Welcome to the Broken and Legless blog

 

Hi there! My name is Gwyn Buckley.

I'm a retired woodwork teacher with a passion for furniture repair. Although I'm not a professional and can't do things like French polishing or marquetry, I enjoy fixing loose mortise and tenon joints and stripping and refinishing furniture. I do this because I love it, and I keep my prices very affordable. In addition, I have a 5-star rating on Google ads.

The pictures below show a before and after transformation of a trunk I repaired.

The trunk was very dilapidated and dried out.  I took it apart, fixed all the joints, filled in all the gaps and fed the wood with Danish oil before putting it all back together 

 

Expert Tip: Hiding Scratches 

Scratches can be frustrating, but they're not the end of the world. If the scratches are superficial, here is one way you  can make them disappear:


 

1. Scratch Cover for Light Scratches

   - Buy bottles of Rustin's Scratch cover.  You can get them in light, medium and Dark from Amazon.  Choose one that matches the colour of your furniture.   Apply it using a soft rag, wait a few minutes and gently wipe it over the scratch.

 The scratch cover not only hides the scratch but also contains some polish, leaving your furniture pleasantly shiny.

 

2. Quick Fix: Repairing a Castor

Loose or broken castor? No problem. Try this easy fix: 

1. Clean the area and remove any debris from the screw hole.

2. Mix a 2-part epoxy according to the manufacturer's instructions.

3. Apply the epoxy to the castor and insert it back into the screw hole.

4. Let the glue cure completely before using the furniture.

It works because epoxy not only glues, but it also fills gaps and, unlike other wood glues, you don't need to get rid of any finishes like paint or varnish. 

I've also had the pleasure of working with some wonderful clients who have shared kind words about my work on social media. If you search 'Make It Or Mend It ' under furniture repair on Google, you will see that I have a 5-star rating:

Here are just 2 of the 11 positive reviews I have received so far:


Jimmy Clarke

Was looking for a local restorer and found Gwyn. He kept me informed throughout the job I needed done and I was very pleased with his workmanship. Would highly recommend.


Janet Rix

Gwyn, repaired and renovated a Victorian occasional table and an antique glass cabinet. They looked so old and unloved beforehand.
Gwyn has restored them so carefully , we are delighted. Thank you Gwyn

I hope you find these tips helpful! Feel free to share your own repair stories or ask questions in the comments below. Follow me on Facebook or WhatsApp for more updates and advice.

My e-mail address is howlingwolfe11@btinternet.com

 

Happy repairing, I'll be sharing more transformations, tips and advice soon!

Gwyn

 

---

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
       Vector Clamping                     Here's the problem(top picture) the wood you want to camp is curved, but the camp jaws ate straight and parallel to each other. The solution (second picture) trace the curve onto a second piece of wood which is behind the first, then take that second piece and cut it out.  Now the front of that second piece matches the curve, whilst the back is straight and in line with the jaws of the clamp Clamp the pieces together (third picture) The picture above shows how I used vector clamping to clamp up the leg of a chair as the glue was setting.  I held the vector in place using a cable tie, before adding the clamp to squeeze everything together. Tip   If you have to plane, or work on a thin piece of wood, use some superglue to glue it onto a thick piece of wood, then put that in the vice.  After you have finished, prize off the thin ...
Read more
Image
This is the most dramatic repair I've done this week!   I was given the task of repairing one loose joint.  As I began to explore further, I eventually realised ALL of the joints on the chair were loose! I started off by numbering all of the joints, then I started taken them all apart and reassembling them one by one.  I used the West system  2-part epoxy glue adhesive.  Although it is more expensive than normal wood glue - 2-part epoxy, does have some advantages. Wood glue - PVA (Poly Vinal Acetate) relies on the fact that all the old glue is removed, it then, under pressure, is forced into the wood, where it firstly sets, then cures. Epoxy works differently.  It relies on a chemical reaction to work, so you don't need to remove the old glue first. secondly, unlike PVA, epoxy will fill gaps.  You can even buy a filler to thicken it up. handy if the joints are really loose.
Read more