Subject: Re: How to unglue 100 yr old chair ? Carefully, I know but..

From: [email-masked] (Robert Klein)
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 08:28:12 GMT

Why take it apart?

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On 23 Mar 1997 05:08:30 GMT, [email-masked] (FP1) wrote:

>My daughter wants me to refinish a rocking chair that she bought recently.
>It's presumably 100 years old, mission style, kind of rough and  not the
>best looking thing in the world but ....
>It's made out of oak planks which were bent to form the arms, the back and
>the rockers.  I think the oak will be nice once I strip it but to do that
>I need to take it apart.  It has a few screws - so those are no problem
>but the back and arms are held by glued dowels.
>I need advice on how to soften up the glue and any other hints on the
>refinishing job.
>Thanks in advance
>Frankie

Regards,

Robert Klein
Robert's Antiques and Restoration
Pensacola, FL  32505  USA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you can't find time to do it right the first time,
how are you going to find time to do it over?
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From: [email-masked] (Robert Galloway)
Date: 31 Mar 1997 07:41:52 -0700

I agree with R. Klein.  I'd only take it apart if some of the glue joints 
are already loose.  In that case, take it all apart because it makes the 
stripping so much easier.  If all of the joints are tight, refinish it in 
one piece.  Also, considering the age, have you exhausted the 
possibilities of restoring the existing finish?  Cleaning with soap and 
water followed by paint thinner and possibly "reamalgamation" of a 
shellac or lacquer finish would retain more of the historical value.

rhg

In article <[email-masked]>,