Federal-style dining room chair - repair question

Re: Federal-style dining room chair - repair quest

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>The grain in backs of real Federal shield back chairs run vertically, in the same direction as the grain in the back posts. I don't understand why you would have an end-grain to end grain glue-up if it broke along both sides. Maybe a phtograph might help? Can you bring it to the Springfield Breakfast next month? Several people who are planning to attend should be able to offer good advise after taking a close look at it.

Re: Federal-style dining room chair - repair quest

Dave (Arlington, VA)

>Hi William -

Two good suggestions, thanks. I will see if I can post a picture. I haven't done that before. For that matter I haven't even taken very many pictures with our digital camera yet. Probably can't try it until this evening - earliest.

Also the idea of bringing it to the January breakfast is also a good idea - except that my lovely wife is clearly hoping that I can get this fixed sooner rather than later. I am reluctant to admit this however, this chair has languished unrepaired for a number of months already - and I fear I am beginning to lose the all important brownie points with my bride.

Last, I was imprecise in my description - sorry. The break is not along the sides, but across the sides. It is a pretty smooth break; very little chipping. It almost could be sawn - but it's not.

Anyway, thanks - and I will see what I can do about pics...I suppose I need to learn how to that that anyway.

Regards -

Dave

A few thoughts

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>It is hard to get specific without some pictures. Here is some general advice: 1. Furniture repair is sometimes repair and sometimes re-engineering. Sounds like yours is the latter. If so, try to think outside the box and build it right the second time. 2. Chairs are hard to repair without disassembly. 3. Single antique chairs are pretty common and inexpensive. You might find one that matches (wood and color) your set pretty well. Use it at the head of the table for *special* guests. Good luck.

Re: A few thoughts

Dave (Arlington, VA)

>Hi Jim -

Thanks for your comments. You are right about the pics. I'll try to get some up - once I figure out how to take them, and then up load them here at WC :-)

I also think you are right about "reengineering." That might be what I am looking at here. I was VERY surprised to see that this was a cross grain break...really makes you wonder about the wood used.

Perhaps you'll have a few more thought after I post a pic or two.

Also - on a replacement - this is not an antique chair - but it is part of a set we bought two or three years ago, and we already have end chairs. They have arm rests. The side chairs - like this one - don't.

Regards -

Dave

William and Jim...

Dave (Arlington, VA)

>Hi William Jim -

Thanks, again, for your replies. I'm still hoping to get my wife to take and for me to learn how to post a pic of the problematic chair here at WC. But it's taking longer than I expected - what with conflicting schedules, holiday activities and so forth.

I just wanted to leave you a note to let you know that I'd not forgotten, nor lost interest.

I'll post them as soon as I can.

Regards -

Dave

Re: William and Jim...

Dan Donaldson

>If you get a picture and have problems getting it resized for posting and still having it large enough to see, e-mail the original to me and I will help get it to the right size.

Thanks, Dan.

Dave (Arlington, VA)

>Hi Dan -

Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on it. On the other hand I hate to be so technologically challenged - and so may make this a test case to learn how to do this.

Regards -

Dave

Re: Thanks, Dan.

Dan Donaldson

>No problem. If you do have trouble, send it and let me know what software you are using, and if I can get it, I will resize/compress it with that same software and tell you exactlty what I did.