Beginner - what are the flaws in my plan?

Thoie

I've done 2 basic woodworking courses, but outside those guided classes, haven't really done anything else yet. I want to make some blocks to raise the height of a parent's armchair. The chair has round legs.

I'm investigating if I can just buy new legs, but in the meantime my idea is:

1. Cut 8 blocks, each half the height I want to raise the chair by
2. In 4 of the blocks, drill a hole all the way through, matching the diameter of the existing legs
3. Glue each "block with a hole" to a "block without a hole", clamp them together until the glue sets
4. Sand/stain
5. Glue a rubber pad to the bottom of each one (to protect the floor, and to stop them from slipping)

Will this work? Is there a more elegant way to do it with minimal skills? Am I missing a vital step? Should I try screwing the blocks together as well as gluing them?

Calahonda52

I wouldn't rely on the glue.
I have done this before and went for the simple solution.
Used 3 by 2 on edge, front to back, screwed up into the legs, with two cross pieces one third/2/3rd way way down.
put a floor in the front 3rd to store the slippers on as well as books etc
two rubber pads stuck on.
Chamfered/rounded, sanded /stained etc to blend in.
very strong solution

recipio

Have you any access to a lathe. ? I think I would turn new pieces to match the existing legs. ?

Thoie

recipio wrote: »

Have you any access to a lathe. ? I think I would turn new pieces to match the existing legs. ?

I considered that - I could possibly get access, but have never used one before, so a lot of practice would be required

If I managed to turn 4 reasonable legs, do you just drill up through them from the bottom to allow them to screw into existing holes in the armchair? The current legs can just unscrew, so that seems like the neatest answer.

bamayang

Thoie wrote: »

I've done 2 basic woodworking courses, but outside those guided classes, haven't really done anything else yet. I want to make some blocks to raise the height of a parent's armchair. The chair has round legs.

I'm investigating if I can just buy new legs, but in the meantime my idea is:

1. Cut 8 blocks, each half the height I want to raise the chair by
2. In 4 of the blocks, drill a hole all the way through, matching the diameter of the existing legs
3. Glue each "block with a hole" to a "block without a hole", clamp them together until the glue sets
4. Sand/stain
5. Glue a rubber pad to the bottom of each one (to protect the floor, and to stop them from slipping)

Will this work? Is there a more elegant way to do it with minimal skills? Am I missing a vital step? Should I try screwing the blocks together as well as gluing them?

Am i missing something, if you make the blocks "half the height" you want to raise the chair by, you will raise the chair by... half the height required. The other 4 blocks your gluing on will slide up the existing legs and not provide any height gain?

Thoie

bamayang wrote: »

Am i missing something, if you make the blocks "half the height" you want to raise the chair by, you will raise the chair by... half the height required. The other 4 blocks your gluing on will slide up the existing legs and not provide any height gain?

Nope, I was the one missing the obvious

You're right. Let's say I want to raise the height by 14cm. I was thinking "two x 7cm blocks". But of course, if I drill a hole through one, the chair is only raised by 7cm. So if I was going with my method, it would be a 14cm block on the bottom, but the second block wouldn't need to be very high.

My reasoning for the second block was to make a "collar" around the feet of the chair so that it doesn't unexpectedly slip off one of the blocks as someone is getting in or out of it.

bamayang

Thoie wrote: »

Nope, I was the one missing the obvious

You're right. Let's say I want to raise the height by 14cm. I was thinking "two x 7cm blocks". But of course, if I drill a hole through one, the chair is only raised by 7cm. So if I was going with my method, it would be a 14cm block on the bottom, but the second block wouldn't need to be very high.

My reasoning for the second block was to make a "collar" around the feet of the chair so that it doesn't unexpectedly slip off one of the blocks as someone is getting in or out of it.

Ya that makes sense.

I think making new legs would be very tricky as you would need to allow for the joinery. What your proposing will prob work fine, but might look funny.

If it was me I would make round pieces to same diameter as legs to use as a riser. then put an insert into the end face of leg and then put a piece of steel bar into each riser piece. Then screw the new piece onto the existing leg. Hardest part would be getting the insert dead centre on the face of existing leg.

recipio

Thoie wrote: »

I considered that - I could possibly get access, but have never used one before, so a lot of practice would be required

If I managed to turn 4 reasonable legs, do you just drill up through them from the bottom to allow them to screw into existing holes in the armchair? The current legs can just unscrew, so that seems like the neatest answer.

You can attach a new turned piece to the old legs with a simple dowel, about 20 mm diameter would be ideal. Just drill your dowel hole while the piece is square and dead centred, preferably in a drill press. 30 mm deep is fine. That will sit in the revolving tailpiece of the lathe so will stay dead centre. Drill out a matching hole in the existing chair legs as accurately as you can. Glue both together, They should sit perfectly on each other but minor discrepancies can be sanded flush.Stain the legs to make them look uniform.