Difficult Restoration of Wooden Chairs with Wood Damage - Woodturning & Chairmaking Skills | How To

[@donniel.5902]

Scott, you have the patience of a saint, the precision of a medical doctor, and it's very obvious to me that you have both a passion and a love for what you do. You are definitely an asset to the woodworking community. Thank you for taking the time to make these very informative videos.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you Donnie. I appreciate that. Scott

[@1tessennano]

Correct

[@sonjadez9712]

You could not have said this better! I use these videos to fall asleep to. Calming and secure!

[@debbymiller8828]

Excellent workmanship. The skill required to make needed repairs shows true crafts-manship.

[@mohamedshakib2421]

Would have never thought that i can watch a 50 minute video and still be engaged, educated and entertained.... Really thank you Scott

[@FixingFurniture]

Well I'm glad you enjoyed it Mohamed. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it. I appreciate that. Scott

[@SparrowStockwell]

We liked watching this. Thank you!

[@WINDYJEAN]

Looks great.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you Roberta! Scott

[@lukeknowles5700]

Great to see you expanding your skill set to achieve new successes!

[@mirvessen]

I really like this longer format

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks for your feedback on that. It's helpful. Scott

[@brianboychuk3712]

I really enjoyed your laid-back, yet extremely informative patter. A beautiful chair lovingly restored. Thank you for saving yet another piece of heritage from the scrap heap.

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you liked it Brian. This could have easily ended up in the landfill due to the damage. Cheers. Scott

[@billymasoner3735]

Thanks for showing us the finished product! You did a fabulous job recreating those chewed up pieces, I couldn’t tell the difference by the time you were done!

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you Billy! I appreciate that. Scott

[@singhA1968]

for me you are are a doctor of furniture.

[@FixingFurniture]

Oh, thank you. I appreciate that. Scott

[@rexgrl3]

Apparently for a "beginning" wood turner you're pretty talented!

[@FixingFurniture]

Well thank you Abby. I appreciate that encouragement. Scott

[@charlesbrack7017]

As I'm a woodworker myself I feel confident saying that you, sir, are genius and incredibly skilled woodworker. I love your videos and learn so much every time I watch them! Thank you so much and keep up the great work.

[@lawrente]

You do very well with your woodworking skills.

[@johnclauser]

Thank you Scott! Excellent !!!!!!!!!!!

[@FixingFurniture]

You're welcome. Glad you liked it!

[@aleset1]

As always a fascinating video. I loved the woodturning and angle finding, that was awesome. I never realized how complicated it was but I love it.

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this Connie. Scott

[@badassfood5713]

Love the longer format. This repair didn’t seem to go as smoothly as most of your other repairs. A few times I was sure it was gonna end like most of my repairs, which just don’t work. But you pulled through, and finished! Bravo! Looking forward to more shop tricks and tips, and also shop made tools that you use that are ‘business’ specific, i.e. jigs, etc.

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback and suggestions. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. Scott

[@THEDUDE0410]

Nice job looks great 👍 Peace and love from Clearwater Florida

[@stoffes]

damn this is advanced to repair old hand made chairs! ! good to see people repair and use the old nice stuff its to common these days just throw away and buy new. thanks for the video

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you appreciate the detail in this. Thanks for sharing that. Scott

[@maryimhof]

Thank you. This video was very informative - the details were great!!!!

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you enjoyed it! Scott

[@magdamundt9483]

If I ever saw a difficult wood patchwork... this was the really over the board. That you got it in the end? My most humble compliments!!

[@josef2090]

Beautiful project, great woodturning, you really gave this chair a second life!!

[@donmorrison519]

Excellent video! Thanks for showing your lathe work - very good.

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing that. Scott

[@julieholden7343]

Lovely job..

[@markaubuchon6265]

Nice work, especially considering the complex angles and the turnings. Much respect.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you very much Mark! I hope you subscribe. Scott

[@paulhodgson4790]

Well paced, informative and, most importantly, clear. You are fast becoming my "go to guy" for information on my repair and restoration work. Thank you.

[@FixingFurniture]

Well thank you Paul! It makes me happy to hear you're enjoying the videos. I find that motivating. Thanks. Scott

[@ryanvanderpol7962]

Fantastic craftsmanship!

[@JamesDeese]

Because of you I have been able to save ten chairs my wife wanted to throw out. Good lessons plainly taught. Thanks.

[@SparrowStockwell]

That’s awesome!

[@therealmarintiaescobedo]

I am in absolute awe! As a child, I remember watching my great grand uncle turn and do something similar but I never understood all that it entails until now. WOW! And to think I started watching because I wanted to learn how to fix an old piano stool that belonged to my grandmother and dates back to 1907! I think I will just continue to watch you and forget about doing it by myself. Speechless watching!

[@berryconway4296]

I think this was your best video yet! Thanks for taking time to share your knowledge and techniques. With your videos, as inspiration, I'm taking apart our dinning room chairs and re-gluing them. Thanks again.

[@FixingFurniture]

Wow, thank you! Glad to hear you're finding our videos helpful Berry. Good luck with your project! Scott

[@jhtnpa]

Well done!

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you! Scott

[@atameeh]

Wonderfull work, thank you.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you too! Scott

[@peternewman9713]

Thanks Scott, for a detailed and informative explanation of your skill.

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Kyle-bb9zp]

Awesome work my grand father would like this guys work.

[@rla26368]

Beautiful!

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@donaldholman9070]

I can see using a drill press to set a angle but I don’t think I could do it free hand. Bravo.

[@FixingFurniture]

It's a tricky operation, but something I learned from chairmaking. If you're interested in seeing a chairmaking video, check out Curtis Buchanan's videos.

[@fanfan-tz2tk]

It's a really nice job ! And a very difficult one ! Thanks for sharing

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@hotflippinmess9178]

Wow!! Those look great. Thank you for showing that you make mistakes too though.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks for watching! Scott

[@caroltanzi29]

Scott: boy this was an intense video in spots. You did a fantastic job of restoring the chair. They are a lovely pair of chairs. I hope the dog has grown up and isn’t chewing on furniture anymore. Carol from California

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks Carol. Yes, I don't think the customer will be letting any pet near these chairs. Cheers.

[@samurai352]

WOW🤯 I would never believed that chair was broken and fixed! Great job!☯️🐉👨‍🦽

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you 🤗

[@marcoscampos9729]

Good Morning Your work is wonderful. Congratulations!!! Marcos Campos Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

[@stephenlines9431]

Scott, I've just started restoring the 3rd Windsor-esque chair from my local pub - saw a total wreck in there about a year ago and offered to try to fix it. That was quite a simple repair - dismantle, clean joints and re-glue, then a basic wipe-on finish to make it look a bit loved, but also easy to clean. Could not have even started without your superb videos, so a massive thank you! Honestly, the chairs are not really worth the effort, time or expense (glues, stains and finishes are pricey), but I'm learning so much and enjoying getting slowly better (trying new ideas as well). There's the value. Certainly not a commercially viable business! Get super-cheap beer and a free lunch when I deliver a finished chair. Main cause of damage? Screws and nails. They destroy chairs!!! Thanks again and keep it coming, please.

[@FixingFurniture]

That's awesome to hear Stephen! Thanks for sharing that! Nice that you're helping a local business. Cheers. Scott

[@pantone41]

Another great job!

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@Alex_science]

I am always amazed with the quality of your job. You are an artist. Congrats.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you very much Alex! Scott

[@jill552]

That was a really good video. I love learning things.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks for sharing that. I'm glad you found it helpful. Scott

[@robertlivingstone3947]

Great video

[@mariushegli]

I have nothing to say really, but I appreciate your content, and wish to help with the yt-algorithms.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks Marius. Would love to hear your thoughts next time. Scott

[@slav881]

Quality content. My hope is that videos like these will help keep the craft going.

[@holly5791]

I have to be honest, I didn't know that you could have an angle within an angle. It made perfect sense after watching you do that part. I just never considered it. Ofcourse, I've never had a need to repair a chair like that either. I'm learning so much. That stain match was spot on. Can't wait to see the next video. 🙂👍

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad you liked it! The next video will be up on Dec 4th... editing in progress. Cheers. Scott

[@nevanet]

Great job!

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@speedracer2336]

Great presentation, still have to drink caffeine before I watch.

[@speedracer2336]

Thought it was just me!

[@kuhboom22]

I really love your content. Great work.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you so much 😀

[@ajomehri]

TanQ so much for the free and kind usefull science and experience u share with us Appreciated

[@FixingFurniture]

You're welcome. Cheers. Scott

[@gilz2253]

Scott, great video documenting the difficult nature of the work involved in restoring old wooden furniture. Two observations, your forstner bits looked like they need sharpening and I think using a drill press would have made the angular drilling of the mortises on the new pieces a bit easier.

[@FixingFurniture]

Ah, you caught that dull forester bit! Yes, I was struggling and I'm on the search for some slip stones to sharpen it. I was using a fine file but it didn't help very much. Thanks for the suggestion to use the drill press. Cheers. Scott

[@lesneilson5632]

you worked hard for that repair there is a lot of integrated parts that need to go together for strength and longevity well done

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you Les. I appreciate that! Scott

[@samuelroberts334]

Love these videos!!!!

[@ellisc.foleyjr9778]

"Another great learning tutorial Scott, I like the idea of the upcoming video taking the time during glue up. there have been many times myself that I have thoughts that run through my mind during that process and I wonder if I'm correct in my thinking while its happening. so to see and hear that in real time while its happeing is a great idea, can't wait. thanks again for taking the time to do it and to share it with us. ECF.

[@barbarafling3790]

Thanks for the teach.

[@FixingFurniture]

My pleasure!

[@mightyporky]

Very proficient with a lot of information if one just listens or like me, have to watch CC because I do not understand all I hear. Matching the existing finish is always a task.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks Pete. Cheers. Scott

[@danaowen9014]

Great repare on that beautiful chair.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you Dana! Scott

[@nastgawdat962]

Thanks man

[@jonbennett4159]

Enjoyed this video. 👍🇬🇧

[@FixingFurniture]

Glad to hear it Jon! Cheers. Scott 🇨🇦

[@jerryevans6646]

Love your video’s, been doing this many years, always excited to learn new things, you are a fabulous teacher, thanks for doing video’s in real time.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks so much Jerry! I find your comment encouraging. I appreciate that. Scott

[@billyald26]

Great video!!! I love watching all your uploads all the way from Melbourne Australia. Looks like an expensive repair.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you. Yes, it was extensive, but because these chairs have sentimental value to the customer, it was important to bring them back to life. Scott

[@sharryjones5200]

I use Howard's Feed and Wax all the time. It is astounding to see what it does to those chairs.

[@nicholastarantino5567]

i like your videos,very helpful ,i do some furniture repairs myself ,your videos give me helpful tips

[@FixingFurniture]

It makes me happy to hear you're learning from our videos as that's my purpose in sharing them. I find your comment encouraging. Thanks. Scott

[@lydzphens]

Impressed with the legs you turned. I would love to learn this skill.. but I will keep to the basics for now. I do have a question. I seem to have trouble with my glue ups more often then not. I can be happy with my dry fit and clamp up configuration but once I do the glue up I seem to struggle getting my pieces to fit together as easily as they did without the glue. What am I not taking into account here? You mentioned something about the dowel rod pushing the glue down into the mortise. Perhaps this is the reason I'm not getting the same fit as the dry fit? Thank you!

[@FixingFurniture]

I suspect you may be filling the bottom of the mortise (hole) with glue, therefore preventing the tenon from being fully inserted. The only parts that should have glue on them are the sides of the mortise and the sides of the tenons. The bottom of the mortise and the end of the tenon should not have any glue on them (as they don't touch). Does that help? Scott

[@lydzphens]

@@FixingFurniture Yes this helps. I'll be honest I have been dripping a small amount of glue into the mortise then using my brush to spread it throughout. This would certainly allow glue go to the bottom. Also I haven't been paying attention weather or not I've been getting glue on the end of the tenon. Thank you very much for the response. I will try these techniques in my next glue up.

[@michaelfling7786]

Nicely executed, Scott..........those compound angles keep things interesting don't they !! Ballparking your time in reparing that chair, I'd hate to be the one paying the tab. Lol

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks Michael. The customer has a lot of sentimental attachment to these two chairs so it was important for them to get them repaired. Cheers. Scott

[@kennethmiller2333]

Great work. Two thoughts: 1. The fix you used to make the loose stretcher fit was pretty cool. After a moment's thinking, I realized it was just the round version of gluing a piece of veneer into a crack. 2. As often as you seem to need to cut chair legs down, it might help to make a board with a curved "hook" in it, say 2" diameter. That way, it reaches farther around the leg while the end is still registered on the table top.

[@FixingFurniture]

That's a clever idea for marking legs for trimming. Thank you for sharing that #Tip

[@167curly]

Congratulations on that repair and restoration of that fine, but sorely abused armchair.

[@PaulStJohn-jb6bg]

I like your vise. Can you divulge the make and model?

[@haroldadelman1130]

Wow! Obviously this chair must be very special to the owner. Amazing how much work you put into it. But after getting it done, it is once again a beautiful piece! Your work inspires me. i would have tossed that chair along with the dog.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks Harold. Yes, you're right. These chairs had a lot of sentimental value to the customer, so it was important to bring them back to life. Cheers. Scott

[@Richard-ju7rp]

Hello. I love your videos. However, I can't find the one I watched last week that involved separating and re-gluing spindles (if i have that right). The video included speeded-up sections. If you could reply with the link, that would be great. Thanks very much.

[@FixingFurniture]

Hi Richard. Taking a chair apart and gluing it back together is a Level 1 Woodworking Repair. You'll find the video on this playlist kzbin.info/aero/PLOgTcCDjpIJVb1iQ1b_-CNRw2U__d5A4k

[@jackieharvey2694]

Hi there, really enjoy watching you work wonders. Something that might help you. Terna in John's Furniture Repair has a tool for removing nails as she is in Canada maybe you could contact her to get the name of this tool It is like a screwdriver but with a slightly bent snake tongue head it's so easy to prize out the nail with this, hope it will help. I'm from Ireland and love your channel.

[@ladythughes]

Wow!

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks. Scott

[@dicklarkin4669]

I really like your KZbin videos. I have a question, I am repairing an Old Organ Stool which the tenant broke off. I have cut the leg and glued the piece on the end and was successful, however when I tried to drill through the new piece to add a dowel the piece I glued on cracks and i have to start over. What am I doing wrong?

[@foufou33g]

nice video as usual! about end grain and glue, did you happen to see the videos series done by a certain Patrick Sullivan on the subject?

[@FixingFurniture]

I haven't seen it until I just looked it up now and watched it. Wow! What a fascinating video. Here's the link in case anyone else wants to watch it. Thanks for sharing that! Scott. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2irqXWXbryJn9U

[@fleurdelune5240]

Oh no! Did my beagle puppy make to their house also? 😊 I feel I'm living with termites. Great repair. ❤

[@gav2759]

We were lucky that our beagle showed no interest in the furniture. Unauthorised gardening is more his thing.

[@FixingFurniture]

Lol. Beagle puppies are so cute! Hope you're able to get your pieces fixed. Scott

[@markhenderson6303]

Use a magnet to find those hidden nails.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thanks for the suggestion Mark. That might work with a small rare earth magnet. I'll have to try that! Scott

[@frednatural7310]

Would a toothbrush be a useful tool for the dust buildup around the rings?

[@MostRightGrandPoobah]

Love your content! How does one price their work?

[@FixingFurniture]

Pricing work is a complex answer and not one I share on KZbin. It's something that's taken years to develop so I only share it with paying customers. I offer advice sessions if you're interested. Scott

[@MostRightGrandPoobah]

@@FixingFurniture Thank you for your kind reply. I understand the complexity of question. Maybe sometime in the future I will be able to become a customer. Through covid, stroke and my wife's journey through cancer and my loss of work I find myself in a very difficult time in my life. After 51 years of marriage I am having a rough time accepting the fact I have no resources to pay our mounting debts. I will continue watching your informative content and really appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge! Thank you!

[@garykorzelius5930]

Always quality videos! One quick question, can the chair legs and spreaders be bought? I don't have a lathe and no room to put it, so turning new ones would not be an option.

[@FixingFurniture]

I did a quick search and found this business in Pennsylvania www.woodchairparts.com/index.html I hope that helps. Scott

[@jogvanjakupsson2952]

I have glued chairs together many times in my life. But I did use to make a very common mistake and just add more glue without removing the old glue first. My gluejobs didn`t last very long, as it turned out. But after watching videos like these and I started to remove the old glue, and now my gluejobs seem to last a lot longer

[@FixingFurniture]

That's great! Thanks for sharing that. Scott

[@annekabrimhall1059]

I don’t have a lathe, can I rebuild the damage with 2 part wood repair?

[@suzisaintjames]

17:50 instead of replacing the whole leg, could you drill that hole bigger and fill it with a dowel and then redrill it to fit the tenon? ....l understand that you are turning a lot of parts on this project. But what if this one joint was my only problem. Would you still have to turned the leg in order to make the chair stable and useable? (I don't have a lathe). Sending lots of love 💖 from sunny 😎 Arizona 🌵😷

[@FixingFurniture]

Good question Suzi. I would not suggest drilling the hole bigger as you would be cutting out more structure of the leg, which will weaken it. Another alternative would be to cut out the damaged wood section in the leg and glue on a new piece of wood. That would require shaping it with a spokeshave to get it round to match the profile of the leg. It's challenging work but would avoid having to use a lathe. I hope that helps. Scott

[@umpbumpfiz]

This reminds me of all those kids in high school complaining that they were *never* going to need geometry.

[@FixingFurniture]

Lol, yeah. Thanks for the chuckle Joel.

[@BrookeSimmons]

Such great info about fashioning a thicker tenon -- I have exactly this problem with a 4-poster bed I'm trying to repair (it belonged to my grandparents but one of the posts came loose and one broke, both at the joint, during an international move) but I'm not a professional restorer and I don't have any thick shavings. Do you recommend any other solutions or maybe something that would substitute? I was thinking cork but it might be too spongy in the long term. If the answer is "pay a professional" that's ok too but I keep thinking there must be a reasonable solution to this because none of the finishes are damaged -- just the internal bits of the joins (in the broken case I'm going to need to use a dowel, I think).

[@michaelfling7786]

Brooke, all you need for shavings is either a friend/relative with a handplane or get a handplane and make some shavings.....type of wood doesn't matter.

[@BrookeSimmons]

@@michaelfling7786 thank you! Also hah, I should have figured that out myself. I appreciate the hand-holding of this newbie :)

[@jas20per]

To hold turned wood, Chair legs etc. make your self some thick Cork soft jaws to fit your vice. They will grip the work piece solidly and not damage it.

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you for that suggestion. I appreciate it! Scott

[@EduardoAlbertoSemp]

Excelente tu trabajo! Felicitaciones! Aunque considero que el agujereado de las "H" podría hacerse en una agujereadora de banco, compensando el ángulo con la posición del banco o asiento de la pieza. Aunque mi opinión es pura teoría. Seguramente habrás tenido más de un motivo para buscar esta manera de reproducir los ángulos originales. Un saludo darte la otra punta del continente, Córdoba, Argentina!!

[@ericjohnson4768]

That is called foxtail wedging and its actually a very strong joint but the downside is it usually destroys the mortise to remove.

[@gav2759]

The trouble with us furniture repairers is, we only turn occasionally. We practice, read books and gain enough proficiency to make a usable component, finish the job and think were the bee's knees. By the time we need more spindles we have forgotten everything and have to start from square one. A little practice weekly is the answer, but do we do it?

[@FixingFurniture]

Yeah, that's a good point. There's a lot of muscle memory required to be proficient at turning. I've talked to my turning coach about practice, but so far, it's been a bit like piano lessons as a kid... haven't practiced.

[@kent5400]

@@FixingFurniture You could always take some of the damaged spindles and offcuts and seconds from your failed attempts, and use those pieces to fashion new handles, knobs and totes for your tools. Hmmmmm.... the possibilities are endless.

[@susanelliott1970]

One question, if the legs were not loose, why didn't you just reglue the one stretcher that was loose?

[@jjackson8130]

How old is this chair?

[@FixingFurniture]

That's a good question. There weren't any signs of when it was made that I recognized. No stamp or label under the seat. Scott

[@bestbuilder1st]

I think starting the drill straight and then truing up to the correct angle makes for a larger hole than needed and not a clean finish. (you can see what I am talking about at 33:36)

[@FixingFurniture]

You raise a good point. There is a slight gap there. I don't think I could start a Forstner but on an angle though. Perhaps using an auger bit would work better. I did a search for this and found this video. Thoughts? kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJ21ga2dpZWYqrs

[@grahamprice3230]

The oval wire nail you took out was very shiny and looked about a day old?Most I come across are rusty and years old.I make and repair Windsor chairs etc.using rounders ,trapping planes and in shaves etc.Keep up the good work.Old chair making was a traditional job done on sight in the woods andcopses by “bodgers”in UK and all done by eye using traditional hand tools and glued up using rabbit skin glue and animal hide glue.Havefun.

[@FixingFurniture]

That's interesting. Thanks for sharing that Graham. Cheers. Scott

[@Patrick-kc5ur]

At 24:40 in, you are sawing off the larger round end you had turned and was too long. I would have left it on and sawed a flat on it to keep it from rolling, making a perfect base for drilling the next hole! Next time, leave those large ends on and make them them a bit larger in diameter as the largest part of the tuning until you have drilled all your holes and see if that helps stabilize your parts. FYI, not a wood turner myself! Good video BTW! At 35:00 on, you are going to mark where to cut the replacement leg off to level it. If it were me, I would put some weights on the chair to stabilize it, then just use my "pull saw" laying flush on the bench top and saw it off, no marks to try to cut to are necessary. I don't think you can get it any closer that that. Reason I'm saying this is I just needed to do the same thing on a repaired chair leg myself, BUT I didn't use the "one leg off the bench trick" like you! After seeing what you did, this new method occurred to me as I was watching you work. As with most woodworking, more than one good method, but I try to avoid cutting to a mark when possible.

[@diygeneration5566]

*Thank you for this video. Very clear and understandable. I sometimes make something out of wood. Come by and visit)*

[@FixingFurniture]

Thank you. Cheers.

[@diygeneration5566]

@@FixingFurniture )

[@dzymslizzy3641]

Epoxy can be reversed with heat as well...

[@tomskaggs7918]

Why would you use a carving knife to make the tendons rather than using the lathe?

[@FixingFurniture]

I fine-tune the tenon to fit snugly into the mortise. If I try to get it exactly right on the lathe and under size it, I've ruined the part and have to make a new one. I hope that helps. Scott

[@nighthawk9449]

✌

[@owenauer3406]

Why not use a magnet to check for nails?

[@FixingFurniture]

That's a good thought Owen. I wonder if the head of a finishing nail is to small for a magnet to pick up where it is. Maybe a rare earth magnet would work... I'm going to have to give that a try. Thanks for the suggestion Owen. Scott