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Expert: - 10/22/2007


Question
we bought a computer desk made of pressboard and no sooner did we get
home, the pullout drawer breaks. What do you recommend? Can we glue the
pressboard parts back and rescrew it on the metal bracket?

Answer
My first impulse is to tell you to bring it back and get a new one.  That is probably the best advice when pressboard breaks.  If for some reason, you can't do that you can try to fix it yourself but I think you will wind up disappointed.  If you have every little bit of it, get yourself some titebond II or III wood glue or 2-part epoxy.  I would be extremely liberal with this glue as it is going to have to adhere to every little nook and cranny of the broken parts.  Put some newspaper down to catch the drips and if it runs down the desk, wipe it off every now and then till it stops.  I would particularly soak the area where the screw is going to go.  You can also try bracing it by glueing a thin piece of wood from the good wood to the broken part to give it some extra holding power. I would clamp it if you are able so that the broken part is tight against the good part. Even if this glue job works so that it looks okay, the problem may be that it will never again support any real weight without crumbling again. If it supports the screw, it may not support the bracket.  It may work for a while and then fail.  It will all depend on how good your repair is. Generally pressboard is very cheap and never meant to be fixed. Thanks for the question.

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maura macaluso

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I can answer most questions, regarding, wood sculpture, wood carving, carving tools and accessories and different types of woods.I am not an appraiser of carvings nor an antique dealer.

Experience

I do full design work, custom carving, restoration, fabrication, repair and refinishing. I can take a piece of raw wood and turn it into a work of art and I can help you do the same. I am "the" carving instructor for the new york city parks dept. I am heavily involved in carving on the internet and belong to many, many mail lists which are quite active. I am also an international promoter of woodcarving and am affiliated with many master carvers, notably nora hall, originally from holland, now in the U.S. and kalina pavlova, a bulgarian master carver. I routinely communicate with the top names in professional woodcarving nationally and internationally.

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the national association of woodcarvers. the woodcarvers of queens NY, the staten island woodcarvers. the northeast woodcarving association. the world wide carving internet list

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chip chats-the national magazine of woodcarving. also at www.carvinginnyc.com

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Self taught artist and sculptor, 40 years of drawing and painting as a hobby, 5 years of serious woodsculpting. I have my own website and have written a 300 pg book on carving. I have published online tutorials and pictorial projects

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many first place awards

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