Hello to all, this is my first time posting on this site, though I’ve recieved a great deal of advice from the Breaktime forum. I’m a carpenter, who hopes one day to get into furniture making. Recently I’ve had a dry spell with work, and agreed to repair an old piano bench for some friends of friends. I don’t know the terminology here, so it might get a little rough.
The bench does not sit on four legs. Instead, the side pieces come done full and then part ways near the bottom to form two feet (two on each side) which “round out” to form the feet of the bench. Kind of similar to a 2D ball and claw foot. At any rate, the smallest (and as I see it, the most complicated part) of reassempling this bench is that one of the rounded feet has split vertically, and left a two and a half inch piece. This piece was reglued at some point. I want to clean the glue as best as possible, without damaging the finish ar drying out the wood, put the piece in place, drill two dowel holes into the leg (perpendicular to the gravity) and glue and dowel the whole thing back into place. Etc. etc.
Question is: WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO CLEAN THE GLUE? The glue is shiny, somewhat tacky (though very old, after I glue it I’m going to have to sand the bottom of the peice to level it with where the current leg stands, it’s been off for some time). The glue feels like a cross between wax and sap. I don’t want any of it be there when I reglue. If there are any suggestions, or if more information would be helpful, I would appreciate it. It’s a very small thing fora very small job, but it’s an old family piece, and I want to do it right. Grace and Peace – Hans
Life is too short to learn from your own mistakes.
Replies
Soak it in hot or at least warm vinegar. When it turns white, the glue can be carefully scraped off.
From your description it's probably old hide glue. Hot water, or better yet hot diluted vinegar will take it all off. Make sure everything is nice and dry before you start to fit it back together.
Nice to have you with us,
DR
Thanks to everyone who responded. I didn't have any distilled vinegar, and my patience ran out before I got to the store. Red Wine Cooking Vinegar worked very well. I did reglue most everything with (cold) hide glue, but the piece which broke off of the leg is going to bear weight, so I think I'm going to use epoxy and do the dowel thing, and then tell them to pay me six months from now if it's still on. I don't know what else to do with it.
Again, thanks to all ya'll for the advise. Grace and Peace - Hans
Life is too short to learn form your own mistakes.
and then tell them to pay me six months from now if it's still on.
I'd get the money up front and tell them I spent it.. I think OK if ya did the best you could with what you had to work with!
EDIT:: NA! I'd probably just give it to them and ask the price of the glue I used...and my patience ran out before I got to the store.. I'd have went to the store and got a good bottle of wine AND the Vinegar!
Edited 6/27/2005 6:37 pm ET by Will George
Edited 6/27/2005 6:40 pm ET by Will George
See, it's advice like this which seperates the experianced craftsman from the journeyman like myself, and which makes this forum so useful. I'd never have thought to get wine as a work expense, I'll do better in the future. I've still got a question though: Can I bill the customer for a case of Yuengling lager, and as I get better, for a keg of Guiness? If you ever need a hand (or a glass of Merlot) in the Philly area, let me know. Seriously though, I do appreciate the advice.
Grace and Peace - Hans
Life is too short to learn from your own mistakes.
Can I bill the customer for a case of Yuengling lager.. YA BET!.. I'd give the wife of that house them with pretty candles in them before ya' hand HIM the bill for the job!
EDIT::
experianced craftsman from the journeyman .. Experienced ..
is we got a GOOD excuse!
Edited 6/27/2005 8:21 pm ET by Will George
I'm glad it worked out OK. But "life is too short to get paid in 6 months..."
DR
Hide glue is repairable. It sounds as if that you're dealing with may have been contaminated by something, though I can't imagine what. A little heat should soften the glue right up. I'd use hide glue to repair it and if you don't much experience with hide glue, there are lots of good instructions on the Internet. Better yet, get a small bottle of "Old Brown Glue" from Pat Edwards at http://home.pacbell.net/ebeniste/gluepage.htm
You can find lots of Pat Edwards' work in the pages of Fine Woodworking. He knows what he's doing and his glue is nothing short of fantastic.
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