The leg of my "office chair" broke off last night.
Its a swivel base affair with four (Oak) legs held together by a metal
bracing on the top and bottom of each leg.
Eacd leg is essentially a section of "2x4" Oak shaped pleasantly, of
course and held in place with a single 1.5" screw at the top and two
2" screws at teh bottom via the respective steel plates.
All three screws broke when the head came of the one at the top. That
screw left enough of the screw showing to allow a Vise Grip to extract
it.
Not so for the two screws at teh bottom - they broke off about 1/4" or
so below the surface.
Any ideas on how to remove these screws so as to save & re-use the
leg?
"Puckdropper" wrote
>
> I'd leave the screws in there and simply put new ones in at a slightly
> different location. Most twist-style drill bits can handle metal as well
> as wood, so if the steel plate isn't too thick it might be worth a try.
>
And I would possibly go to a bigger screw. And the best quality fastener
possible. You don't want to do this all over again two months from now.
Hoosierpopi <[email protected]> wrote in news:94c0f27a-ad80-4f4c-
[email protected]:
> The leg of my "office chair" broke off last night.
>
> Its a swivel base affair with four (Oak) legs held together by a metal
> bracing on the top and bottom of each leg.
>
> Eacd leg is essentially a section of "2x4" Oak shaped pleasantly, of
> course and held in place with a single 1.5" screw at the top and two
> 2" screws at teh bottom via the respective steel plates.
>
> All three screws broke when the head came of the one at the top. That
> screw left enough of the screw showing to allow a Vise Grip to extract
> it.
>
> Not so for the two screws at teh bottom - they broke off about 1/4" or
> so below the surface.
>
> Any ideas on how to remove these screws so as to save & re-use the
> leg?
>
I'd leave the screws in there and simply put new ones in at a slightly
different location. Most twist-style drill bits can handle metal as well
as wood, so if the steel plate isn't too thick it might be worth a try.
Puckdropper
--
If you're quiet, your teeth never touch your ankles.
To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm
In article <[email protected]>,
Lew Hodgett <[email protected]> wrote:
> >Any brand/type of Epoxy (available at HD/Lowes or the like?
> Just checked Systems3 web site.
> They offer premixed fairing putty kits ready to go.
> A 24 Oz kit is less than $30 and would do a good job.
Been reading this thread, don't you guys have screw extractors in the
states?
--
Stuart Winsor
For Barn dances and folk evenings in the Coventry and Warwickshire area
See: http://www.barndance.org.uk
In article <[email protected]>,
Lew Hodgett <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Stuart" wrote:
> > Been reading this thread, don't you guys have screw extractors in
> > the
> > states?
> For any fastener smaller than a 1/4 bolt, have found them to be a
> total PITA, especially in wood.
They've only never worked for me with severely rusted-in fasteners but I
guess everyone's experience is going to be different. The trickiest bit I
have found is drilling the hole in the broken screw and trying to get it
central.
I would certainly give it a try as my first shot before adopting other
methods.
Stuart.
--
Stuart Winsor
For Barn dances and folk evenings in the Coventry and Warwickshire area
See: http://www.barndance.org.uk
On Sat, 04 Oct 2008 17:39:39 +0100, Stuart <[email protected]> wrote:
>In article <[email protected]>,
> Lew Hodgett <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >Any brand/type of Epoxy (available at HD/Lowes or the like?
>
>> Just checked Systems3 web site.
>
>> They offer premixed fairing putty kits ready to go.
>
>> A 24 Oz kit is less than $30 and would do a good job.
>
>Been reading this thread, don't you guys have screw extractors in the
>states?
Yeah, but we call them "divorces"
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
"Hoosierpopi" wrote:
Micro Balloons?
A filler for thickening epoxy available from the epoxy supplier.
>While we are at it, I like the 1/2" steel tube/hole saw idea. Indeed,
If I could fine one with an i.d. of abot 1/8" it would be perfect.
1/8" would be TOO SMALL to make an effective epoxy plug. Needs to be
at least 2-3 diameters of the fastener.
Got to thinking about it after my earlier post.
You can buy a standard 5/8 hole saw for $5-$6.
Add a pilot arbor, remove 1/4" bit and you are good to go.
Use a drill press with the oak piece clamped in place on the table.
With everything clamped in place, you don't need 1/4 pilot bit.
Back the hole saw out every 1/2"-3/4" of penetration to clear sawdust.
DAMHIKT.
Any brand/type of Epoxy (available at HD/Lowes or the like?
Forget Lowes, H/D, etc. It is not their business.
Do a Google for "System3" and/or "West Systems".
Either one will have good products as well as good distribution.
>Would sawdust serve as well as MB's?
NO!!!!
Trying to use sawdust, talc powder, etc as a filler is a waste of good
epoxy.
>THANK YOU
You're welcome
SFWIW:
Working with epoxy ism like working with an old fart.
Neither one likes to be cold or hurried.
Maintain at least 65F-70F and allow 48-72 hours to cure and gain
strength.
BTW, I like S/S sheet metal screws.
Have fun.
Lew
"Australopithecus scobis" wrote:
> Y'all haven't been looking at your tool porn enough. Get a hollow
> screw
> extractor. Just like the hollow tube mentioned up-thread, just made
> better. I got mine from Japan Woodworker, but they're available all
> over.
I'll have to check that out.
> As for epoxy, some day I'll have to try the System 3 single-malt.
> The
> hardware store stuff just crystalizes in the hole and shatters out.
> Or
> melts under road heat, leaving a faintly sticky rare earth magnet on
> the
> undercarriage and a spare key somewhere back along the road.
If they blisterpack the stuff and display it at the checkout counter,
it's probably CRAP.
System3 and some others are a whole different ball game.
Lew
On Oct 3, 1:35=A0pm, "Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote:
Mix up some epoxy thickened with micro-balloons and pour into holes,
filling proud.
Micro Balloons?
While we are at it, I like the 1/2" steel tube/hole saw idea. Indeed,
If I could fine one with an i.d. of abot 1/8" it would be perfect.
Any brand/type of Epoxy (available at HD/Lowes or the like?
I have some cheap generic stuff, Would sawdust serve as well as MB's?
THANK YOU
In article <[email protected]>,
"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have never been able to master it which is why I use the holesaw and
> epoxy fairing putty approach.
Y'all haven't been looking at your tool porn enough. Get a hollow screw
extractor. Just like the hollow tube mentioned up-thread, just made
better. I got mine from Japan Woodworker, but they're available all
over.
As for epoxy, some day I'll have to try the System 3 single-malt. The
hardware store stuff just crystalizes in the hole and shatters out. Or
melts under road heat, leaving a faintly sticky rare earth magnet on the
undercarriage and a spare key somewhere back along the road.
--
"Keep your ass behind you."
"Stuart" wrote:
> The trickiest bit I
> have found is drilling the hole in the broken screw and trying to
> get it
> central.
I have never been able to master it which is why I use the holesaw and
epoxy fairing putty approach.
Neat, clean, simple and stronger than the original.
Using epoxy putty is very addictive.
Once you use it, you start finding more and more applications<grin>
Lew
> I would certainly give it a try as my first shot before adopting
> other
> methods.
> Stuart.
>
> --
> Stuart Winsor
>
> For Barn dances and folk evenings in the Coventry and Warwickshire
> area
> See: http://www.barndance.org.uk
"Hoosierpopi" wrote:
> The leg of my "office chair" broke off last night.
>
> Its a swivel base affair with four (Oak) legs held together by a
> metal
> bracing on the top and bottom of each leg.
>
> Eacd leg is essentially a section of "2x4" Oak shaped pleasantly, of
> course and held in place with a single 1.5" screw at the top and two
> 2" screws at teh bottom via the respective steel plates.
>
> All three screws broke when the head came of the one at the top.
> That
> screw left enough of the screw showing to allow a Vise Grip to
> extract
> it.
>
> Not so for the two screws at teh bottom - they broke off about 1/4"
> or
> so below the surface.
>
> Any ideas on how to remove these screws so as to save & re-use the
> leg?
"Snot" (epoxy thickened with micro-balloons) to the rescue.
Based on your description, the steel plates will cover the oak thus
hiding any repair.
I'd make a 1/2" hole saw from a piece of steel tubing and drill out
the wood around the buried screws until you can grip the screw body
and remove then, then clean up hole with a 1/2"-5/8" drill x depth of
screw.
Mix up some epoxy thickened with micro-balloons and pour into holes,
filling proud.
Let cure 24-48 hours, then sand flush.
Drill pilot holes than are 75% of the new screw OD.
Use coarse thread, self tapping, sheet metal screws, not wood screws
to reattach.
(Wood screws don't do a good job in snot)
Once plates are back in place, you will never see the repair.
Have fun.
SFWIW: I'd probably use #14 pan head screws and a 3/16 pilot drill.
Lew