Trying to fix a squeaky old barber chair from the 70s took me way longer than I thought

I got this cool vintage chair for my shop last month, but it had a loud squeak every time you leaned back. I figured it was just a dry joint, maybe an hour's work. I spent three whole days taking it apart, greasing everything, and putting it back together, but the squeak was still there. Turns out, the main pivot pin was worn down just a tiny bit, maybe a millimeter, and it was rubbing in a weird way. I had to find a machinist to make a new one, which took another week. Has anyone else had a simple chair fix turn into a week-long project?

3 comments

3 Comments

averymartin9d ago

Honestly my last fix-it job turned into a whole new hobby I didn't want.

the_alex9d ago

Oh man, tell me about it! I had a desk chair that squeaked and I swear I took the whole thing apart twice before I found a tiny crack in one of the plastic bushings. It's never the obvious thing.

harperr828d ago

Read this article about how most squeaks in furniture come from micro fractures in cheap plastic parts, not the metal joints you'd expect. They said you can sometimes fix it with a tiny dab of epoxy putty if you find the crack early. Makes me wonder how much stuff we throw out just needs one simple repair.