Expert: Eileen Cronk - 2/14/2009

Question
Dear Sir,
I bought a reproduction antique wooden desk from an auction & two of the legs were broken. Please advise me which type of strong glue can I use to mend the broken leg, name of the glue, where I can buy it from and how to mend it.  

Answer
Hi Karine
Nice to hear from you.
There are many many good glues around for this but here is the one I use.
Read the info on it and order it here
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=45104&cat=1,110,42965&ap=1

I wish you had detailed the type of break you are trying to repair.
Splits in legs that run with the grain of the wood are easily glued back together. You want to get all the surfaces in the split covered with glue then clamp together until the glue dries.

If the leg is broken across the grain, its a little tricky but if this is a fair chunk of leg it can be glued and clamped back together. You need a long clamp which can be rented or borrowed.
A spindly leg cannot be repaired in this fashion but will need replacing.
Perhaps you will get back to me with a few more details
Kind Regards
Eileen