Something happened to my daughter’s el cheapo, white art table a couple weeks ago. It could have been some serious painting and coloring going on, or it could have been me standing on it to hang some Christmas decorations, but let’s not point fingers.

Here’s what happened. I turned it into a tri-pod I mean SOMEONE turned it into a tripod.

No idea how this happened.

I could have gone out to target and bought a new one, but like I’ve said before, this is Dadand, and here we fix stuff. Like the time I fixed the Alumawallet my daughter got me for Father’s day, or the time I fixed her horse ear with sugru, or even my last post, about fixing her Crayola Crayon bank.

So what’s the first thing you do when tackling a job???

Step 1: Inspect the problem

I see here that there are anchors in the table leg that you screw the bolts into. Apparently the table was not meant to hold an adult male human. FINE, I broke it. Happy?

Overtightening + too much weight = busted up chiffarobe (yes, i know this isn't a chiffarobe, didn't you ever read To Kill A Mockingbird? Geez.)

Step 2: Think of repair options

Well, glue is not going to hold this. Tape is out. I could try and fire a bunch of screws into the thing but there’s no way that’s holding so I’m going with my only option: recreate what the manufacturer originally intended, but on the opposite side of the leg. I’d drill out a couple holes, screw the anchors back in, and glue the broken pieces back in to kind of make it look decent enough for a kid’s art table.

Step 3: Fix it

First I took the blown out wood and traced where my new holes would go.

Close enough

Then I had to find the proper-sized drill bit. (Choose the bit that’s a little smaller than the middle shaft part of your screw or anchor.) I DID mark the depth of the anchor too, but I decided to just go ahead and drill through the entire leg for the heck of it.

Finding the right size bit saves you from splitting the wood.

For fun, I decided to countersink just a little bit. The anchors would sit flush and I’d get a tighter fit and stronger legs.

A little countersinking never hurt anyone.

Then it was as simple as twisting in the anchors with the right allen wrench and bolting it back together.

Almost done

Tightened up legs. Repair complete.

There, now it’s perfect. And it’s perfect because the busted up leg is in the back corner and this decent one is out front.

All your table leg are belong to us.

The best part, I saved myself $95 because I didn’t have to run out to target and get a new table.

Does everyone fix their broken stuff instead of scrapping it and buying new? Or is it just us? I hope for the Earth’s sake you try and fix it first, but if you hate the Earth then that’s your problem. Prove you love the Earth by letting me know what you’ve fixed around the house.