Help needed with joints for base of chair I am restoring (or trying too!)

Magico Gonzalez

Came across a chair discarded in the street over here and have taken to attempted to restore it, I really like the oval frame and how the seat part sits into it. I have separated the seat, sanded it and cleaned it down ready for upholstering.

I have taken photos of the base below, you'll see in the photos where the joints are separating, no doubt due to the pressure of someones hoop being sat in it over the years. I will be sanding it down, treating it and painting it or varnishing it. I haven't decided on whether how to finish it yet but I do want to sort out the separated joints.

I guess I'd prefer not to separate it, smooth down the joining pieces and put it back together as I'd like to avoid damaging the wooden plugs which form the joins.

Any suggestions for how to eliminate the separations? The base is still solid.

Link to imgur photo album below. Any and all advice welcome. Cheers

http://imgur.com/jyrPh9f

recipio

I looks like a 'brick' construction - pieces of solid/laminated wood joined with dowels ?
There is no quick fix. You need to get some sash clamps, knock the joints apart ( they should separate with a few taps of a rubber hammer ) and re-glue them. Any broken dowels have to be replaced.
Purists would say you should use hide glue but I'm guessing this is a 'mid century' piece so an ordinary PVA glue would do. Repairing furniture is often about having the right tools.

Magico Gonzalez

recipio wrote: »

I looks like a 'brick' construction - pieces of solid/laminated wood joined with dowels ?
There is no quick fix. You need to get some sash clamps, knock the joints apart ( they should separate with a few taps of a rubber hammer ) and re-glue them. Any broken dowels have to be replaced.
Purists would say you should use hide glue but I'm guessing this is a 'mid century' piece so an ordinary PVA glue would do. Repairing furniture is often about having the right tools.

Thanks, no idea on it's origins. Someone dumped a pair of them near our apartment, decided to take them in and use them as a project, some useful experience.

Wood is solid, not laminated. Yes, the pieces are held together with dowels (3 per join).

I'll have to invest in a rubber hammer and track down the spanish equivalent of sash clamps for re-assembly. cheers

tabby aspreme

A ratchet strap may be better than sash cramps to pull the pieces together when your gluing up

Magico Gonzalez

tabby aspreme wrote: »

A ratchet strap may be better than sash cramps to pull the pieces together when your gluing up

thanks...that's me gone off to google.

Calahonda52

Don't glue the perro, looks a nice chap/ie

Magico Gonzalez

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Don't glue the perro, looks a nice chap/ie

Noisy assistant, mostly found barking on the balcony.