wobbly table

[brillantsilas]

I bought this antique table in an auction and when I got it home I found that it's pretty unstable. I think it got manhandled during delivery.

I've taken photos with the joins that I think have come loose highlighted in green. The rest of the joins seem to be ok.

Bearing in mind that I know very little about woodwork, would anyone be kind enough to recommend the easiest way for me to fix this please?

There are some dowels within the highlighted areas that I'm guessing are covering screw heads. I can't see any other fixing points and there's nothing on the under surface.

Edit: got photos working.

Thank you.

 

[fretnot]

I doubt the dowels cover screw,s it is probably joined with the dowels you would need to drill them out,remove any old glue. and refit with new dowels and glue.

 

[lanemaux]

Just a thought for before you start worrying things into place is to check that the floor is level and true where you plan to put the table. I live in an older section of the Ontario hinterland , old farm houses and such. If there is a level and true floor within 50 miles it has eluded my notice. You could get it just so for that spot you have it , decide it may look better on the far side of the room and find it wobbles in it's new spot DAMHIKT. My advice would be as above for tightening it up and then a bit of unobtrusive shimming of the pads of the legs to fine tune.

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

It is actually rather likely that there are screws fixing the corbels to the leg/foot, though the dowel at the centre of the foot/leg joint so more likely to be a pegged mortice and tenon. It may wel be easy enough to prize out the wood plugs in the corbels and either tighten or replace the screws there. However, is the table top actually flat? If it is solid wood boards, it is possible they are warped, and causing the legs to be out of parallel. If everything is reasonably solid, it may just be as well to shim under the appropriate feet. The joints don't look too rickety, so I would just shim, if you don't want too much of a project.

Mike.

 

[Matt@]

You sure these joints have worked loose? They usually don't. If loose they will knock apart using hammer and hardwood block tp prevent wood denting when hammering. Then take apart and glue and cramp.

Edit
Make sure no screws from underneath first!