NooB

[Daniel Morgan]

As the title states I am new (noob) to this forum and I'm thrilled I came across it in a web search.

My search that produced this website was right after Christmas; I received a used Record mini lathe for a present from my wonderful wife.

I am an experienced woodworker as I have been doing carpentry for a living for about 25 years (on and off, fluctuating with the economy).

Almost 50 now my wife and I have settled down with only one kid left in school back in our hometown with the hopes of never moving again. All this to say I am working on setting up my garage for some serious hobby woodworking. I am a maintenance man for a local assisted living facility and as such I get a lot of calls to fix stuff for folks to make a little extra cash.

Soooo...sitting in my garage right now is a busted dining chair that I will use my nifty Record lathe to repair a spindle. I have enough experience with the lathe to make such a project but I'm wondering if any of you experts here could help me with some species and finish identification, if I can get a good picture and figure out how to post it?

Glad to be here.

[Brian Kent]

Welcome. Yes, we love to identify wood, almost as mush as love to welcome new people and look at pictures.

[Dennis Ford]

Identifying wood in a chair spindle will be a guessing game but you will get several guesses here. Welcome!!

[Allan Ferguson]

Good morning and welcome.

[Daniel Morgan]

Well here is the chair. Don't think the fluorescent lighting is turning the chair yellow, it is an accurate representation of the color. I'm guessing White Oak or Ash for the wood based on the tight grain and such. My main concern is how to get a yellow finish to be as close as possible. I know Shellac will yellow over time and perhaps this is what the chair is finished. Any suggestions are welcome. I don't have the funds to purchase half a dozen species of blanks to turn finding the closest match.

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[Thom Sturgill]

I think that's stain. I would be tempted to 'cheat' - cut off the end of the existing spindle, drill a hole and put in a plug/extension. Ie, a dutchman, in carpentry terms. Should be nearly invisible when done.

[Dennis Ford]

I did not see any rays, so doubt that it is white oak. Ash or hickory would probably work for a replacement. Matching the color will not be easy, I would start with white wood and dye some samples. The legs and spindles do not appear to be exactly the same color; your replacement should be OK if its color matches either legs or spindles (or in-between?).

[Brian Kent]

I also would look seriously at Thom's idea, so that there is no issue of color match.