forager Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 This is believed to be a Swiss-made mid century piece--solid walnut. Greetings from a newbie. I've had very limited experience refinishing/repairing wood. I was about to start the sanding/refinishing process, when I discovered that three of the dowel holes would no longer support the sliding front frame (see pictures). The frame drops below (and through the bottom of) the holes. Prior to my stripping the piece, the frame was loose, but I could get it to stay with a little work; now, however, it does not. I've attached pictures of the holes and dowels. The piece extends out to 8 feet. There are solid walnut slats (not pictured) that straddle the extensions, and it makes into an elegant serving table. The worn holes are the issue, however. Hopefully, someone can tell me how to repair them. The frame, while solid, is not very heavy. I suspect, over time, the former owner wore the piece out. While we like the idea of the extension, we will use it in collapsed form, so I don't anticipate wearing down the sliding frame once it is repaired. Again, any help would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 Welcome to the forums. The shame is that it's thru the face frame.. Based on the pictures, a couple ideas come to mind. 1. Drill out the hole over size. Use walnut and plug cutters to fill the hole matching the grain as best you can. Drill new holes. 2. Fill with epoxy. Drill new holes. Hopefully someone here has a far smarter idea that will work better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 First, that has to be the coolest extension mechanism I have ever seen. Second, if I understand your post and pictures correctly, what TIODS suggested should work nicely. It appears that the dowel holes are in the face that is only exposed when the top is extended, correct? If that is the case, no one will ever see your repairs. I would be inclined to fill the exising holes with epoxy and sawdust, then redrill them to the proper size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 I noticed that the dowels are rounded over as well. I'd leave the holes as they are, or maybe drill them deeper if possible, and then replace the dowels with ones that aren't rounded over, and maybe a little longer. That way the repair will stay hidden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forager Posted August 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 Wtnhighlander, you are correct. The dowel holes are visible only when the piece is extended, so a repair will not show. As I mentioned earlier, I don't think we will use the extension much. The doors (not shown) feature beautiful handles. The front of the piece is also very unique. Can anyone point me to reliable instructions about either the replacement of dowels or the filling of the hole(s) with sawdust and epoxy? I tried using the Google search window on this site without much luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 If you're filling with Epoxy, I like West systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 Here's what I'd do: Replacing dowels: cut the existing dowels off flush. Drill holes where the dowels were. Cut dowels to length. Use a rasp or sandpaper to round over the ends of the dowels slightly. Put glue in the holes and on the half of the dowels that will go in the hole. Tap the dowels into the holes. Wait for the glue that squeezes out to harden a little, then scrape it off. Filling the holes with epoxy: Turn the piece so the holes are straight up. Mix up some epoxy, and stir in some sawdust. Keep adding a little sawdust at a time until it's mostly sawdust, or until you start having trouble getting all the sawdust "wet". Transfer the mixture into the hole. Fill the hole until the mixture is level with the surface, or just below the surface. Wait for it to cure (read directions for cure time), then drill new holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 Make sure that you put a piece of packing tape on the back as a dam.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 5, 2014 Report Share Posted August 5, 2014 And use a brad-point or forstner drill bit for drilling out the old dowels. Standard twist drills tend to wander off the mark easily, and don't leave a flat bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forager Posted August 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2014 Given my limited experience, it sounds like filling the existing holes and then re-drilling would be the best way to go. Has anyone used this product for such a job?: Abatron Wood Restoration Kit http://www.abatron.com/buildingandrestorationproducts/woodrestorationmaintenance/woodrestorationkit.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 5, 2014 Report Share Posted August 5, 2014 From your description, you would only need the filler portion of that product, not the stabilizer. Probably more cost effective to just buy some epoxy and mix your own. Beechwood's instructions will put you right on the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted August 5, 2014 Report Share Posted August 5, 2014 The kit might be easier if you don't have any sawdust handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forager Posted August 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 I tried filling the holes with epoxy, curing, then drilling out the appropriate size hole (11/32) for the dowels, but the frame continues to hang. Moreover, one of the dowels is noticeably shorter than the others.I took care ensure that the epoxy was fully cured and supporting the newly drilled hole. I've decided to try Beechwood Chip's suggestion to replace the dowels with longer ones. I have split-point drill bits to help with that. I watched a video on how to drill out a dowel without altering the hole size. Hopefully, that will do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forager Posted August 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2014 Sorry about not getting back to the thread sooner. After extending the dowel holes a little bit, I replaced the older dowels with longer ones, which did the trick. I appreciate everyone's contributions. Regarding rounding off the heads of the dowels, I learned this technique from a youtube video. I locked the back end of the dowel into a power drill, placed the tip of the dowel into sandpaper that I held in the other hand, pulled the trigger on the drill a couple of times, and the dowel was perfectly rounded off. It's probably a well know technique, but it was new to me. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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