Update from my last comment. The table is fixed and I couldn't have done it without this video! I'm so happy with my dining room table and I have this channel to thank for it!
You and your channel are amazing. You cover everything that I would ever need to know about how to work with old furniture, what kind of glue, what happens when the dowels have broken off, what happens when somebody else has already tried to fix it - And you have awesome tools. Thank you for putting your experience and skills and knowledge on RU-vid and sharing it. Stay well.
I am enjoying your videos. Using them I am repairing a friends child rocker the came loose and broke the tenon off the leg. Using your instruction I am ready to glue up. Thanks
I feel confident in the repair I have to do on my new dining room table thanks to this video and this channel. This is amazing! I've already forwarded your channel to all my woodworking friends.
mindblowing , love the way you work . I got to fix broken legs of a wooden carved horse, your videos are a great help, thank you for sharing and all the best for much more....Cheers for everything...
Your video is very useful and well executed. My only "critique" would be for you to speed up some of the wood cutting and glueing processes and to explain more in depth that second block of wood that you cut for the other side of the vector clamping. But thank you for posting this.
Wow! I thought I could just put some glue and let it set, with some tape to hold the parts together... Now I know I need to find a professional because I don't have any of the tools you've used. This video was very instructive and well made. The table thanks you!
I'm happy to hear this is helpful for you. Some things are DIY, but I'm glad you've recognized you need a professional. I recently had a chair brought to me and the owner tried to repair it, but in the process, destroyed the chair and I couldn't repair it. Cheers. Scott
Great video, illustrating the tenets of which type of glue to use as taught in your "glue video". I understand using epoxy because of its gap filling properties, but in an extremely loose mortise situation (dowel joint), are you ever tempted to increase the size of the dowel and re-drill the holes to the next size up? Then you could use PVA glue. Also, when you do use dowels, do you place the dowel grain parallel to the leg wood grain to avoid a "cross grain" situation, or is the expansion and contraction of the dowel grain is so minimal as to not being important. Thank you so much Craig
I really enjoyed your repair video and learned a lot. However, I wish you had showed details on how to make the 2nd opposite leg wooden brace/block. Thank you.
Hi Mark. Here's a video where I teach how to make clamping cauls to clamp difficult parts. That should have all the detail you need in it. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hS8NV_S9dw0.html
Hello, I understand from a traditional or restoration perspective (and perhaps from a preservation or appraisal perspective) why you would want to use Hyde glue on an antique if Hyde glue was used originally, but I'm having trouble understanding why functionally it wouldn't work to use modern glues? Aren't the wood properties going to behave the same? What if my purpose is to NOT have the joint coming apart again? But please correct me if this is just not what I should be going for with my furniture joints. I'm here to learn. Thanks for your videos! Matt
I appreciate your video and your channel. I wonder how you would heat it to take it apart.? Disregard this question, I just saw a guest on your wood glue video using a heat gun, to heat up the hide glue. Time stamp for my future reference 7:33... For an antique you'll want to use protein glue
I have a pedestal table like this and your technique will really help. One of the legs is splitting with a horizontal Crack from all the pressure it was under. Not sure how to fox that. Any ideas?
Great video as usual. One observation, you seemed to struggle with the clamp to get the joint tight, conventional screwed clamps exert a great deal more pressure than the quick grip 'pump' type you have there.
Great technique ! I have a dining room table that is a little wobbly and have similar legs. Will give this a try. Quick question, are you originally from Newfoundland? I thought I recognized the accent.
That's a funny question I get different guesses on... my accent. Several people have asked if I'm from Virginia. I grew up in eastern Ontario, so maybe it's a bit of the Ottawa Valley influence coming out. Always lived in Ontario. Scott
Thanks for the really good video. I do have a question though. I have an antique mahogany table and a leg came off one pedestal. I have cleaned out the dowel holes and have new dowels and I’m ready to glue. Is Titebond III good wood glue for the face of the joint and what epoxy can I use for the dowels? Tom
Scott, a great video, thank you so much!. I have a 1940s pedestal dining table (6 legs) where I have a similar problem. I was treating the dining room as an antique so did all other repairs with hide glue. However, one leg on the table has a loose dowel joint (larger hole) which is fixed with epoxy in your video. How do I fix with hide glue to fix the gaps? It's the last in my puzzle to get the dining room finished. I could use epoxy but wanted to stay true to principle of hide glue all the way through. Many thanks in advance. German Paz, Houston - Texas.
Hi German. I've visited Houston on vacation - nice spot! There are two ways to repair a loose hole for a tenon without epoxy. One way is to drill out a much larger hole, then fill it in with a dowel of the same size to plug the hole. Then you can drill the right size hole for the existing dowel. Another way is to replace the existing dowel with a larger dowel. That means cutting it off, drilling it out to the new size. Drill out the old hole to the same size. This may be risky if you don't have much wood on either side of the dowel as you'll be weakening the integrity of the wood. Does that make sense? Cheers. Scott
@@FixingFurniture Thank you so much, that was a quick response, great timing as I have to get ready for Thanksgiving. Keep up the good work! Best Wishes!
Thank you for this video! I have a very sentimental dining room table from the 1940’s with six pedestal legs which are starting to fail. I’m going to attempt to re-glue and clamp them myself. One question if I could ask: a few of the legs are clearly separating from the post but are not easily coming off by me pulling on them. I’m a little hesitant to wedge them off, but I’m thinking this may be the best option? Do you have any advice? Thank you greatly for this video!
Wedges are the most gentle way to separate them. Just make sure you use the wedge on the bottom edge of the leg and not the top as the grain on the top could break of some wood. I hope that helps. Scott
@FixingFurniture good job! Thanks for the lesson. When type of pliers are those? They look like they would be good for pulling staples and nails. Trying to learn as much as I can...why would you not use filler on a hidden connection simply because it's antique? Why do you use hide glue instead of today's type? Nobody will see it and I don't want them coming apart in the heat of summer. I will be working on antiques again. Wish you could see the old phonograph I got for free! It works but definitely needs tlc...waiting for no more snow...blech. I have to work outside for the most part. Speaking of which...any idea how I can remove the tired felt the records ride on and do I require a specific felt?
WOW! I have my great aunts 2 pedestal dining table. My dad, who did some woodworking, tried to repair it but came into the same problem he had....nowhere to clamp. I think I'll give it another try so I can remove the support wood block. We can't use it because it is so wobbly. The chairs need gluing too. This set, along with the China cabinet and buffet were damaged by Hurricane Katrina...that bitch!! The sides are warping. At this point, do I just live with it or pitch it out? It's almost, if not 100 years old. They don't make furniture that good anymore. Hurricane Ida...think it was that 1 didn't help matters. Hot as hell with ceiling falling down with humidity...good thing the food is so good down here. Anyway, I'm glad I found your channel. I'm in the process of slicing 2 armrests into 4 legs for a child's vanity stool. I don't know what I'm doing but I'm trying!
I'm glad you found our channel. We have a lot of videos to help you learn about furniture restoration. I suggest starting with simple repairs to build your skills. The china cabinet and hutch sound like an advanced repair, which you may want to discuss with a professional to restore. Scott
I have a small pedestal table with three legs that are wobbly. I'm trying to figure out how to tighten the joints, as I can see a metal piece on the underside, but no way to undo it. This was still helpful though. Nice explanations.
Your videos have been very helpful and have given me the confidence to attempt repairs on my own. Thanks. How do I shim a dowel hole that has just a little too much wiggle? Making the shim thin enough and getting it to stay in place have been real challenges. Any suggestions or videos I can refer to?
One option would be to drill out the hole larger and insert a larger dowel. If you don't have the space for that, I don't recommend a shim unless you're using epoxy. Wood glue won't hold unless the mating pieces are meeting well and are clamped under pressure. I hope that helps. Scott
@@FixingFurniture Thanks for the prompt response. I think replacing the dowels might be the way to go. Scraping the glue off them made them smaller so maybe the mortise isn't too big but the dowel is too small now. I'll investigate that and experiment with different dowel sizes before I try drilling. Thanks for your advice. It's given me a way forward. Doug
@@FixingFurniture I took out the dowel pins and replaced them with the same sized ones. I'd been too aggressive taking off the glue and the original dowels. The new ones fit one side well and needed to be sanded a bit to get a good fit on the other side. I glued it up and it came out really solid. Thanks again for the help.
Just have a question about that table. Do you have any idea who the maker of the table is? Or what brand? I have one almost identical to it I really need to get it refinished and have the legs reglued.
Thanks for the videos! Very helpful. How do you charge for working on the furniture? Is it hourly, or by the job? Do you have any suggestions? I’m trying to learn what a fair price is. It would also be help to know how much you would charge and or how much total time you spent on the project from beginning to end. Thank you so much for sharing your years of experience and craft! Nice video just subscribed.
I've created a video about how to price work as a woodworking business - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-d42Dlu0ehHg.html This is a complex topic and in the video I show you a practical example and how much I charge. For repairs, I estimate how long it will take me and give my customer a fixed price. Sometimes I do service calls, where I change a service call rate, which includes 20 minutes of labor, and charge hourly after that. Let me know if you have any questions that the video doesn't explain. Cheers. Scott
It's a little easier with a 3 leg table as you don't need to worry about rocking. The clamping is slightly easier too, though you need to use the vector clamping technique I show. I hope that helps. Scott
Great video. My wife bought me a beautiful small chair with turned legs with loose tenons. I was apprehensive about just gluing them together with only VPA glue and building up the small tenons with wood shavings was my only option. I like the idea of using a combination of glues. Do you have any concerns about using Titebond 2 or 3 for this work?
Hi Herb. Titebond 3 is waterproof and for outdoor work, so I wouldn't use it. Titebond 2 is good for furniture repair, but I don't use it because the open time is about 5 minutes (the time you have to spread the glue and position the piece). I prefer Lee Valley Cabinetmaker's Glue because the open time is 15-20 minutes. I hope that helps. Scott
@@FixingFurniture Thank you for your quick reply. I would love to purchase Lee Valley glue. Unfortunately they will not sell and ship it October through April. This is due to the potential for freezing which ruins the glue. I have had issues in the past with this in my unheated garage workshop. Fortunately we don't get many freezes in south Texas.
@@FixingFurniture I just found what may be a solution for me. There is a Wood Craft store next to me that offers a new version of Titebond II extend which claims to have 3 times the open time with a 24 hour full strength set. It is also offered on Amazon with a 2 day delivery. I will try it and post my results. Thanks again for offering an educational video that teaches and encourages hobbyist like myself to try new things.
1. I have a piece just like this one. One leg is broken. Looks like Rot. I remove it and another by using white vinegar. It dissolved the glue and the leg came off easily. I'm just starting to repair furniture and I don't know too much about I D of wood. What kind of wood is it on your table and can I purchase new legs or make them.
Hi Josh - wood identification is something that takes time to learn. The easiest solution would be to take your parts to a local lumber store and have one of their experts tell you what the wood is. You can make the part, but I'm not sure you can buy a replacement. I hope that helps. Thanks for being a subscriber! Scott
I don't know who made the table. If I remember, the table was a mix of solid wood and veneer but I didn't pay attention to the species of wood. Sorry. Scott
I use epoxy a lot. One thing that worries me - does it, when cured, become brittle and inflexible and therefore won't expand and contract the way PVA will?
Good question. I've had some left over epoxy and when it's dried, its got the consistency of a very firm caulking. It's not hard and brittle. I haven't used more than 2 types of epoxy, but my experience is that its not brittle. PVA glues bond the wood fibers together, so the glue doesn't actually move, the wood does. I hope that helps. Scott
I have a small pedestal table where one leg is loose. That leg has been repaired several times, one included screwing the joint together, which didn't hold. How do I repair this leg? Last time wood glue was used and only one of the two dowels is loose. I can't, at this time, remove the leg. Do I just add more wood glue where the leg is separated or try to remove the glue and then the leg?
Screws don't work in furniture when they're put under shifting loads like these legs or chairs. The metal wears out the wood. Because wood glue only works when there's tight joints, I recommend using epoxy. You will need to separate the joint, clean off all the old glue, then glue and clamp the joint together. Here are several videos to help you out: - Type of glue - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aRYNAlbBDUg.html - Clamping odd joints - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-izMaQp5myf8.html I hope that helps. Scott
Hi Patricia. No, I don't have a video to modify a pedestal table to a table with four legs. As a custom woodworker, this would be similar to building a standard table, and adding the existing top to it. I suggest searching for how to build a table base to find something that covers that topic. I hope that helps. Scott
I am repairing a Windsor chair for a church charity. When re-gluing (with Hide glue) the spindles do you insert them into the comb or the seat first? Your videos have emboldened me to attempt such a project. Thanks.
Good question Ray. I suggest inserting them into the seat first. That way you're using gravity to help you out. The other way might be frustrating if parts are falling out. I hope that helps. Scott
Love your videos, I have a table I’m repairing and the legs are separating from the top of the table, I’m new to repairing so I’m not sure how to fix it, do you have an email I can send you pictures of the table and give me advice on what to do please I would really appreciate it, thank you
Why use that ill fitting dowel. Using glue ( any kind) as a filler is a bad choice. If it was 7/16 hole. Up size by drilling ALL the dowels pin holes to 1/2". Use NEW ready made dowels that have the glue groves spiraled around. If a hole is just to large. From a previous repair or what ever. Clamped it in the drill press. Drill to the next size that will allow a tight dowel to hole fit. Glue in a dowel. Cutting it flush with the surface. Then drill the proper size hole. Extremely difficult I know. To get it in exactly the right place. Takes experience. A Stanley #59 doweling jig is one thing I use. A good set up on a drill press will also work well. A word of caution on these pedestal legs like those. Some tables with those. Especially larger dining tables. Have a thin piece of plywood 1/8'' sandwiched in the middle of the leg. Factory done. Hard to see. Disguised in flutes most often. This prevents the leg from splitting easily along the grain. Naturally, the dowels intersect this. In a older table. That the glue has dried out. Become brittle. Along with everyday use of the table. These joints will fail. If they haven't failed. When the legs are separating from the stump as with this table. They most likely fail as you are working on them. GREATLY increasing the time you spend repairing it. Look carefully. When biding on those. Easy to take one to cheap. One more thing. A flat metal strip. Can be shaped and drilled to accept screws. Placed on the bottom of the stump. Bridging across the joint to the leg. Painted, screwed down. Greatly increasing the strength of the joint. Often times these are factory installed. If not they can be made. Not seen. As they are facing down.
