Replies

1. 
   BruceS | Apr 07, 2006 03:46am | #1

   I believe the simpilest and easiest way would be to use two clamps on either side of  the of the stretcher,  lightly clamp it then square it up,  tighten it a little more and then use Two larger Miller dowels and your done.

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S.  Counter Sales, Tech Rep.  http://WWW.EAGLEAMERICA.COM

    

    

1. 
   Novice | Apr 07, 2006 04:13am | #2

   Bruce,

   I didn't know what a Miller dowel is so I went to your web site and looked it up.  It looks ingenious.  Should I get 1x or 2x size?   The stretcher is 7/8 x 1 3/8. 

   Thank you very much for your help!

   Novice.

1. 
   BruceS | Apr 08, 2006 03:12am | #5

   I would go for the 1X size,  Which one to use??  Birch or Walnut?? It looks like the wood under the finish is maple.  I would be tempted to use walnut and show off the dowels in a contrasting wood.  I might even go as far as doweling the legs to the skirts,  one dowell for the width( short side)  and two on the length (long side) In other words three dowels per leg.  This is another personal preferance call,  I like the look of plugs and dowels.  If you prefer the concealed look go for the glue injection.Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S.  Counter Sales, Tech Rep.  http://WWW.EAGLEAMERICA.COM

    

    

1. 
   Novice | Apr 08, 2006 08:55am | #8

   Dear Bruce,

   Thanks for teaching me about the Miller dowel.  I am so thrilled to learn about it, something I never knew before.  However, I think I'll try Adam's method first because it's simpler for me and it requires tools and material that I already have.  I keep the Miller dowel in mind for the next project.

   Have a great weekend and THANKS again!

   Novice

2. 
   forestgirl | Apr 07, 2006 04:29pm | #3

   "These products seem to evaporate so quickly."   You can mix your own "refinisher" but perhaps you can locate the Jasco.  I was looking for MSDS info, and ran across their site.  Here's the link for locating the product.

   Here's the MSDS -- you can see what it has in it.  I couldn't find an MSDS for Formby's, but I'll guess (guess) that it has perhaps Naptha rather than acetone, making it evaporate faster.  The Jasco (if you're using their "Clear Finishes Stripper") has methylene chloride in it.  Not a good idea on your old piano bench, given the approach you took with the Jasco!  A mixture of laquer thinner and denatured alcohol should work in a pinch.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

1. 
   Novice | Apr 08, 2006 08:48am | #6

   Dear Forest Girl,

   The link you gave shows the can of refinisher that I used.  I tracked down the company and they don't have this product any more.   I will try the mixture you talked about.   I didn't use the clear finishes stripper.  Is this a different product? 

   Again, many thanks for your help! 

   Novice

   P.S.  A couple of years ago, you helped me a great deal with a cherry table that I bought at garage sale that had a big dark stain in the middle.  THANKS!

1. 
   forestgirl | Apr 08, 2006 07:13pm | #9

   You're welcome (on the cherry table).  With the piano bench, assuming you're using the "reamalgamation" approach (dissolving and redistributing the finish, roughly speaking) the lacquer thinner and denatured alcohol mix should work.  Try a 50:50 mix, and work on a small section and see if the degree of "melting" and pace of evaporation is workable.  If it's dissolving too much finish, add some alcohol.

   This is all based on an assumption that the finish is lacquer, not shellac.  You can test for shellac by simply rubbing with a Q-tip or small ear of cloth soaked in the denatured alcohol, see if it dissolves the finish.  If it does not, chances are it's lacquer.  forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

2. 
   Novice | Apr 13, 2006 09:30am | #13

   Hello everyone!

   Here's my "new" old piano bench.  I repaired the stretcher as described by AK.  I then stripped it with the alcohol/lacquer thinner mixture that Ms. ForestGirl told me.  This mixture really was much better than the Jasco refinisher that I used before and it smells a lot less.  After that, I applied a couple of coats of Bartley mahogany gel stain and then a couple of coats of Bartley gel finish. 

   I'm very happy with the bench now and I'm so grateful for your advices and your help!

   THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!

   n.

   P.S.  I got the fabrics and the upholstery materials downtown Los Angeles a while ago, near the garment district.

   
1. 
   forestgirl | Apr 13, 2006 07:13pm | #14

   It looks great!  What a warm look to the finish, and I love the fabric.  Congrats! forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

2. 
   ak | Apr 14, 2006 02:30am | #16

   Wow. I gotta say that looks really good. Great job. I'm honored to have been able to  give some advice. What a difference. Again, great job - "Novice-no-more"!!!!! HA.

    

    

   Adam

3. 
   ak | Apr 08, 2006 01:09am | #4

   Hello. As I look at the photos, it is apparent that the stretcher is loose (obviously since it's spinning) and that it is doweled or round tenons on the ends. The BEST way to fix this would not be a Miller dowel form the outside. It will show no matter what you do. Is the rest of the bench loose? If so then carefully loosen the glue with a heat gun and dissasemble the bench, clean the joints and reglue it. Otherwise, I would recomend drilling a 1/32" or 1/16" hole where the stretcher meets the rail. Then use a hypodermic glue injector available from Woodworkers Supply. It comes with a brass tip and other size tips are available. I use this daily in my repair business. The goal here is to drill the hole at an angle that will allow the glue to enter the joint istself. Once the glue is injected, clamp and allow proper set time. I recomend Titebond II or III, the set time is 45 minutes to an hour. Here is the website for Woodworkers Supply.

    

   http://www.woodworker.com  just search for item #836-702

    

   Adam King

   http://www.freewebs.com/akfurniture/

1. 
   Novice | Apr 08, 2006 08:52am | #7

   Adam,

   Many thanks for the instructions.  I do have a syringe with a big needle.  I can try what you suggested.  I am also very interested in learning about the Miller dowel.   I looked up this product and it looks like I would have to buy a whole bag where I only need a few and that I also need some sort of special drill bit that I don't have. 

   Thanks again!

   Novice

2. 
   LarryMartin | Apr 14, 2006 04:17pm | #17

   Since you use the glue injector so regularly, could you give me a quick lesson on proper use. I have the same kind but have extreme difficulty pulling back the plunger which seems to stick inordinately to the side of the tube. The same is true when plunging the plunger tho it pushes in slightly better than when pulling out. Do you think I just have a bad item and would be better off simply buying a new one?

1. 
   ak | Apr 14, 2006 09:44pm | #18

   Well, initially when I recieved mine it was quite dificult to use. That is due to the increddible amount of psi that the plunger puts out. If you dissasemble it and clean the inside with warm water and soap, it will remove any glue residue and also I think it helps lubricate the rubber plunger. After doing that I've had great sucess with it. I hope that helps!!

    

   Adam

   http://www.freewebs.com/akfurniture/

1. 
   LarryMartin | Apr 15, 2006 02:25am | #19

   Thanks for the tip -- sounds like it ought to work quite well!

4. 
   QCInspector | Apr 08, 2006 10:54pm | #10

   The advice that ak gave you is the best. I repaired furniture in my father's shop years ago, (container loads imported from England by antique auctioneers and companies), and the furniture that was fixed by people using nails, screws, and whatever buckshee method someone created were not effective, except to make repairs more difficult. If you can't completely disassemble the bench and reglue, then use "ak's injections".

   The link is for some glue that might also work for you. It wasn't around when I working on old stuff, so I don't have first hand experience with it. Perhaps ak or someone else has and can give their opinion on it.

   http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1,110&p=30261

1. 
   Novice | Apr 09, 2006 03:01am | #11

   Thanks for your opinion.  That's what I did this afternoon.  It's so cool, a glue bottle with a needle tip!  I have to keep this in mind as well!  Now I need to get some chemicals to try the stripping for refinishing as suggest by Ms. Forestgirl.  When I'm done I'll post the finished bench. 

   I really appreciate everyone's help.  You've been so great and so nice!

   Have a great weekend!

   Novice 

2. 
   ak | Apr 09, 2006 08:33pm | #12

   you know, I have never used Chair Doctor. I have looked at it and thought about it, but I have just never tried it. I really can't weigh in on the matter. I would love to hear from anyone who has. If it works as well as it says and has longevity to it's holding power itjust might find a place in my shop. I can't wait to see the finished piano bench Novice!!

1. 
   Anon | Apr 13, 2006 09:32pm | #15

   Re: Lee Valley's Chair Doctor.  I can't speak to longevity yet, but I used it to repair some pretty mediocre quality chairs.  It was easy to use and clean up, and has held up under the stress of a 2-1/2 year old using the chair for everything he can imagine - which was what put it apart in the first place.  My next project is new dining chairs but in the meantime that's holding the old ones together just fine.  I also used it to squirt/ inject a spot of glue into a hairline crack I made in a mortise when dry-fitting a snug tenon with a little too much "help."  Given my unfortunate impatience when fitting joints, I imagine that will come up again . . .