[philip518]

Hi:

I am a DIYer without much expertise in woodwork. Yet I have the urge to fix or replace a broken spindle of our dinning chair set of six. (I did dissemble and re-glue the loosen legs of one of them before.)

I believe it is called "arrow back" Windsor dinning chair, which has those flattened, arrow shaped spindles on the back. One of the spindles is broken.

Unfortunately, in an attempt to create enough gap to put in clue, I split it even more to multiple pieces and added more fissures. So I guess the spindle is beyond repair at this point.

Now i am looking into replacing it. the problem is, I can't find "arrowback" spindle being sole anywhere, even though this type of dinning chair is very common.

Do you guys know which places sell this type of spindles? (I did find places that sell round spindles.)

Thank you for any help that you can offer.

Phil

 

[Steve Neul]

I doubt if you can find any of the spindles anywhere. Since it is the kind that doesn't use a hardwood dowel you will probably have to fabricate one. You could cut a flat piece of wood to the dimension of the center of it and then shape the ends with a bandsaw or a sander or even whittle it with a pocket knife.

 

[epicfail48]

Got any pics of what you're trying to match?

 

[philip518]

Got any pics of what you're trying to match?

Thanks for the responses. Here are the pics of the broken spindle and a good chair.

As you can see, the chair is one of those very common ones.

Thanks.

Phil

 

[Steve Neul]

That part could be reglued however it would be far better to replace it. You could just rough out the shape with a bandsaw and use a sander to round the edges and the dowel ends.

 

[epicfail48]

Im with steve, thats an easy enough shape to match. Use an intact piece to sketch out the profile on a piece of matching wood and cut to rough shape with a bandsaw/jigsaw/coping saw/whathaveyou and finish off the profile with sanding, a rasp or whatever. Easy peasy

 

[woodnthings]

where to find one...

That was the question. The DIY'r OP asked where to find one, not how to make one. I suspect it's above his pay grade to make one. He may not have a spoke shave and a bandsaw either one., which would be required to make one. That shape has curves in side and front views, a rather complex for a novice to carve. Not to mention the rounded portions top and bottom.

My advice is to have one made based on a good sample or a glued up example. I looked at a slew of chair parts from online sources with no luck, only round ones. Maybe someone here can offer their services. :blink:

 

[philip518]

I suspect it's above his pay grade to make one.

LOL. You are absolutely correct.

I do have a jigsaw, and made a large keyboard tray with round corners for my own use, which I like to show it off to neighbors.

But to hand made a piece like this, it is beyond my capacity and ambition.

I assumed those chairs were mass produced (since they are sold everywhere) and wished some manufactures would offer replacement parts somewhere.

Well, it is really a shame to let this single piece ruin the entire chair.

Thanks for helping out. Have a good weekend.

Phil

 

[Steve Neul]

If making the part isn't an option I would reglue the old one. If you would get a couple of spring clamps like Home Depot sells for a dollar you could glue the pieces together with wood glue.

 

[Hammer1]

Unfortunately, furniture parts like your's are not available other than buying the chair. A new spindle can be made by a woodworker. The issue is that the chair isn't worth $100 but it could cost more than that to fix it. I think the spindle is too far gone to glue back together and have it last. Have you looked for a replacement chair, maybe from the same place you bought them?