looking for tips to reinforce a metal chair base?

[apollo18]

hello, i got some of these office chairs at home that i got a while ago for a good deal. however i noticed that overtime the metal chair base starts giving out, it seems as if the metal is weak and after sitting on the chair for extended periods of time, it ends up bending and then changes form rendering the chair base frame useless.

I have attached a photo of what I am talking about. I noticed that if i use my arm strength and try to bend one of these arms/legs, i can bend it with some force (which ofc should not be happening). I believe the reason this is happening is that the bottom side/underside of this metal is hollow. When you see the photo from this angle it looks as if the metal is strong and thick but underneath its all hollowed out. I attached a second photo that shows the hollow underside.

I was looking for recommendations on what I can put underneath where its hollow to reinforce the metal? Right now I bent the metal frame back into shape. My stupid answer was fill it with some type of cement/putty? but ofc cement doesnt sound like the best answer cuz i guess overitme it will start crumbling etc.

My theory is that if i fill up the hollow portion then it will have more support and wont bend from stess from sitting etc

If it was just one of these chairs I would just get another but I have like 4 of these at home so kinda wanna reinforce them.

Any recommendations or products u know of that could help ?

thx!

 

[ekrampitzjr]

This is a jerry-rig and a lot of work, but if you are serious about saving the chair, it could be your best shot.

Measure the diameter of conduit that would fit underneath the legs as closely as possible. Go to an electrical supply house and get the closest size underneath that diameter. Get EMT, which is a thinwall metal tubing, but plenty strong enough. You would need only 10' or at most 20'. Then get a bender for that size EMT, which will be pricey, and a piece of "rigid" thickwall conduit to thread into it. You will also need a hacksaw and a spray can of lubricant, such as WD-40.

Cut lengths of the EMT to fit the length of the legs (allow for bending). Use the bender with the lubricant to make a series of gentle bends to match the curve of the legs. Place the EMT sections underneath the legs and devise some attachment. Maybe JB Weld will work, maybe zip ties, maybe some other solution.

I don't think this will be worth the work and expense over simply replacing the chair with one that has a better base. But it is an option.

 

[Rand]

if the chair is bending its not a quality chair?

 

[JTK]

What is the weight rating on the chairs?

My thoughts are, if you reinforce the spider arm base, the next weakest link upstream will fail.

Office chairs take a beating where I work given an arse is in many of them 24/7/365. We've got some heavy hitters in the 300lb range that can break them quickly if you don't buy better quality chairs. Many of which are special order.

 

[apollo18]

if the chair is bending its not a quality chair?

yeah i guess not quality but i have 4 and wouldnt mind doing a weekend project to fix them up as a hobby thing

 

[apollo18]

What is the weight rating on the chairs?

My thoughts are, if you reinforce the spider arm base, the next weakest link upstream will fail.

Office chairs take a beating where I work given an arse is in many of them 24/7/365. We've got some heavy hitters in the 300lb range that can break them quickly if you don't buy better quality chairs. Many of which are special order.

ty that makes sense but most of the metal luckily is thick, it just becomes hollow at the bend. so i think if i reinfornce the bend with something it will be a decnet chair. sadly dont know weight rating but everyone at the house is 180 lbs or less so i doubt it we exceeding it but i guess its probably a bad piece hence why i got good prices

 

[apollo18]

i was wondering if i could fill in the hollow area with some type of epoxy or putty? i saw jb weld has a putty? or something else that is kinda like a putty but becomes cement when set?

 

[AZjeff]

I'd get a sheet of good quality sanded 3/4" plywood and cut out circles slightly bigger than the diameter of the caster mounting holes and tie it all together. If the caster stems have enough reach. Filling the cavities is going to be extremely hard to make work.

 

[apollo18]

I'd get a sheet of good quality sanded 3/4" plywood and cut out circles slightly bigger than the diameter of the caster mounting holes and tie it all together. If the caster stems have enough reach. Filling the cavities is going to be extremely hard to make work.

ty for this but sorryi couldnt follow, what do u mean by tie it all together?

 

[AZjeff]

Cut a circle of plywood that’s an inch or so larger in diameter than the diameter that the caster holes in the 5 legs makes. A big disc. Sorry for the poor wording.