope that helps. Scott
Fixing Furniture Yes it does, I’m about to enter a new career of fixing furniture and your videos and answers are very helpful, I don’t think I’ll be doing anything as serious as your doing but it still very helpful. Thank You
3:19 that's a sick screwdriver! but I think I won't spend money on that....
These "Yankee screwdrivers" are common old tools, so you might be able to find one cheap at a second hand store/thrift store/flee market, etc. I got mine in a box of 25 used tools for $20
Cant you use alcohol to break down the glue?
Does heat work on glue
Nice double headed glue brush!
Lol, yeah the artist brush is multi functional!
What are options if you do not have that many clamps?
Sorry, but this is the answer you don't want to hear... buy more clamps. Maybe borrow some from a friend? Scott
Znaci alkoholno sirce neutralise lepak za drvo?
We refer to it as vinegar. Alcohol is different. I hope that helps. Scott
@@FixingFurniture thanks
What glue are you using?
I'm using a PVA glue by Lee Valley Tools. Here's a video I just published covering details about common glues used for furniture repairs - th-cam.com/video/qK0IR8WT_jE/w-d-xo.html
When I took my chair apart a number of the dowels were broken. Any suggestions on what to do next?
Cut dowel off flush on both pieces then drill slightly larger aligning holes for a new dowel.....don't forget to use hide glue