Fixing a poorly designed chair

[rafezetter]

I would suggest:

1: Cut off the eroded stub end that's been in the joint with the steel bracket; profile the next - say 50mm to a tight sliding fit in the bracket.
2: Mark where the leg slides through and butts up against the seat base. Drill that out half way through at the same diameter.
3: Offer up the leg to both the bracket AND the seat pan. Check it's tight sliding fit in both.
4: Fox-wedge the top of the leg with a hard [oak, box, teak, meranti etc.] wedge, long enough for the full depth of the insertion.
5: Add slow-set Epoxy to inside of bracket, seat pan, leg stub and wedge.
6; Use mallet to knock it home

Should tighten up quite a bit . . .

Without disrepect to the OP, I think he doesn't have the skillset to even understand some of these instructions let alone DO them (fox wedge?), and yes you'd be amazed at how much of a difference losing an inch off the end would make to the feel and the experience.

 

[Mjward]

Not that I would expect any issues a fortnight later but just to follow up, feel sturdier than the first day I bought them, zero movement/play using the epoxy + longer screw combo. thanks again for all the help

 

[Housey210]

PU mastic, sticks like...! PU the cavity, squish in leg and use a longer screw

 

[Mjward]

PU mastic, sticks like...! PU the cavity, squish in leg and use a longer screw

a tad late to the party but like your enthusiasm. Job is already complete

 

[Housey210]

araldite might fill the cavity but from my experience, not good on metal.

 

[GuitardoctorW7]

Devcon 2 Ton Epoxy is pretty good

 

[Stevekane]

This is really for myself rather than the OP ( everydays a schoolday!) but I would think that the single screw into the endgrain of the leg would do nothing to firm it all up,,its just there to stop the legs falling out when you move the chairs? Any movement between the leg and socket must enevitable get worse so the idea of useing somthing like Araldite to completely fill the gaps is probably the best idea,,would somthing like liquid metal,,,or is it called JB weld?? Be stronger still?
Steve