Replies

1. 
   UncleDunc | Jan 22, 2003 06:34am | #1

   I really thought someone would answer this the first time you posted it.

   Do you have any idea how the chair got broken? If it was under excessive load, like Joe Sumo doing a flamenco dance on the seat, then cleaning up the sides of the split and possibly adding a slice of new wood should work fine.

   If it was just in normal use, you would start with the same fix, but you'll probably have to add some battens to the bottom of the seat to keep it from happening again. The problem with that is how to to attach the battens so they support the seat but still allow it to swell and shrink throughout the year. The only thing I can think of is some sort of sliding dovetail arrangement.

   It might be possible to do both of these fixes without taking the chair apart, but I think it would be a lot easier to go ahead and disassemble it.

   I should probably add that if there's any chance that the chair is or could become a valuable antique, seek professional advice before doing anything to it.

1. 
   SenorDorado | Jan 22, 2003 05:20pm | #2

   Thanks Uncle Dunc

   I'll have to further investigate as to the actual cause of the break. The disassembly of the chair seems to me to be a hard chore due to the chair rungs being mortised into the seat, and very possibly glued. However by merely inverting the chair on the bench there is a clear shot at the split. Would the battens that you suggest be attached at right angles, or along the split with the sliding dovetail down the length of the split? Can you suggest a professional with whom I could consult?

   Butch