How to fix table foot?

Crooked Tree · 27 Mar 2010

I have an inherited table with a broken foot. The break looks old (possibly pre-historic) and has been bodged together with screws at some point in the past, but is now loose again. Any suggestions as to the best way to fix it? My idea thus far is to cut a sliding dovetail into the leg and foot on the underside and then glue a piece of oak in to strengthen it. However, this does not sound too easy to get lined up correctly and will it be strong enough? Pictures below:

The table

The foot

SP · 27 Mar 2010

Tough one that.

To do it properly I'd probably have a go at making a new leg, due to there being so little cross sectional area to fix across.

Given that there's no harm in trying a next best thing fix. I'd probably put as large a dowel/loose tenon as I could get in.

Good luck

Max Power · 27 Mar 2010

Firstly your going to need to get the two parts butting together tightly, which may involve splicing some wood in. It may be preferable to use a metal bar instead of a wooden dowel, you could then drill both sides at the optimum angle and get the bar bent to suit and epoxy it in

woodbloke · 27 Mar 2010

Alan Jones":17jbpv9f said:
Firstly your going to need to get the two parts butting together tightly, which may involve splicing some wood in. It may be preferable to use a metal bar instead of a wooden dowel, you could then drill both sides at the optimum angle and get the bar bent to suit and epoxy it in

I was going to suggest something similar. Butt the two pieces together so they match, splice in a piece if need be. Then chop out a deep channel on the underside over half way though the thickness on both pieces. Then I'd take a piece of 6mm studding rod and bend it to fit the profile. Once it's a snug fit all the way round in the groove, I'd epoxy it in place. This will then leave you with a shallow channel on the underside that could be filled with some suitable mahogany, flushed off and then polished
This is a tricky one to do with no easy way out, but the beauty of doing this way is that it's on the underside of the leg and thus out of sight :wink: - Rob

Crooked Tree · 27 Mar 2010

Thanks for the suggestions. Sounds like a metal rod bent to fit will be the way forwards. That should be easier for me to achieve than cutting a sliding dovetail on something of that shape.

Should DIY shop araldite type epoxy be up to the job (twin syringe or such like)?

It will probably be a couple of weeks before I have time to start this, so I have time to plan and prepare!