Replies

1. 
   joinerswork | Jan 09, 2005 10:05pm | #1

   John,

   If the tenons come through the top, drill repeatedly into the wedges, and remove them.  The legs should be easy to remove then. 

   If the legs are blind wedged into the underside of the top, you might try to just pound them loose. (One is already out, right?) You risk splitting the top by doing this, it depends on how much the tenons are flared out by the wedges.  Put a clamp across the width of the top before trying to drive them out.  If this is obviously not going to work, then you may have to saw the legs off at the top, and then either re-cut new tenons onto the legs (shorter table) or put  new tenons down into the ends of the legs (not as strong). 

   Alternatively, it may be a good time to mortise the legs for aprons, and prevent a recurrence of the cupped top.

   Regards,

   Ray

1. 
   JohnSD | Jan 09, 2005 10:34pm | #2

   Ray, thanks for the suggestions.  The tenons do come through to the top.  I guess if I were to drill the wedges out I could easily make new ones-slightly larger if necessary.  No way to soften the glue?  Thanks again.  -JohnD

1. 
   dondownunder | Jan 10, 2005 05:16am | #3

   John

   Depends on the glue:

   PVA will soften under heat (may be too much timber to be effecive in this case) & vinegar will also work especially if you can get it into the joint.

   Hide glue, again heat.

   I don't know what will loosen up polyurethane or epoxy, if they can in fact be chemically unbonded, you may have to resort to brute force & ignorance.

   Don 

2. 
   joinerswork | Jan 10, 2005 07:24am | #4

   John,

   It's hard to say what will soften the glue without knowing what was used, but the wedges are making a mechanical bond that you need to overcome.  If one leg is out, likely the glue isn't going to be a problem.

   Regards,

   Ray