Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/wood repair

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Expert: - 1/21/2009


Question

frame
my little girls wooden bed has 2 small circlular balls that were attached to the end of the bed.  Matches the head board, here and her friends always was grab it and swing around the bed and it broke off (both sides are now broken),  it has the same type of wooden piece I have seen used in office furniture to attach to pieces.  How would I repair this?  I don't want to glue because it seems it would come off again.

Answer
I'm assuming it's probably attached with a dowel, glued into a hole in the end of the post. Usually the ball is turned with the dowel attached, all one piece. The proper way to repair it is to reglue it, but if the dowel is broken off,or the hole is not a tight fit anymore, both sides will have to be drilled out and a new dowel will have to be glued in to span the joint. Not a job for a novice, as it takes a fair amount of woodworking skill to do, and if it's done properly, a larger, thicker dowel should be used. This is the strongest kind of joint for this, but if they've broken it, it needs to be repaired correctly, or it won't last. A Restorer or even a good Carpenter should be able to repair it for you, and maybe even in your house...

Greg Scholl

Expertise

Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects, Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings, wood species recognition and usage,tool recommendations, blade types and recommendation,techniques and methods for many Woodworking related issues, etc.

Experience

Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.) Sold, built, serviced, setup Home, Industrial, and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools , provided knowledge, parts replacement, service, and on site service, Trade show Demo, and training as well.

Publications
Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how")

Education/Credentials
Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars from major Tool manufacturers, Skil/Bosch, Delta, Powermatic, Ritter, Porter cable, Milwaukee, Dewalt/B&Decker, Performax.

Past/Present Clients
Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT. (the Antiques capital of CT.), Golden Age of Trucking Museum, Wilton Historical Society.

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