# Help



## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

I'm building my second Maloof rocker. I had intended to sell this one, no buyer yet. I glued the headrest I. And then placed some dowels last night. When I went out this morning I saw that the face had cracked from one of the dowels. Do I cut the whole thing out, or try to repair?


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

Replace the board

I can't tell for certain, but it looks like you have a couple joints close together. Could be a weak point.


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## Moose5 (Mar 21, 2020)

Looks like it could be a weak point where the wood grain is elongated.
Being since it is already split it wouldn't hurt to try to glue it and clamp it down.

That's a bummer! I hate when that happens.


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

One of the dowels popped out a piece of the headrest


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

ouccchhh.well if you intend to sell it and i assume it wont be cheap id say replace the head rest.if your gonna keep it maybe try repairing.having done one my heart goes out to you.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

The dowel was too close to the surface of the head rest. How tight were the dowels? If they were snug and you glued them, hydraulic pressure can cause that when you push them together. In the rocker I built the dowels were quite loose and I used epoxy.


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## laterthanuthink (Jan 17, 2018)

I would not replace the board. The blowout gives your chair character. I would do the best cosmetic repair possible and be happy and proud of what obviously is an outstanding piece of craftsmanship.


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

Yes, I know the cause, and yes, I make my dowels loose, I can usually push them all the way in by hand. 
I tried a repair, going to go check it in a bit. If it doesn't make me happy I'm going to replace it. I guess I needed some commiseration and someone to tell me to just replace the thing.
Anyway, I'll post a picture of the repair while I build a new headrest. If it looks ok maybe you can talk me out of surgery


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

a chair of that quality typically sells for 3-4 thousand,if i was paying that i wouldn't except a repaired chair.if your keeping it sure.


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

Surgery it is!


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

Redoing it correctly is way better than trying to put a bandage on it.

Sometimes, hiding errors is about removing them.

Looks like it will be very nice. Thanks for sharing.


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## laterthanuthink (Jan 17, 2018)

How about a bow tie? I think it would look great


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

I see one of two options. Remake the piece (bummer). or, Do a repair, several possibilties, one is to drill out and remove the dowel, repair the hole and split, redrill for a new dowel. What you do on one end may have to be done on the other end to maintain a matched look, Then cut a inlay the width of the repair from one back to the other (thus hiding the repair). The inlay would then be as a if it was a planned design.

One thing about woodworking mishaps, a repair can be a intended design plan.


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## Tony_S (Dec 16, 2009)

> Surgery it is!
> - tynewman


Good choice. I'm sure Sam would agree.


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## laterthanuthink (Jan 17, 2018)

Can it be taken apart without doing more harm than good? Even Sam might choose to cut his losses, skillfully repair this one with an inlay and start over with a new build.


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

Replace it . It will look better in the end and you'll be showing integrity on your work. 
You found the problem early enough to successfully replace it. 
If a problem like that shows up in the finishing stages it fatal to the piece.
Good Luck


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

So, I am about to do surgery. I braced the back rests. I have a couple headrest, I'm partial to the long grain, what does the peanut gallery have to say?


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

horizontal for sure i dont care for headrests that are vertical.plus it's stronger.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

+1 for horizontal, strength wins out.


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

Now I just have to make perfectly true joints so I can glue it back together


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

This might work after all


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

It wasn't the nightmare I expected. Glad I replaced, even though it was 2 extra days


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

i think youll be glad you did,or if you keep it you'll always look at it and wish you did.


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## Foghorn (Jan 30, 2020)

Nice work. That's a next level piece and you did it right.


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

All dowels in, no blowout


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

nice save ty,well worth the effort.cant wait to see it finished.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

Nice job with the fix and good looking chair.


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

Excellent work Ty! 
I like it.

Good Luck


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

Feels good now, for sure.

Excellence in action, Excellent work!


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## laterthanuthink (Jan 17, 2018)

nice work, glad you were able to do it.

what did you do to prevent the blowout in the repair? less glue, shorter dowels, bigger holes?


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## tynewman (Mar 10, 2019)

I did them about like I always do. I may have made the dowels a tiny bit smaller. I was able to push them in all the way by hand but I did have a lot of hydronic push back. I just kept twisting until it would move. I've made 7 maloof style chairs with over a dozen dowels each and this was the first blowout. I think I just got too close to the surface. You do enough and I guess you are bound to have one eventually. I typically glue the headrest and the next day drill and place the dowels. I might start start drilling them in the dry fit, the reason I haven't is it's more likely to shift on you even if it's clamped. I would say just dumb luck though.


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## Tony_S (Dec 16, 2009)

Doesn't really matter at this point, but I keep looking at the original pictures that you posted….I don't think the problem ORIGINATED with an ill fitting dowel (too tight/too long). The direction of the blowout is all wrong for that in comparison to the grain type and direction, regardless of hydronic pressures. If the area was sound to begin with, the area that lifted should have lifted in the opposite direction.
From what I can guess, I think there was a flaw in the grain to begin with that you didn't see. A snug dowel/hydronic pressure only exasperated the original defect.


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## Moose5 (Mar 21, 2020)

Good job. Chair looks great.
Not an easy build.


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