How to Weld a Chair

Metal chairs can often be repaired with minor welding.

Repairing a metal chair by welding it back together requires a certain amount of care and attention to detail to ensure that the chair does not break again. While this is a relatively easy process, it is important to remove from the chair any flammable materials such as padding or labels. With that done, any MIG welder can be used to quickly apply a solid weld bead to the broken metal and make it like new again.

Things You'll Need

• Flux-core welder
• Welding helmet
• Wire brush
• Rubbing alcohol

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Instructions

1. Remove any flammable materials from the chair such as cushions or tags before beginning. In addition, if you are not familiar with welding, you may want to wear a long-sleeved shirt and gloves to make the process more comfortable.

2. Pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol over the place where the metal has broken, and scrub it thoroughly with a wire brush. This will remove any traces of oxidation or other impurities on the metal's surface that may prevent the welding electrode from producing a clean, strong weld.

3. Clamp the welder's electrical connection to a bare-metal part of the chair that is within 12 inches of the spot you will be welding. This spot must have metal-to-metal contact with the weld repair in order to work correctly.

4. Turn on the welder and set it for the size of metal you will be welding. In the case of chairs, reducing the wire feed speed and electrical power to its lowest levels will produce the best results due to the use of relatively thin metal in chair construction.

5. Lower your welding helmet and position the welding nozzle just above the break in the chair metal. Use your free hand to pinch the two broken pieces of metal as closely together as you can, then pull the trigger of the welder. You will see a pool of metal begin to form through the lens of the helmet.

6. Draw the molten metal pool across the break in the chair metal in a stitching motion, keeping the size of the metal pool approximately one-quarter of an inch in diameter. If the pool becomes smaller, move slower across the metal. If it is bigger, speed up.

7. Scrub the surface of the weld with the wire brush after you have completed the process. This will remove any traces of slag -- byproducts -- that form over the top of the weld.

References

• "Welding Complete: Techniques, Project Plans & Instructions"; Editors of CPi; 2009
• "Welder's Handbook, Revised: A Guide to Plasma Cutting, Oxyacetylene, ARC, MIG and TIG Welding"; Richard Finch; 2007
• "Welding Manual"; John Haynes; 1995