# Chair repair/reglue - Need help identifying the old glue



## SilverbackReef (Apr 26, 2010)

Have some chairs that are about 15 years old that started getting loose/wobbly. The missus got on me to fix them. I'm thinking "crap, probably doweled…this is gonna be a PITA". I was wrong.

The chairs are actually made pretty well. Good design and well made parts with all M&T joinery. The only problem was at the glue stage. They just plopped a little glue in the bottom of the mortise and shoved the tenon in. No good glue spread on the long grain surfaces.

Given what I learned from the initial loose joints, it's clear that I need to open and reglue almost all of them which means disassembling non-loose joints. So far I've disassembled three joints: first one with hot water, second and third by wrapping with a heating pad for about 30 minutes.

The old glue is dark brown and when the warm joint opens it's a littlle bit gummy. Given that heat is enough to loosen it, the dark brown color, and the warm-gummy consistency; can I assume this is hide glue?

I've never used hide glue (it's on my list of things to learn this year) so I have no experience to tell for myself.

If it is hide glue, based on my reading, it may save me some work in cleaning off the old glue because the fresh glue will soften and mix with it.

Thanks for any thoughts.
-Mark


----------



## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

I think your assumption is correct. Just sand/file the old glue off.


----------



## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

Why use hide glue, unless you just want to say that you did? I'd just pick up a bottle of Titebond and go with that. And a horse will thank you.


----------



## gsurgeon (Aug 25, 2012)

Liquid hide glue is wonderful for gluing chairs because of the long open time. You've got to move pretty fast to glue one up with PVA glue.


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

It sounds like it is hide glue. 
If so there is no need to do any old glue removal at all. 
As for why you would use it …... because it's better glue. 
It is every bit as strong as PVA glues and it is reversible, requires less clamping, and on and on.
I encourage you to get into hide glue, you will likely never go back.

Check out this blog series for the lowdown.


----------



## lepelerin (Jan 13, 2012)

Looks to me like hide glue. I love the long open time. I gave up on PVA glue for indoor projects. 
I just restored 8 very old chairs, took me time however I am very happy with the result. 
I use the old brown glue
http://www.oldbrownglue.com/. I got mine at leevalley


----------



## bobro (Oct 24, 2014)

> It sounds like it is hide glue.
> If so there is no need to do any old glue removal at all.
> As for why you would use it …... because it s better glue.
> It is every bit as strong as PVA glues and it is reversible, requires less clamping, and on and on.
> ...


+1

Restorators, conservators and my mom (deals antique and vintage stuff) will all thank you.


----------



## SilverbackReef (Apr 26, 2010)

Thanks for weighing in folks.

Thanking my lucky stars that these chairs were assembled with hide glue and learned an important lesson.

Looks like I'm taking the hide-glue plunge sooner rather than later.

Just ordered a bottle of liquid OBG and adding a glue pot to the new-tool budget/queue.


----------



## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

Actually in real scientific terms glues have advanced tremendously over even the last decade.I would difintely use a more modern glue.The only thing I might use hide glue would be for marquetry veneer work.Read up before trying it and as said and also my understanding if using another type of glue from the original means the need to remove all the old stuff.Have fun Alistair


----------



## SilverbackReef (Apr 26, 2010)

Hi Folks, just a little update to wrap up this thread.

1) Got all the chairs dissassembled using heat and moisture. Two tenons broke but were easy to fix.

2) Confirmed it's hide glue by mixing bits of it with some fresh. Completely dissolved.

3) For my own sake and the sake of future repairers decided to use "Old Brown Glue" liquid hide glue. Long open time and premixed. Heated in an old 'appetizer' size crock pot that sits nice and stable at 120F. Missus was happy to get another useless item out of the kitchen. (was probably gifted to us 25 years ago…and never used)

4) Using twisted rope for clamping. Back legs have a compound angle that would require a fiddly caul I don't feel like making.

Since I've never built chairs…this was a really educational project. Thanks for all your input!

Attached a photo of the first one glued up and clamped.


----------



## bobro (Oct 24, 2014)

Nice!


----------



## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

Looking at all those ropes and knots, I just have to ask…. is there something you want to tell us that you keep personal? We won't share on the interweb…... we promise!


----------



## bobro (Oct 24, 2014)

> Looking at all those ropes and knots, I just have to ask…. is there is something you want to tell us that you keep personal? We won t share on the interweb…... we promise!
> 
> - Dallas


Yeah, when they say "worse things happen at sea", they might be referring to more colorful shenanigans than we'd assume!


----------

