Wood Repairs

[baileyuph]

As part of other upholstery work just got in a number of beautiful solid oak kitchen chairs.
In short the issue is the seat board is cut from a series of boards edge joined at factory and the glue joins are separating.  Wood still good.

What I will do is spread further the factory joins and work glue down into join and then
clamp over night.  To insure a good geometric join is clamp both ways (side to side and 90 degrees to that).  I have done a lot of this and it is repeat/referral business. 

Helps pay the bills.

I got to wondering if 24 hours is enough clamp time?  Just wanted to run this by the more experienced in wood in case more time is required.  The wood doesn't look like there is warp.

I will have to do 4 or 5 of these at a time (clamps reach a point of being limited).

This keeps me busy while I put tops on convertibles, the marine, and furniture uph.

Never a dull is there.

Hope all is well,

Doyle

[kodydog]

If I'm following you the seat is a screw on seat that is made from 4 boards usually joined with tongue and grove joinery or some other fancy type of joinery. And then webbed and padded. Either way it has been my experience if I want the joint to hold tight I knock it apart and sand, scrap or chisel all the old glue off before I reglue and clamp them back together.

[byhammerandhand]

A lot depends on what type of glue you are using.  Your glue mfr will normally tell you clamp time and time before use.

You should try to get out what old glue you can.  Most glues (including PVA glues) don't stick well to old glue.

Another technique is to run a bead of glue across the open seam.   Then take a shop-vac and suck through from the other side.   If the split is not all the way through, you can get hypodermic syringes at most pharmacies (used by diabetics).  I use 23 ga.  

In tough situations, I've used pocket screws or dutchman/viking/butterfly to secure the joint.

[baileyuph]

Thanks for the tips on clamp time.  I will use professional grade of Titebond Original.

These chairs are all wood (nothing else involved).

Legs/rungs/spindles are all lathe work.

Problem could be stated as not wood breakage, but factory glue breakdown in seat where
seat boards are glued between flat surfaces.

Yes, I am able to clean most edges where separation occurs.

What I do is lightly pry apart to clean and add glue, then clamp......overnight. 

I like the idea of using vacuum to get the glue internally.  Slick, new one on me.

I will read the glue labels again as suggested, my curiosity about clamp time if the pressure over extended time might be needed to combat any changes in wood due to humidity or.....?

Nice chairs, built by Virginia House, probably 35 years or so old.
 
When I clamp them, an effort is made to do it on a level surface, an accuracy measure.

Again thanks,

Doyle

[MinUph]

  Doyle,
  Overnight has been enough for me with titebond original in most all cases. I do find Florida to be a little different in that glues seesm to take longer to dry. Not in this type of case but in my filler made from glue and sawdust.
  So overnight is long enough for edge gluing.
  Also in thread is the mention of sand paper. I would not sand glue off. It will remove some wood in the process and the joint will suffer. Not to nitpick just my opinion.
  I had an antique chair in today with a broken wing (all exposed wood) repaired by the customer of course, and the repair failed leaving glue all over the joint. I took me 4-5 hours of spraying water and picking out all the glue to get beck to clean wood. Actually worked out for me because I have a torn rotator cuff and couldn't do anything else. I hope I can do more tomorrow when the shot kicks in. :)

[SteveA]

There is always a decision whether it's worth the effort to disengage the legs and arms to do the seat joints correctly.  The original glue was probably urea resin and forcing yellow glue down in the joint will do an OK job but not the best repair.  I like hammers idea of putting pocket screws underneath if you're not doing a full disassembly but use polyurethane glue or epoxy since your not scraping the joints clean.  They also make a pocket screw wood plug filler which will hide the screws from your customer.
SA

[byhammerandhand]

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