Repair or Replace? Salvaging a rotted leg on a Modernola

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phonolamplighter
Victor O
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Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2017 7:12 pm
Personal Text: Say it With Music
Location: Portland, Oregon

Repair or Replace? Salvaging a rotted leg on a Modernola

Post by phonolamplighter »

We were faced with the decision to repair or replace the lower portion of a severely water damaged leg for a Modernola. The damage to the wood was pretty bad, but the thought of replacing the original leg seemed like amputation!
modernola foot damage.JPG
We sought the input from a local merchant, Woodcrafters, and opted for the repair with these products:
Hot Stuff Special T, thick instant CA glue,
RotFix, penetrating wood sealer(by System 3),
SculpWood, epoxy putty(by System 3)

After all parts to be saved were cleaned of loose debris, the Special T, CA glue was used to patch the remaining pieces back together
modernola,gluing parts.JPG
Next step was to strengthen what was left of the wood with the RotFix, brushed on, this solution penetrates and hardens and even waterproofs the wood fibers, preventing further damage.
modernola, rot fix applied to foot.JPG
Things were looking pretty encouraging by now. The next part of the process was to mix the SculpWood epoxy and roughly fill the gaps in the leg and foot.
modernola rough fill with sculpwood.JPG
When the SculpWood was cured (4-8 hours, we waited overnight), some sanding and shaping prior to staining.
modernola, after sanding.JPG
An initial base coat of spray paint(color was 'mahogany'), it seems too light, we'll see...
modernola,initial coat of mahogany paint.JPG

Again we used the SculpWood to mold and create the accent replacements for the base of the leg/foot.
Now to replicate the grain and stain the parts to match. All we used was a permanent black fine tip marker for grain lines and a mahogany stain pen. This is how it looks at this stage
modernola,stain,grain with markers.JPG
This is how the leg and foot looks now after staining and gluing on the accents. Can you spot the original? The repair?
modernola foot repair,original vs replaced.JPG
Hope you found this project helpful.
All the best,
Ed and Nancy

Gatyam
Victor I
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2016 9:45 pm

Re: Repair or Replace? Salvaging a rotted leg on a Modernola

Post by Gatyam »

Well done. I've used the mold making supplies available from Van Dykes to make several damaged or missing pieces with good success. The tricky part is getting the color of the new piece to match the rest of the cabinet. I use the colored lacquers available from Mohawk and other suppliers.

Again, well done!

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AZ*
Victor IV
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Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:51 pm
Location: USA

Re: Repair or Replace? Salvaging a rotted leg on a Modernola

Post by AZ* »

Very impressive. It turned out well. Thanks for sharing! :idea:
Best regards ... AZ*

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Bruce
Victor III
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Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 9:15 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Repair or Replace? Salvaging a rotted leg on a Modernola

Post by Bruce »

Very nice restoration.

Thank you for sharing both your success and the techniques you used.

Bruce

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Phono-Phan
Victor V
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Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2012 9:38 pm
Location: Plover, WI

Re: Repair or Replace? Salvaging a rotted leg on a Modernola

Post by Phono-Phan »

Fantastic job. Thanks for sharing.

Phonofreak
Victor VI
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Location: Western, WA State

Re: Repair or Replace? Salvaging a rotted leg on a Modernola

Post by Phonofreak »

Beautiful restoration. Fantastic job. The tips and techniques were easy to follow and understand. From our discussions on the phone, this Modernola will be the flagship of your collection.
Bravo Zulu
Harvey Kravitz

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