Expert: Jamie Yocono - 8/7/2008

Question
Jamie,
I am involved with refinishing several Antique Dressers.  All are quality construction; Mahogany with Oak frame.  I noticed that several joints "creak" when I move the piece but otherwise, each piece seems solid.  
My question is concerning the few joints that "creep".  Is there a Hot Glue Gun or System that I could use to "Pump" an adhesive/glue into the dry joints.  I was picturing drilling a glue "port" of approximate 1/8" or more in an inconspicuous place to allow the glue to reach the dry joint.  Initially I thought of using a "Caulking Gun" with appropriate glue/adhesive and put the small tip right into the "port". Or, is there a glue gun that would provide positive pressure to "pump" into this "port"?  Would I get better results using a Hot Glue Gun or a Caulking Gun with
Wood Adhesive?
Thanks,
Paul

Answer
Hi Paul,

The reason those joints have started creeping is because the wood has dried over time, and probably shrunken somewhat. While some glues have gap filling properties, the ones you mentioned aren't really good for that. The "body" of hot glue just has no strength, nor does caulk. So those will not solve your problem.

That said- you could try to find a glue that might work better, with some gap filling properties, like a Titebond II, but frankly, I don't love that stuff. On the bottle, it says to shake the glue before using. That's like trying to shake a bottle of maple syrup. It's very hard to do, and I never know if I've done it enough.

I have two suggestions, and either one might work. If you're industrious, you might want to try both.

There is a product called "Chair Loc" that is pretty innovative, but has been around for a long time. Basically, you drill a tiny hole into the wood joint, and squirt some of the Chair-Loc into it. It's not a glue, though. It swells the wood fibers, and makes the joint tighter. I remember learning about it years ago, I think I was in college and was taking a refinishing class.  I've pasted a link to their website below, so you can read about it. Frankly, their website seems a little lame to me, so I've also pasted another couple of links that describe it better. The links are to two woodworking stores that sell the product. Seems like the last link offers the best price, and gives you more stuff, like the bottle of Chair-Loc and a couple of syringes to get good penetration.

http://www.ambroid.com/Chair-Loc.html

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11264

http://www.constantines.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=16

If you don't want to try the Chair-Loc, you can try gluing and pinning the joints. What I mean is- you're going to have to clean each joint out. There can't be any excess old glue, or the new glue won't hold. So clean the joints carefully, glue them with a good glue, like regular Titebond wood glue. You'll need to probably clamp it while it's drying, it's really the best way to get the glue to set properly.  

You didn't really mention the type of joint that is loose, but if it's something like a mortise and tenon, you could drill a small hole in the joint after the glue is dry, and pin it. A hole size of about 1/8" through the outside part of the joint into the tenon. That's the part that goes into the mortise, or square hole. And into that hole, you'll insert a 1/8" dowel. That size of a dowel is so tiny, you can cut it with good utility scissors or even wire cutters. Sand it off flush, and you've "pinned" your joint. That makes it very strong, and much less likely to ever separate. If you drill toward the inside of the piece, you won't even see the pins when you're done.

After typing all this, it sounds rather labor intensive compared to the Chair-Loc. You can decide which you'd like to do. But remember- that old glue really needs to be cleaned out somewhat, regardless of which method you choose. It's a miserable, painstaking job, one that I usually dread. Sorry.

OK, Good luck, I hope this helps. Please feel free to write back if you have any further questions after reading this.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com