Joining Wood Beams

[Harish C. Mathur]

This is a bit off topic-- but I'm sure someone here can help.

I am fixing up a old wooden playset (I think it is redwood). There are some beams that are damaged at one end (due to termites). I was going to replace them, but a friend suggested that I try repairing them instead. He suggested that I cut off the damaged area and then join a new segment of 4x6 by dowelling them with a 1 inch pipe and epoxy. I'd like to give it a try. But, I'm not sure how to drill a straight 1 inch hole that will be approximately 10" deep into the end of each beam. The beams are to long to put on my drill press. Any thoughts?

BTW, I used a pressure sprayer to clean up the set up. It did a great job of removing the "gray" wood and getting down to wood underneath. It does leave some fibers that I will take off with a belt sander.

Thx, Harish

[Sam Yerardi]

Harrish,

There are several ways to end-drill stock as you describe. Myself, I have an old 'Port-a-line' drill fixture. I have seen modern versions of them at Lowes and HD. It is like adding a plunge router base to your drill and they're not that expensive. The base will allow you to drill perpendicular to the face. Start with a normal size drill, and go down to depth. Take the drill off of the base and add an extension to the drill to get to the full 10" depth. Make sure you determine the center of each end, and make sure that each end has the same dimensions so that the centers line up.

[Maurice Ungaro]

You could scarf joint it, or create what I call an in-line slip joint and peg it.

[Peter Quinn]

I'd skip the pipe and go with a half lap glued with west systems epoxy or similar and pegged. Google timber framing or check out a timber framing book, there are better ways to repair beams than the pipe thing. I have a japanese timber framing book that has some pretty cool not to complicated very strong ways to join timbers. I've seen some repairs in a friends timber frame barn that looked like giant dovetails and others that were like two halfs of a dovetail combined with a half lap and pinned.

Another possibility would be to lag steel gusset plates to connect the two pieces. Obviously this is more noticable but quick and very strong.

[David DeCristoforo]

I would stick with your first thought and replace the damaged pieces. It is not going to be any more work in the long run and if this is something your kids are climbing around on, I would think it wiser to forgo the "interesting joinery" and "play" it safe.

YM

[Sam Yerardi]

if this is something your kids are climbing around on, I would think it wiser to forgo the "interesting joinery" and "play" it safe.


Very good point and good advice

[Thom Sturgill]

I would tend to agree with the sentiment to replace the pieces. If you decide not to, the dutchman a repair piece in. (Half lap joint and through bolts) I would make the lap about 12" and use several bolts.

[Harish C. Mathur]

Wow, thanks for all the quick replies. I have not been at this forum for a while, but I can see the sense of community and the welliness to help is still going strong. It is kind of like eating "comfort food" for me -- if that makes any sense.

The beams sit at a angle on the ground, so I was concerned about the forces on a lap joint and how it would hold up. That is why I was thinking about essentially a 20" (10" per side) dowell joint.

Based on the suggestions, I might try to use the drill guide suggested or perhaps I am better off just replacing them. I guess replacing them is not really that big of a deal to do.

Thanks to everyone that replied! Harish

[Jim Heffner]

You might want to try half-lap joints. After cutting the half-laps, thru bore matching holes into each piece of wood, counter sink the holes on both pieces and thru bolt them together using large sized bolts, nuts and washers.