East Lake Sofa-Bed Upholstery #2B: Repair

by DKP

W13 EASTLAKE SOFABED 22w13-eastlake-sofabed-89 This is the third post in a series on this project.  This post continues from the previous post: East Lake Sofa-Bed Upholstery #2A: Repair.  To begin at the beginning return to Eastlake Sofa-Bed Upholstery Conservation #1: Excavation.

The front arm panels were repaired, beginning with disassembly.  Note the broken structural back panel.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 37 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 38 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 39New structural back panels for both front arm panels were created.  The location of the new hole in the new pack support panel to the original front arm panel was marked, drilled, and new dowels were secured using warm hide glue.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 40 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 41 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 42 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 43 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 44 Warm hide glue was applied to each side to secure the back structural panel to the front; each arm panel was clamped to cure.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 45W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 46 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 47After curing, screw holes are readied, and new brass screws secure the arm panel pieces together.  Both arm and leg panels are repaired, and the reassembly continues.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 65W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 57The seat frame, previous created (East Lake Sofa-Bed Upholstery #2A: Repair), was finally assembled.  As it was assembled, with new corner blocks, it was screwed, glued with warm hide glue, and leveled flat.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 66 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 67 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 68 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 69 The arm panel bases were blocked to the new frame for strength.  New mortice and tenons were secured using hide glue onto the seat frame.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 70W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 71W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 72W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 73W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 74The original armrests were reassembled onto the newly reinforced arm front panel and newly reinforced leg.  Warm hide glue was used on the mortice and tenon joints.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 75 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 76 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 77Leg and arms were glued and screwed, and the entire arm-seat is elaborately clamped to cure square, not torqued.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 78W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 79W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 80 The back was reassembled in the same basic manner, conserved holes, mortice and tenons cleaned and made anew as necessary, and the reassembled using warm hide glue.  After reassembly it was attached to the seat frame with the hinges.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 82W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 81The bottom of the armrest was assembled next.  The bottom bed frame/armrest was reset properly with Mitchell’s expertise and calculations.  Originally it was set at an angle (simply sloppy, not intentional) which caused the piece to wear.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 83 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 84 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 85 The hinge which holds the arm-seat must be placed so that the front apron can bend and move as the sofa-bed is deployed and returned to a sofa seat.

Hinge holes were conserved as shown in the leg reparation.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 86W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 87 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 88 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 89 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 90New hinge holes were marked.  Before hinges were applied, rust was removed from the hinges.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 91 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 92 The hinges were applied.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 93W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 94W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 96W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 95The arm-seat was finally set to the main frame of the sofa-bed with the hinges repositioned to a better outcome for the life of the sofa-bed.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 97W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 98W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 99Bottom bed frame/armrest tack strips were installed.  Here they were shaped.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 100 New tack strips were replaced in the inside back, glued and screwed:

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 101 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 102 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 103 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 104The sofa back was ready for upholstery buildup!

The mattress was not engineered properly to allow for the mattress to move onto the frame.  Mitchell added new tack strips to support the mattress properly, assuming that the sofa-bed will occasionally be used as a sleepover for grandchildren!

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 105 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 106 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 107 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 108 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 109 We found another crack in the frame and the leg was gently tamped out to repair it.  The old hide glue was thoroughly cleaned from the tenons and the mortice, and the crack was repaired using warm hide glue.  Reassembly was done, and the leg was clamped to cure.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 110W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 111 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 112 W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 113 Repairing the crack using hide glue.  Note the double dowel which was original to the frame.

W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 114W13 4 FXSB REPARATION 115Clamped to cure.  Note the poor finish on the left-facing side of the sofa bed, which will be shown in reparation in the next installment.

Kate now took control of the sofa-bed frame in the first part of the reparation of the finish in the next post: “East Lake Sofa-Bed Upholstery #3: Finish Reparation.”

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About dkatiepowellart

hollywood baby turned beach gurl turned steel&glass city gurl turned cowgurl turned herb gurl turned green city gurl. . . artist writer photographer. . . cat lover but misses our big dogs, gone to heaven. . . buddhist and interested in the study of spiritual traditions. . . foodie, organic, lover of all things mik, partner in conservation business mpfconservation, consummate blogger, making a dream happen, insomniac who is either reading buddhist teachings or not-so-bloody mysteries or autobio journal thangs early in the morning when i can't sleep
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