# Chair Repair Before Pics & a Stanley Brace!



## Jeff M. (Jan 20, 2018)

So this would be the first chair I brought home. Got 3 broken tenons. And all 4 of the (gussets? probably not the right word but thee angle braces at each joining miter are all broke and the seat came out stripping out the screw holes. This is by far the easiest fix of all 4 chairs but that is not why I chose it. It was the last one put in the basement so it was on top of the pile. And the little rechargeable cordless drill is nice but my aunt turned me on to something way better for holes. So she hooked me up with this nice Stanley brace. It says Made STANLEY in USA and STANLEY is all caps and enclosed in a elongated rectangle with idk like a shelf on each side of the rectangle. How do you figure out age of a brace like this. Still need a twist hand drill, but for a guy who aspires to do as much as he can with hand tools, I am well on my way. Anyways as always all tips and advice are always appreciated. Thank You for Stopping By!

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 1


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## Brink (Jan 20, 2018)

Sharp bits, and a couple good braces are essential in an unplugged shop


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## Brink (Jan 20, 2018)

Help with the year.

https://www.antique-used-tools.com/stantms.htm


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## Jeff M. (Jan 20, 2018)

Brink said:


> Sharp bits, and a couple good braces are essential in an unplugged shop


Thank You Brink, My first whole course at auto tech community college was drilling, tapping, how to sharpen bits, dies all the good basic tool essential. I don't have any braces though, where might a guy find them for a reasonable price?


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## Jeff M. (Jan 20, 2018)

Brink said:


> Help with the year.
> 
> https://www.antique-used-tools.com/stantms.htm


and thanks for this info. this will surely come in handy


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## Jeff M. (Jan 20, 2018)

K so it would be the 1935-Present model. They should be serial #'ed yes or no? Also I made this. I broke my back in 4 places 8 years ago so I made a mini bench with a mini vise and mini anvil and covered it with a garage sale Rotary Mat which is nice cause it is gridded. But now when I am restoring tools or sharpening or working on the side table by my desk I have a bench with a little vise and an anvil. Not perfect. I got adjusters off a washing machine for it in case I get on an uneven surface. But solid as a rock without em now and it weighs 20+ pounds so no wiggle.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 20, 2018)

@Mike1950 I did not see a thread for posting furniture items. Is there not one? Are there not a lot of people doing chairs anymore? I am really asking cause I am so new to this I do not know.

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## ripjack13 (Jan 20, 2018)



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## ripjack13 (Jan 20, 2018)

Sorry about the chicken scratch handwriting.....

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## ripjack13 (Jan 20, 2018)

Jeff M. said:


> I don't have any braces though, where might a guy find them for a reasonable price?



Local tag sales, swap meets....and then theres always fleabay...

Maybe Colin has a few also...
@Schroedc


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## Jeff M. (Jan 20, 2018)

ripjack13 said:


> View attachment 140224


Thanks for all the info ripjack. So tell me the truth about the brace guys. Anyway when I picked it up I knew the bearing might need cleaned and packed and it felt smooth. Well it was full of hard as silicone caulking, so not much wobble right... Farmers....LMAO, anyway there are no bearings. I counted a few balls with the little bearing but there were none in the big bearing. Are they obtainable????


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## Schroedc (Jan 20, 2018)

@Jeff M. Frankly, I wouldn't screw with that brace, they can be found in the 10-20 range all day long in most areas. I'll look on Monday if I happen to have any extras.

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## Jeff M. (Jan 20, 2018)

Schroedc said:


> @Jeff M. Frankly, I wouldn't screw with that brace, they can be found in the 10-20 range all day long in most areas. I'll look on Monday if I happen to have any extras.


Thanks Yeah its got mangled threads on the knob as well and was epoxied on, so I get what you mean.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 21, 2018)

Hi Guys, So I was cleaning up this STANLEY Brace since it was my Godfather/Uncle's , I thought I would hang it on the wall since the bearings are shot. On the chuck it says Made STANLEY in USA with a rectangle thing around the STANLEY. On the Brace itself it says STANLEY and No 965 10 IN .... I was just curious do I have parts for two different Braces or are they the same Brace. I am just trying to clean it up to hang it on the wall and I would like to figure out what year it is but I am not sure if I am supposed to look at the STANLEY on the Brace with nothing around it or if it is the chuck logo that gives me the date of the Brace. Thank You for all your help guys!


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## Jeff M. (Jan 21, 2018)

It shows the 965 in this 1958 Stanley Catalog shown on BlackburnTools.com so that pretty well gives us a relative date yes? On page 67 it talks about it and it cost $5.30 back then. Not the best model but neat to figure it out. 

http://blackburntools.com/articles/rose-tools-catalog-archives/pdfs/stanley-1958-no-34.pdf

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## Jeff M. (Jan 21, 2018)

Back to the chair, I pulled the broken tenons out with a J hook. I think a couple screwdrivers with some screw threads on it would really do the trick, for more repairs down the road, might need to find someone who turns metal screw threads and have them made. Anyway Tenons out, I de-grimed the section of the chair, sanded it where the seat attaches. I lost some finish with getting the grime off and sanding so there will need to be some touch up but I found some hardwood fluted tenons I had for another project, that I can't remember what it was now. 

My question is - do you glue the tenons in or not?, these were not, but I think it would make the whole thing stronger if I glued it, And same goes for the seat when I attach it to the back, glue? Or will that not allow for seasonal movement with the big temp swings we have here?

As always any suggestions or tips are surely appreciated. Thanks guys!

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## Jeff M. (Jan 21, 2018)

Brink said:


> Sharp bits, and a couple good braces are essential in an unplugged shop


Brink and all of you guys, what other tools are essential for doing an unplugged shop. I got some basics, pliers, screwdrives, etc but I would like to know kind of what I should look for.

Thanks everybody!


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## Brink (Jan 21, 2018)

Jeff M. said:


> Brink and all of you guys, what other tools are essential for doing an unplugged shop. I got some basics, pliers, screwdrives, etc but I would like to know kind of what I should look for.
> 
> Thanks everybody!



It really depends on what kind of work you want to do. 
Planes, saws and chisels are very important in my shop

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Brink (Jan 21, 2018)

Jeff M. said:


> Back to the chair, I pulled the broken tenons out with a J hook. I think a couple screwdrivers with some screw threads on it would really do the trick, for more repairs down the road, might need to find someone who turns metal screw threads and have them made. Anyway Tenons out, I de-grimed the section of the chair, sanded it where the seat attaches. I lost some finish with getting the grime off and sanding so there will need to be some touch up but I found some hardwood fluted tenons I had for another project, that I can't remember what it was now.
> 
> My question is - do you glue the tenons in or not?, these were not, but I think it would make the whole thing stronger if I glued it, And same goes for the seat when I attach it to the back, glue? Or will that not allow for seasonal movement with the big temp swings we have here?
> 
> ...



They should be glued

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 21, 2018)

@Brink Thank You I thought they should of there was glue on the face of the mating surface but not the dowels. I figured it would make it more harder. Probably why the other three chairs blew apart so bad.

And as far as work I want to do, I am currently studying to be a luthier
In the meantime really just want to do repair and try and design a few platform rockers.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 21, 2018)

But I got a my uncles cross cut saw and that little cromwell two blade saw which is a backsaw and a miter box, 3 old stanley chisels, a set of 6 harbor freight chisels, this brace with no bearings lol, a small cordless drill, and a block plane, and a stanley jack plane that was my uncles, his micrometer 0-1", a 6" caliper, and a few ball peen hammers, I got screwdrivers and sockets, so I got a good start on the basics. Oh and my versa vise and this little vacuum vise and anvil. I got a book called making wood tools and I am hoping to make a mallet, I hear cedar elm is good but it don't grow around here but osage orange does, spokeshave, a frame saw, as much as I can, unless it is cheaper to buy something used. But if I can learn to make it I will for now or try and get it used

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## woodtickgreg (Jan 21, 2018)

Your off to a great start, just acquire tools as you need them and go along. I agree with Colin, Braces can be found everywhere cheap. I find them all the time at flea markets, auctions, and even on craigslist. Garage sales too. I'm always looking for deals on tools that can be cleaned up and be brought back to life.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 21, 2018)

woodtickgreg said:


> Your off to a great start, just acquire tools as you need them and go along. I agree with Colin, Braces can be found everywhere cheap. I find them all the time at flea markets, auctions, and even on craigslist. Garage sales too. I'm always looking for deals on tools that can be cleaned up and be brought back to life.


right on. thanks, I agree with Colin about the brace as well. Its got a lot of play in the ratchet, the knob was epoxied on, there are no bearings all you really got is a chuck that aint in that great of shape and the brace itself. would be a major overhaul to get it going and they can be had cheaper. I totally agree. thank you though


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## Jeff M. (Jan 21, 2018)

So I got to looking the other joints on the chair over real good and all the glue is dried and pulled away from the wood, it is coming apart the more I move it around, and I don't want to give it back with those joints bad, someone will end up on their ass. so I am going to disassemble the chair completely and glue it up. My question is can I clamp it back together with ratchet straps or any suggestions for clamping as I glue it back together. Longest clamp is 12"


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 21, 2018)

Ratchet straps are a good way to clamp them, just wrap the contack points with a soft cloth so the wood doesn't get marred. I would redo all the joints as well, some of the old glues where not that great, new modern glues are much better. 
That chair may have been assembled with hide glue which was ok back in the day, but todays glues are much better.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 21, 2018)

woodtickgreg said:


> Ratchet straps are a good way to clamp them, just wrap the contack points with a soft cloth so the wood doesn't get marred. I would redo all the joints as well, some of the old glues where not that great, new modern glues are much better.
> That chair may have been assembled with hide glue which was ok back in the day, but todays glues are much better.


I guess I am ignorant but I like hide glue, there are some really old instruments that have been around forever assembled with hide glue. But I don't know about furniture, what would you recommend Greg?


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## Jeff M. (Jan 21, 2018)

glad you brought it up though before I started gluing stuff together


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 21, 2018)

Titebond pva glues are good, I also like 2 part epoxy glues for chairs because it is super strong and if you choose a slow set time it gives you a lot of time to get things in place and clamped up.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 21, 2018)

And for what it's worth I don't know squat about building instruments, and hide glue may be just fine for that.
I remember something I read once about chairbuilding that has always stuck with me,
chairs have to be beautiful to look at,
chairs have to be comfortable to sit on, 
and chairs have to be bomb proof, durable, and strong because the get abused.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Jeff M. (Jan 24, 2018)

UPDATE: Last Night I got the back of the chair disassembled. I took it slow and although there were more broken tenons and the piece that spans the chair on the back at the very top was broke, I broke neither and I am happy with the way that came apart. The seat has more broken corners and things so it may not come apart as cleanly but we will see. I am about to start on it. 
Here is the disassembled back of the chair.

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## Jeff M. (Jan 24, 2018)

Update # 2 - I did get the bottom of the chair apart. Its in a little rougher shape. The corner brace all have broke ends but its not structural. I think I can fix em up. I did have two pieces come out when I pulled out the side. I think they were probably still glued and it pulled them with it. the mortice for the tenons is very deep. What do you guys think. I am referring to pic # 3


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## Jeff M. (Jan 24, 2018)

I will be sanding and cleaning today.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 25, 2018)

Got this far last night, about to start gluing in the corner braces the some light sanding and touch up, and it came out level, all four legs touch the ground, who knew i was that good? HA! The ratchet straps worked reasonably well but a lot of fiddling to get them into place. I seen somewhere where a guy made long clamps out of wood. Does anyone know how to go about that??? I got lots of wood in my aunt's barn I can use.
@Brink @Schroedc @woodtickgreg 
All suggestions and input are greatly appreciated.

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## woodtickgreg (Jan 25, 2018)

I dunno, I usually use bar clamps, pipe clamps, and straps. You can't beat straps for irregular shapes.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Jeff M. (Jan 25, 2018)

woodtickgreg said:


> I dunno, I usually use bar clamps, pipe clamps, and straps. You can't beat straps for irregular shapes.


They got the job done, I just ran into a little trouble cause the two halves had to come together all at once and it took a little while to figure it out and that Titebond was setting up pretty fast but I have to keep it real warm in the apartment. I think in a couple spots a clamp would have been faster is all. But it was a good suggestion and I got the chair together, I am not ashamed of it being my first chair, or any real kind of time working with multiple pieces of wood like that

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## Jeff M. (Jan 26, 2018)

Here is an example of a homemade wood bar clamp if anyone is curious what I was talking about. I got this of Pinterest which I am not a huge fan of but they got an awful lot of good woodworking ideas.


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## Tony (Jan 26, 2018)

Jeff M. said:


> Here is an example of a homemade wood bar clamp if anyone is curious what I was talking about. I got this of Pinterest which I am not a huge fan of but they got an awful lot of good woodworking ideas.
> 
> View attachment 140541



Looks like it would work. I wouldn't use oak it though. If you have access to Osage I would use that. Lot stronger. Tony


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## Jeff M. (Jan 26, 2018)

Tony said:


> Looks like it would work. I wouldn't use oak it though. If you have access to Osage I would use that. Lot stronger. Tony


I will probably use what wood I have at this point which is just some old lumber in the barn but I can glue two boards together for strength if needed. But thank you Tony


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 26, 2018)

I think i saw something like that in wordsmith magazine.


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## Jeff M. (Jan 27, 2018)

Well guys, my first chair, I learned a lot. and experience always beats results, we decided not to touch up the finish at this time cause I got 3 more to repair and we can do them all at ounce. Either way, it didn't turn out perfect but in better condition that what I brought home. LOL

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## woodtickgreg (Jan 27, 2018)

It's a great looking chair! The next one will go easier with what you have learned.

Reactions: Agree 1


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