Collective Wisdom and Advice Please....

[Dennis Peacock]

I have a long standing customer that brings me stuff to redo for him from time to time. This time, he brought me a chair that belonged to his mother many decades ago. I've already redone an end table, hall table, and one other piece for him over the years. This time, this chair, he says, was chewed on by pet dogs in the family. He is asking that I fix/repair this chair as it belongs to a full dinning set that was his mothers or maybe it was his grandmothers. I can't remember. :)

Any way, here's a few pics and I'm asking what's the best way to approach remaking these pieces. BTW, I am "not" a spindle turner but a bowl and platter turner, so spindle turning these pieces is way outside my expertise.

Pic 1:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g69/sawdustar/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_160421_zpsiwqddvci.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/sawdustar/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_160421_zpsiwqddvci.jpg.html)

Pic 2:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g69/sawdustar/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_160407_zps79spgjb9.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/sawdustar/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_160407_zps79spgjb9.jpg.html)

Pic 3:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g69/sawdustar/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_160352_zpsjvzoiqoz.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/sawdustar/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_160352_zpsjvzoiqoz.jpg.html)

Pic 4:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g69/sawdustar/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_173150_zpseylttdlh.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/sawdustar/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_173150_zpseylttdlh.jpg.html)

Pic 5:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g69/sawdustar/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_170712_zpsee4q9hiu.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/sawdustar/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_170712_zpsee4q9hiu.jpg.html)

I'm 100% sure that the 3 stretchers will need to be remade and I see that one foot needs some attention.
What do YOU say about these pieces?

[Tom Giacomo]

If you can turn bowls and platters then spindle turning should be no problem for you. Looks like you have everything broken down right. Probably the most difficult thing will be matching the stain color. Remember spindles that more than a foot apart do not have to be perfect copies.

[Bob Bergstrom]

The turnings and staining that low on a chair are bearly noticeable . When at a table no one going to crawl under the table to look, except maybe a "Woodturners"

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dennis, I agree with the others. These parts don't have to be exact at that distance and position in life.

If it was me, I'd make a full sized pattern for each of the different stretchers with critical measurements. Then turn a practice piece or two. Start by using a parting tool to set the critical diameters and turn by "connecting the dots" you set from one critical diameter to the next. I would use my skew chisels a lot on these but I am in the minority. You can do the same using a spindle or roughing gouge..

The foot that needs repair, I'd consider using a filler with stain. Again, make a practice piece to see if you can get stain to closely match.

Good luck my friend. You can do it and do it well you will!

[Prashun Patel]

I am predominantly a bowl turner and find that turning spindles is very doable. In fact because the ends are square blocks you don't have to turn a precise tenon which poses challenges for sizing and holding. You can cut your blank to prefect size then shape the profile.

With calipers it is very easy to duplicate a profile.

The most bothersome thing for me is minimizing vibration.

You should be able to match C that stain easy. It will just take some practice.

[Michael Mills]

Here is an excellent video by Allan Batty that covers most everything for that type of project. About an hour long total.
It can be done with a spindle gouge but the pummels (pommels) may be easier with a skew.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfeLAHQSbqk#t=15

[Bill White]

Kill the dog!
Bill

[Reed Gray]

Well, some challenges ahead for sure. Me, I would try to make a whole chair just out of curiosity. Like Ken said, make a practice one or three first. I do like this design for the chair with the square ends to butt into the legs and stretchers for more resistance to racking. The leg is a fairly simple off set turning on one end. Matching the stain will be the difficult part, which I am a total rookie at doing. The one foot can be turned again if you want. If you want wood grain showing, then you need to turn another one, but some minimal filling and sanding will do unless you want to leave some marks for the story behind the chair.

robo hippy

[Dennis Peacock]

Kill the dog!
Bill

LOL!!!! That's what I said but not my chair nor my dog. :) ;)