Broken round table top: how to repair
Perhaps this is better in joinery, but I’ll try here first.
My father-in-law built us a Stickley-imitation small dining table with a round oak table top built up out of 3/4 inch boards. The shippers must have dropped the case because it arrived with an 9 inch piece broken off. It broke in the middle of a board, not at a glue line/joint. Absolutely irritating. I want to try to repair it myself, since somehow I neglected to insure the thing properly. My bad. Otherwise I’d take it to an antique restorer or cabinetmaker.
In any case, would this work?
The break is pretty clean and I can align the boards quite nicely. Fortunately on the top of the table top the break is especially clean with no splinters, etc. The two pieces fit very well.
Lacking the necessary jigs to clamp a round table top like this, I was hoping to use a web clamp (or strap clamp as they are sometimes called) to clamp the two pieces and keep them flat by laying them on a work table with weights on top.
I tried this without glue and it seems to work and I’m able to get the pieces to be quite tight and flat.
My worry is that I won’t have enough clamp pressure, but my understanding is that one needs less clamp pressure than one might think.
Or am I fooling myself?
I don’t have an elaborate workshop at my disposal.
A pic is attached of the 2 pieces next to each other to give a sense of their relative sizes. The break is complete, though the picture might make it look otherwise.
Replies
It's hard to tell from the picture how well it fits together. When you web-strapped did all of the un-even places disappear? If so, I'd use liquid hide glue, because it is more easily repaired than other glues, but it is still strong. If you use yellow glue, and the glue up does not go right, you have to scrape off all traces of the yellow glue before you can try it again. With liquid hide glue, a new application can go right on top of the old one. The older glue gets reactivated by the moisture of the newer glue. I think it is worth a try.
I'm sorry, I didn't reply fully: under the webstrap the crack is virtually invisible on top. It because of the slight unevenness of the resulting joint, it's quite invisible, and I imagine with staining--barring any glue-seep--it will be even more invisible.
Fortunately it's a table that will likely often have a table cloth on it! Or junk like mail and books.
Thanks so much. By liquid hide glue do you mean something like this?
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/supplies/adhesives/glue/69158-old-brown-glue
Old Brown or Titebond makes one as well. Traditional hide glues had to be heated in glue pots to keep them liquified but these modern versions have similar properties without the fuss.
If you are satisfied with the dry fitting you should be fine with the glue up. The web clamp you described should be able to apply enough pressure to achieve your goals. I also would second the use of hide glue due to its reversibilty if the initial results are not to your liking. I would probably place wax paper under your weights to prevent them from possibly reacting with the glue and causing staining or other problems.
Great. I'm glad to hear a second confirming opinion.
Wax paper is already part of the plan.
I would use PVA but the plan seems sound. It's what it looks like that counts.
You could also add a single cross-clamp in the centre of the loose board, but that might cause cupping so is a risk only worth taking if it really improves the appearance.
Since you cannot apply a high amount of pressure and the glue will likely not show on the top I would use epoxy.
Thanks all for the tips. We'll see how it goes.
I have to disagree about 2 things. Old Brown Glue has to be heated. Instructions are on the label. (2) Experience has taught me that once cured, cured for life. But it can't be beaten for a strong hold.
Once the strap clamp is in place, tightly clamp a board lengthwise across the tabletop to prevent cupping. Then tighten the strap clamp until it hollers for help. I find C-clamps are best for the cross-piece.
But, as always, pay attention to all the advice you get here.
Mikaol
Mikaol is correct about heating OBG.
I also agree cauls should be used.
Old Brown Glue doesn't need warming in my shop in summer. It's plenty warm enough. In winter it gets too thick, so I put the bottle in a pan of hot water about a half hour before using. It makes it thin enough to flow properly.
It doesn't need to be really cooked the way hot hide glue does. It's wonderful glue, and I just didn't want new folks to get scared away from trying it.
I posted a thank you here and it disappeared. To make the longer story short: your advice here--the Old Brown Glue, clamping tips, etc.--worked perfectly, it seems. The strap clamp provided a really tight joint, though it was a trick to keep it from slipping off the table top as I tightened, but with some finnagling (sp?), it worked.
There is zero cupping. Literally none. I think the rough "joint" really helped the joint stay flat, as well as copious clamping with boards across the joint.
So thank you! It turned out as well as could be hoped, I think, and the quotes I got of 4 to 500 dollars to repair can be deleted from my inbox.
Great news.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled