Thread: Glueing pre-1940s Chairs?

My first test would be to hold one of those glued dowels over the steam from a kettle. If the glue residue rapidly becomes soft and glue like (and then sets hard again a few minutes after being removed from the steam) it's hide glue...in which case you should stick (ha ha) with hide glue for the repair.

If it's anything else (PVA, contact cement, epoxy, wallpaper paste, whatever), you'll need to remove it to provide fresh mating surfaces for re-gluing (very few glues stick to other glues very well at all).

My strong recommendation for any piece of furniture with historical value is to use hide glue. Yes, it needs heating and preparing, it can smell, it's not a convenient 'squeeze and yer done' solution, but it has the delightful characteristic that it is a 100% reversible glue (warm water softens it). It's strong, too.

For repairing old chairs (not restoring valuable antiques), I have found ordinary round toothpicks to be a very important tool in my shop arsenal.
As said, clean, however you can, the old glue off. I'll use any good glue such as the Titebond mentioned, seat in hole, then in an inconspicuous spot, drill a small hole and glue in the toothpick as a dowel. Sand flush and use a drop of stain to match.
If the hole has enlarged from wiggle and wear, I use short lengths of toothpick to take up the extra space. Same with screw holes, I almost always insert a short piece of toothpick, add glue then rescrew.

Bugger!!
Rifleman has discovered my low cost.....buy 'em by the thousands....2.5mm dowells with pointy ends.
Good things.

Hi Jenkinsr, is the white remnant of the glue really white or just a trick of the light? This was a period when manufacturers were trying new glues and varnishes, not all of which worked. I wondered if the original glue could be casein, a milk based one.
Nice looking chairs and a piece of history in themselves.
cheers,
Jim

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

My strong recommendation for any piece of furniture with historical value is to use hide glue. Yes, it needs heating and preparing, it can smell, it's not a convenient 'squeeze and yer done' solution, but it has the delightful characteristic that it is a 100% reversible glue (warm water softens it). It's strong, too.

OK, thanks for the feedback. I see from other posts that I can use a wax melting pot from a beauticians kit to melt the glue, so that makes life a bit easier. Interesting stuff...

On investigation, Titebond make a product called Liquid Hide, which they say is the same stuff in a tube but with longer assembly time: Titebond Liquid Hide
Anyone have any thoughts/experiences with this one?

Originally Posted by jimbur

Hi Jenkinsr, is the white remnant of the glue really white or just a trick of the light? This was a period when manufacturers were trying new glues and varnishes, not all of which worked. I wondered if the original glue could be casein, a milk based one.
Nice looking chairs and a piece of history in themselves.
cheers,
Jim

It's a trick of the light Jim. The wood is quite pale and where it's been rubbing it's powdery white. The glue residue I can find is tan/brown and softens in steam. Unfortunately the steam also makes the finish bloom white and seems to break it down. I'm guessing it's Shellac or some sort of early lacquer.

I find the chairs comfortable, except the one where the seat is secured with completely inappropriate chipboard screws that poke through the cover into my ####.

Does sound like hide glue, so if possible it's best to stick to it. (sorry didn't mean the pun).
Cheers,
JIm

The steam softened lacquer/shellac if left undisturbed to dry hard again , will probably polish up ok when the repairs are finished .
The mistake that a lot of folk often make with varnishes lacquers and shellacs when the finish has suffered a wet accident is to rush in to try and hide the water mark with furniture polish .The thing usual hides for a bit and then reappears.
If left to dry and harden up again , they tend to buff up ok without much heartache

a crock pot is good for melting hide glue
i use a SS jar type container sitting in the water of the crock pot

works for me

as above if its been glued with hide, animal or pearl as it may also be called, stay with that

Originally Posted by jenkinsr

I can use a wax melting pot from a beauticians kit to melt the glue.

eeeewww - those liitle "watch springs" can make a mess of your finish

Originally Posted by Ian Smith

eeeewww - those liitle "watch springs" can make a mess of your finish

Keep your mind above your navel Ian...lol