Matching and Replacing Legs on Antique Chairs
The back legs on my customer’s chairs where bending and breaking when they slid them. The old legs were single pieces of 1/2″ solid rods, with small 1/4″ solid rods attached about 3″ from the top, which did not provide enough support.
The new legs are made from 1/2″ solid rod to match the front legs. I hammered the first leg into shape on a 125 pound anvil. Then I made a bending jig to make sure that all the legs turned out the same. The chair is a lot sturdier and safer. My customer was happy when I kept the same look by matching the distressed paint .