Hello,
My name is Peter and last winter I tackled my first big project. I wanted to built a desk made with frame and panels. That part was OK, however I have not left enough moving space for the panels and they are now warping to the point of breaking, putting a lot of pressure on the joints. The joints are all mortise and tennon.
I need to take the panel and frame sections apart but I have no clue on how to accomplish this.
Does anyone have an idea of how to do this? (I have tried to get the wood wet in the joints to see if the yellow glue wants to dissolve but I do not seem to be able to get enough water in the joint.)
I am looking forward to any suggestions and advice.
Peter
Replies
You've lost your frames. Saw in with a band saw, a hand saw or a table saw and cut the frames away from the panels. Firewood burns so sweetly when it's firewood like this. Enjoy the heat.
Lee
Furniture Carver
Acetone
What adhesive did you use? While it's almost impossible at this late date, PVA adhesives (yellow and white) are sensitive to heat. Get a couple of infrared heat lamps and aim them at both sides of the joint. Let them heat the joint for 15-20 minutes. Hit the joint with a sharp blow and it MAY, and I repeat MAY come apart.
If you can't get the frames apart without destroying them consider this. Use a small router with a straight bit and a fence and remove the wall of the groove holding the panel in the frame. Trim the panels for clearance and retain them with a molding. If you can get to the inside of the panels your repair will probably go unnoticed.
John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne
Peter
I have the misfortune of sometimes having to restore antique chairs which some goose has glued up using PVA. I have found that a bit of a cocktail of Acetone, Alcohol and boiling water injected into small drilled holes may break the glue down. Depending on how good your initial joinery is will depend on how sucessful you are here. A bit of heat applied and reversable clamps help a bit too.
if this works, yipee, if not go the routed edge option.
PS. if you plan on making a habit of this, use hide glue.
PPS. I think it is on http://www.woodweb.com that there is a spreadsheet which caculates the amount of expansion and contraction you will get in various timber types. Very useful.
Cheers
Phil
I hope not to make a habit of this though. By the way I have used yellow carpenters glue.
2 joints have allready been pushed apart by the sheer force of the expanded wood.
Thank you for the advice. At least it clears my picture of where I am at and what I need to do.
Again thanks cause I really was stuck on this, not wanting to destroy many hours of work, however if the acetone does not dissolve it than the routing may work if I am accurate enough.
Peter van den Heuvel
BTW, here is a site you can go to to find out how much a panel will expand and contract. http://www.woodbin.com. Click on "Shrinkulator" and input wood species, width, starting and ending moisture content or range of relative humidity. It will output the expansion/shrinkage.
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