Repairing wooden rocking horse

Hi all,

So we have our first little one on the way... Which gives me a bit of time to finish this project.

I reckon I have an above average ability in the DIY and repair department and am wanting to pull something together for the little guy or girl.

I picked up the attached timber rocking horse (yet to collect) which has a bit of damage.

I was hoping for some guidance re what to use and how to go about it. Particularly the repair to the nose.

I'm thinking of stripping the guy back and either staining a lighter colour or going for a white wash instead.

Any guidance would be appreciated!


Rocking horse repair https://imgur.com/gallery/YQNJx

http://i.imgur.com/gOBVgrg.png
http://i.imgur.com/3WDuvv7.png
http://i.imgur.com/r0XsDUd.png

That damage looks rather unusual for timber. Hard to figure out how a crack of that magnitude could have been caused without significant crushing etc around the crack site. Generally the grain in the timber on the head of a traditionally constructed rocking horse runs lengthwise, so very difficult to damage like this.

Are you sure the horse is wooden?

From the photos, it looks to me like what you have is a wood frame with plaster details.
In particular, the broken nose doesn't look at all like a typical timber fracture

You might be right.

Unfortunately I'm picking it up in a few weeks when passing through the area but looking at it closely it does look like a plaster detail.

Perhaps I need to find a plaster forum! Lol.

Any tips from the wisdom pool are still appreciated even though it isn't timber?

Traditional rocking horses quite often have a thickish coat of gesso over the whole timber body as it is easier to sand and fair gesso than timber. The joins in the body also look a little unusual from the traditional horses that I have seen.

This link may give you some ideas and resources. https://www.rockinghorse.co.uk/restorations.html

I'm interested to see the what and how of the repair/restoration as I have a 100yrs old swing rocking horse to repair/restore sitting in the shed...thank you, cheers, crowie

The way that I'd repair it, is to use an epoxy resin glue to repair the joint, then, if it is a plaster type finish, use a top quality plaster filler to fill. Leave a good build up on it, so that it can be shaped to match the existing surrounds.
Kryn

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore

The way that I'd repair it, is to use an epoxy resin glue to repair the joint, then, if it is a plaster type finish, use a top quality plaster filler to fill. Leave a good build up on it, so that it can be shaped to match the existing surrounds.
Kryn

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On the plaster side Kryn, We need Trevor to work his magic.....Peter

Unfortunately, it'll be impossible to get it to him, now :(.
Kryn

That looks to me as though it may be a very contemporary cast resin horse. I hope that you didn't pay too much for it.

Lovely wooden rocking horses from the 1940s and 1950s seem to sell for very little at the moment. An antique shop near me has one they can't sell - but I do not know how much they are asking. Another shop has sold two in the last year - their prices are much more realistic.

This is an example of a wooden horse with wear and tear Attachment 412713 (mine but not for sale)

The positive of it being a cast resin is that you can just use a good gap filling epoxy like Epox-E-Glue (Boatcraft Pacific) or Mega-Epoxy to fix the crack and then paint over it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Xanthorrhoeas

That looks to me as though it may be a very contemporary cast resin horse. I hope that you didn't pay too much for it.

Lovely wooden rocking horses from the 1940s and 1950s seem to sell for very little at the moment. An antique shop near me has one they can't sell - but I do not know how much they are asking. Another shop has sold two in the last year - their prices are much more realistic.

This is an example of a wooden horse with wear and tear Attachment 412713 (mine but not for sale)

The positive of it being a cast resin is that you can just use a good gap filling epoxy like Epox-E-Glue (Boatcraft Pacific) or Mega-Epoxy to fix the crack and then paint over it.

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I have one similar but older, I'm missing one of the swing hoops and the support stand is fallen apart....
all any an information on the repair process would be greatly appreciated as it scares me to bits just trying to work out where to start....

Hi Crowie,

Repairing mine - to the extent that I have - has only required some woodwork because a 'chunk' of the neck had fallen out/disappeared. Some complex angles and a bit of glue, fairing it up and - like new(ish). I have bought some milk paint for it, but since it is in storage at the moment (awaiting grandchildren since mine have finished with it) I won't be rushing in. Too many other things to make for children in their 20's!

The swing hoops on mine are very simple. I think that you could easily reproduce one from some round steel bar. Just use your existing one as a model. An oxy torch, an anvil (or lump of steel or iron) and a hammer would make short work of that. I suspect one of the metalworkers on the forums could knock one up for you too.

Why don't you post some photos in the restoration forum? I'm sure that you will get some advice.

david