At the start of lockdown, I bought an extra painting desk, for installation in the attic, and it has served me well since then. Much of my WSS work has been done on it.
The desk, I believe, dates from about 1920, and it has obviously not enjoyed the summer temperatures in my attic. One of the side panels has come unglued, dividing into the two boards from which it was originally made. The stuff in the drawers weighs a ridiculous amount, and the desk itself is very heavy, so I am constantly waiting for it to dismantle itself completely some time soon, which will certainly be messy and possibly dangerous - since dismantling itself might involve a vertical translation downstairs.
I've been trying not to think about this too carefully, but have decided that something had better be done - apart from the functional advantages, this would give me one less thing to worry about.
I have arranged for a friend to come round tomorrow with a 24-inch bar clamp and some proper woodworking glue. This friend is a useful chap, whose hobbies include constructing and repairing light aircraft. I'll get ready by stripping out all the drawers and removables, and we can have a trial shot with the clamp. I can see evidence of some dowels in there, so if the clamp pulls it back together nicely we can have a go with the glue.
If things do not go so well, you may read about me in the papers.
***** Late Edit (Day 2 of the Episode) *****
Well, Ian the 'plane builder couldn't come to help, since he has a carburettor in bits, and his machine has to pass a test by Monday. He did, however, lend me a couple of big joinery clamps, and I got busy on my own - just a flask of tea and some Allen Hinds on the music machine.
My trial run almost got the gap closed, so I reckoned that in the heat of the real thing I would get it even better; I slackened it off again, applied the glue, and really went crazy on the tightening effort. Not only did it pull up nicely, but the glue continued to squeeze out for a half hour afterwards, so presumably it was still shifting a little.
I'll leave it to dry until tomorrow before I touch anything - apart from a preliminary clean up - I've wiped most of the spare glue off, though it will need a good clean and polish later - that is the least of my worries! I suspect that the gap will open again when I remove the clamps, but I've lost nothing by trying, so I shall keep an open mind...
That's all for now. I can't offer you any tea, but here's a bit of Allen Hinds to tighten your clamp - with a little help from Randy Crawford...
*******************************************
Hmm, we used to have a very similar desk - it had belonged to my wife's Dad who had inherited it - and it went the same way, resisting all attempts at repair. A shame. Seems they didn't make things like they used to even then.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't, by any chance, get rid of your father-in-law's desk via an auction room outside Newcastle...?
DeleteClose. A council tip outside Rotherham. It was well beyond repair by then.
DeleteI know it's hard to hear but you may have to retire you desk to the bonfire in your garden and buy a new one?
ReplyDeleteI'll have none of this mutinous talk, d'ye hear? I'll fix it if it kills me. [R.I.P]
DeleteA friend with a 24" bar clamp is always handy to know in such circumstances Tony - good luck with the repair job. If not get it down to those clever guys on TV's Repair Shop.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lee - my wife has just been talking down my chances of success, so I am even more determined to get it fixed!
DeleteNothing like words of encouragement from the wife to set a challenge. I’m sure with a bit of work it will be repaired. Perhaps a little redistribution of some of the weight in the drawers may help. Good luck
ReplyDeleteAt the very least I will know that I have exhausted a few possibilities of saving the thing before I finally scrapped it. Weight in the drawers is a worthwhile study. I keep a bag with my modelling tools in drawer #2, but I should reconsider the contents: footprints? a small socket set? I also have most of the pots of acrylic paint I ever bought - I would guess about 2/3 of them are unusable now.
DeleteI read the first bit and was about to offer the borrow of long clamps, read-on and found that you have a supply slightly more local than Hampshire! So will stand-down and listen-out for the newsworthy sound of rending joists!
ReplyDeleteH
A man with a long clamp is hard to find, it's true. I am psyching myself up for this morning's session. In fact, I'd risk a sporting 10p bet that he phones to tell me either that the clamps are too small, or he couldn't find them, or he got diverted rescuing his neighbour's cat.
DeleteWell done old chap…
ReplyDeleteWasn’t Long Clamps a 1950’s Dutch Jazz Harpist ?
Indeed he was - excellent shout. After he retired he also achieved some fame as the inventor of the traffic warden.
DeleteIt's also been pointed out to me that only the attentions of a zealous proof-reader stopped him becoming a famous racecourse. Quite a CV.
DeleteGood luck - I hope you told it to 'Pull yourself together!'
ReplyDeleteI most certainly did. I told it a few other things besides, some of them involving recycling, not to mention Bonfire Night. Not to mention IKEA.
Delete