Subject: Techniques for Ungluing Wood Joints?

From: [email-masked] (John Adamson)
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 23:21:28 GMT

Hello!

I have a very large piece of furniture I'm attempting to get through a
very small door, relatively speaking.  I have most of the puzzle
solved, but the final piece involves removing a 3' x 6' panel that was
screwed and glued on three edges.  Is there anything that can break
the glue bond without destroying the wood or the surrounding finish?
(Although most of the area surrounding the joints is not visible) The
wood is "solid core" with an oak finish; the furniture was
manufactured in the late 1970's.  A friend suggested vinegar.  

Here's a crude attempt at an ASCII drawing of the problem, with
arrowheads pointing at the edges that are glued (use a fixed width
font).  

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

John P. Adamson

                    ____________
                   /           /|
                  +-----------+ |
                  |</   ^    >| /  
                  |/          |/

         +------------+
         |    panel   |  
         |            |  
         +------------+

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From: [email-masked] (Wayne R. Miller)
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 05:15:51 GMT

>Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

A bit of moist heat might do it, John. Try putting a damp towel over
the affected area and touching an iron to it. You'd want to only apply
the heat to an inconspicuous area. I've heard about using vinegar as
well although I've not tried it.

Wayne Miller
Badger Pond Woodworking
Harpers Ferry, WV
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (David Meiland)
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 03:00:04 GMT

When luthiers need to remove the neck of an instrument, they often
remove the fret directly above the neck joint, drill a small hole in
the fret slot, and use a basketball needle, tube, and teakettle to
pump steam into the joint. This softens the glue so the neck can be
removed. Maybe you could use a technique like this...?

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From: [email-masked] (Craig1708)
Date: 11 Feb 1997 23:57:16 GMT

One problem with furniture from the latter part of the 20thC. is that
manufactuers
have used such a wide variety of synthetic glues that no one answer is
available.
Vinegar (5% acetic acid) will breakdown a variety of glues like aliphatic
(Titebond) or polyvinyl acetates (Elmer's white glue) enough to persude
them apart, the trick being getting in direct contact with the glue, not
an easy task.
Steam, as mentioned earlier in regards to violins, works with hide glue,
which is what violin makers used, but I doubt the piece in question has
it.
I wish I could be more helpful, but I thought I would pass this info
along.

**************************************************************************
Craig Deller
The Deller Conservation Group Ltd
Geneva, Illinois
USA
[email-masked]                "Conservators make it last longer"
http://home.aol.com/DELLERCON
***************************************************************************

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From: [email-masked] (David Roseman)
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 03:54:32 GMT

On Mon, 10 Feb 1997 23:21:28 GMT, [email-masked] (John Adamson)
wrote:

>  Is there anything that can break

Doubt that it is hide glue, given the age of the piece, but won't hurt
to try this traditional trick just in case (learned from a Bob Flexner
video on furniture repair):   A small amount of solvent alcohol wicked
into the joint (or injected through a tiny drilled holes, will
instantly crystalize the glue so that it will fracture apart when the
joint is gently tapped with a deadblow hammer.  If you try this, test
the finish first to make sure it isn't dissolved by alcohol. dcr

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 12 Feb 1997 15:11:15 GMT

In a call to Franklin the rep said that both vinegar and heat will work on
the white glues like heat works on hide glue.