Chair repair advice required

[AndyG]

Hello all,
Well, after a long time away from the forum (a busy time at work) I'm finally back into the garage .
One job that suddenly became top of the 'job list' is a chair repair. However, I wanted to get some advice before starting.
The pictures below should make it pretty clear.
Basically, what I think happened is the glue holding the MT on one of the rails loosened. Then, with successive pulling and pushing of the chair on carpet, stress on the leg finally caused it to break.
The MT repair is fine. I'll clean the glue off, pad it out a bit of veneer and reglue. However, fixing the broken leg is a bit of a concern. The only approach I can think is adding some kind of dowel to provide the required strength.
Any ideas/tips/suggestions would be really appreciated. These chairs have a bit of family history, so I want to make a good job.

Thanks
Andy

The chair:

The broken leg:

 

[SketchUp Guru]

I repaired a bed a few months ago that had a similar problem. I used epoxy instead of glue and a dowel as you mentioned. For the epoxy, I coated the surfaces with thin epoxy and let it sit for a little while I added a little bit of thickener--fine wood dust from my random orbital sander--to the epoxy. Then I put the thickened stuff on and put the joint together.

Clear packing tape was applied on the outside faces so as to keep the epoxy from sticking.

Edited to add: THe thickener was used to make the epoxy gap filling in case there were any voids in the joint.

 

[Colin C]

I will add to that by saying, if you use a panel pin and knock one in to one end ( use a inch pin if you have one), put it in about half way and cut of the top so that about 4mm is sticking up and use this to mark they other side.
hopefully clear so far
This way you should get an accurate hole in both sides and you can use meths to clean the epoxy but be carefull that you dont use to much on the polish as it will take it off.
Try to make your hole as accurate as possible but if it is not right the first time, glue the dowel in and do it again.
I hope that helps

 

[AndyG]

Dave, Colin,
Thanks for the advice. Could you recommend any particular brand of epoxy glue? I've only ever use PVA...
Cheers
Andy

 

[SketchUp Guru]

What I have in mind is not the sort of stuff you buy in a double syringe or a couple of little tubes but rather in jugs or bottles and is dispensed with pumps. I have had excellent success with epoxy from a fcompany in Florida called Raka (raka.com) but I doubt it would make sense to have them ship to the UK.

West System epoxy should be available somewhere locally. I can't vouch for the following but I found their advert in Classic Boat magazine. You might check with them. http://www.epoxy-resins.co.uk Their ad says they are in Lancashire.

 

[johnelliott]

If the West stuff isn't conveniently available then regular Araldite, NOT the quick setting one,will do very well. Used properly, it is very strong.
The important thing is to warm the tubes with a hairdryer or similar first, then mix the two parts, then warm it again til all the little bubbles (which cause the mix to go cloudy) come out and the mix is translucent. and golden. Then apply it to the joint. Warm it again when in position, this will help to drive out the air pockets.
After a few hours, when the mix has become cheesy, you can trim the repair with a sharp blade. After a few hours more it will have set hard and trimming will be difficult

John

 

[Colin C]

I have used Araldite before with good results and it is easy to get
If you also harm the joint before you glue it that will help too