Replies

1. 
   UrbaneLegend | Jan 03, 2008 08:13pm | #1

   If hide glue was used originally, and you reglue with hide glue (and you should), you don't have to remove the old glue.

2. 
   BilWil | Jan 03, 2008 08:20pm | #2

   If the glue is hide glue you can "reactivate" it with some heat and water, if it has been worked on previously and PVC or some other modern glue was used you'll have to get all the old glue off both parts before you glue.  I use hide glue to redo hide glue.  If someone used PVC on a piece I'm to repair I use pieces veneer to make the parts tight after getting all the PVC off and reglue with hide.  If the client doesn't want it restored you can always take sand paper, chisels and knives to scrape the  PVC off, mix up some epoxy and glue it up that way.

   
   

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   Edited 1/3/2008 12:22 pm ET by BilWil

3. 
   forestgirl | Jan 03, 2008 08:24pm | #3

   "an heirloom chair "  If it's old-old, there's a good chance it was put together with hide glue, which will soften with the use of warm water.  I'm inexperienced in actually doing this, because when our antique chairs got wobbly, years ago, I sent them to a restoration specialist.  Someone here will give options on how to introduce the moist heat.  However, I have a strong opinion on what glue to use when re-gluing the joint:  Hide Glue!  The reasoning being, chairs simply tend to get loose joints in certain areas, and making them easy to repair is high priority IMHO.  If you want these chairs to be used by the next generation or two, use hide glue.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
4. 
   Bolts | Jan 03, 2008 08:40pm | #4

   It depends on what the old glue is, if the chair is an heirloom of some age the glue is probably hide glue the traditional glue used in chairs.It can be removed with heat and water . The ideal way to glue the chair back together is to go back to hide glue or titebond do not use a polyurethane glue in furniture it is not forgiving.

   You can make it fool proof but not idiot proof 

1. 
   willy | Jan 03, 2008 11:05pm | #5

   Thanks for the collective wisdom. Considering the age of the chairs -- well over 100 years -- it must be hide glue.

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 04, 2008 09:39am | #6

   " it must be hide glue."  Consider yourself incredibly lucky if it is!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)