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Wobbly legs

#1 2009-06-22 07:31:07

payal
Member
From: India
Registered: 2009-05-06
Posts: 21

Wobbly legs

Hi All,
I made a papier mache side table out of cardboard layers and legs of hollow kitchen towel tubes........but the legs dont seem to be firm ....infact they are wobbly. As the project is still in its initial stages I am in the position to make the necessary changes.

Can anyone help me on this please....!

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#2 2009-06-22 12:27:03

zyggy
Member
From: Manchester UK
Registered: 2009-05-18
Posts: 18
Website

Re: Wobbly legs

Hi Payal
I would suggest filling the legs with papier mache pulp - when it sets, the legs should be quite solid, but you need to make sure the pulp gets packed in right up to the table top. That should hopefully solve the problem!

Zyggy smile


I'm giving up procrastinating tomorrow.

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#3 2009-06-22 15:03:47

payal
Member
From: India
Registered: 2009-05-06
Posts: 21

Re: Wobbly legs

Hi Zyggy,

Thanks for your suggestion.......I'll surely give it a try. But could you suggest what consistency the pulp should have and do i need to make sure the pulp dries completely ? I am new to papier mache and not worked with pulp much!
I would really appreciate if you could guide me  on this.

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#4 2009-06-22 18:00:25

CatPerson
Moderator
From: Washington State, U.S.A.
Registered: 2006-01-09
Posts: 1314

Re: Wobbly legs

It's going to take a long time for the pulp to dry inside the tubes, and the basic Rule of Mold is that if it isn't dry in three days or so, it's going to start developing mold.

Those cardboard tubes are really too thin and weak to bear much weight, even when dry, in my opinion.  Would it be possible to cover them with corrugated cardboard and then PM over that?

I would use cardboard from a large box or something, and arrange your "pattern" (measurements) on the cardboard so the corrugations of the cardboard run vertically, and there are no box folds involved (they will make it weaker).

Corrugated cardboard's strength is in the interior corrugations.  You've tried to fold cardboard in the past and discovered that it is easy to roll it with the corrugations, and almost impossible to roll against them.

If removing the cardboard tubes would be too difficult at the point you've reached, wrapping them with one or two wraps of corrugated cardboard will strengthen them.

But the strongest cardboard legs are going to be made from a solid spiral of cardboard (have you ever poked someone in the stomach with a rolled up magazine?) started small, you keep rolling until the leg is the thickness that looks right for the table.  Then tape it securely and apply PM around it.

When attaching the legs to the table, overlapping it is the way to go.  With materials like this, the weakest joints are butted end-to-end, with the only connection being where they meet.  That is always the most likely place to break if someone runs into the table.

But if you have to do that for the design of your table, gluing the whole end of that solid cardboard spiral will give you more contact than just gluing a narrow edge.

Ideally, the leg will attach to the table in more than one place, like the solid end to the underside of the table, PLUS where the top side of the leg touches the underside of the table apron (that might not be the right word.

Sue

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#5 2009-06-22 19:57:28

zyggy
Member
From: Manchester UK
Registered: 2009-05-18
Posts: 18
Website

Re: Wobbly legs

I have to concede to Sue on this one - rolled up corrugated cardboard will be so much stronger!

(it'd be loads more fun cramming the legs with pulp, though!)

Zyggy smile


I'm giving up procrastinating tomorrow.

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#6 2009-06-23 05:37:15

CatPerson
Moderator
From: Washington State, U.S.A.
Registered: 2006-01-09
Posts: 1314

Re: Wobbly legs

Zyggy, one thing you just made me think of is, what about making legs (or other things), using wire mesh as a retainer (like rolling it up and wrapping it with wire to hold it firmly, THEN cramming it with pulp?  You could see through the wire if you're missing any spots, and tamp it down with a wooden dowel or something.  And the mesh would expose the pulp to air for faster drying.

Hmmm......  seems like this needs a trial, when I can work it into my schedule.

Sue

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#7 2009-06-23 08:14:21

payal
Member
From: India
Registered: 2009-05-06
Posts: 21

Re: Wobbly legs

Thanx Sue and Ziggy,

For your suggestions, wire mesh sounds great but that would be too much of experimentation for one projects...........so for now i'll either go with layering the tubes with cardboard or altogether replace them with Sue's way.

But wire mesh sure seems worth trying.....

Last edited by payal (2009-06-23 08:15:13)

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#8 2009-06-23 14:52:37

dopapier
Moderator
From: UK
Registered: 2004-12-04
Posts: 754

Re: Wobbly legs

You're probably well on with this project now and I am coming in a bit late.  Another way to strengthen cardboard tubes is to take a second tube.  Squeeze it to create a waist.  It will look like a figure of eight in cross section.  Force it inside the original tube.  It will be very much stronger.
DavidO


I'm a PM addict

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#9 2009-06-24 12:38:32

payal
Member
From: India
Registered: 2009-05-06
Posts: 21

Re: Wobbly legs

Hi dopapier,

Thanx for your suggestion .....you know its never too late to get worthy suggestions, till now have'nt done any about the legs..........but i did'nt quite understand how can i squeeze to create a waist........if you could explain bit more how to do the same it would be of great help.

payal

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#10 2009-06-24 18:09:28

CatPerson
Moderator
From: Washington State, U.S.A.
Registered: 2006-01-09
Posts: 1314

Re: Wobbly legs

Although I've never heard of that technique before, I think (?) he means to crease it inward down it's length,  then do the same on the opposite side.  Looking in the open end, it would (roughly) look like an O with a v top and bottom.  The Vs reduce the diameter of the tube so you can force it inside another tube.
             / v \
            |      |
             \  ^ /
Sue

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#11 2009-06-27 14:22:47

payal
Member
From: India
Registered: 2009-05-06
Posts: 21

Re: Wobbly legs

Thanx Sue, 
for explaining the method along with the diagram.......quite helpful.
I've finally filled the tubes with roll of cardboard. Do you recommend using any special glue I use PVA glue?

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#12 2009-06-29 03:56:35

CatPerson
Moderator
From: Washington State, U.S.A.
Registered: 2006-01-09
Posts: 1314

Re: Wobbly legs

PVA glue is probably more resistant to moisture than the organic types.

Sue

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