How should I tack this veneer back down?

[Monty]

Approximately 50 year-old piece... refinishing... card scraper... should have zigged when I zagged... yea, I know better. :eusa_doh:

I'm thinking hide glue? I don't have any experience with the stuff. Any advice appreciated.

 

[DaveO]

Any glue, I would use TB, clamp it tight with some painters tape, and Bob's your Uncle.

BTW Monty, It **** good to see you around here. You've been missed!!!!!!!!!!!

Dave

 

[FredP]

i would use contact cement. brush both side let dry and stickit. welcome back monty. good to hear from ya.:icon_thum

 

[Monty]

It's good to be back! I'm a little worried about squeeze-out ruining the finish... I suppose painter's tape would help prevent that, but this is a very visible area and really I don't want to risk screwing it up (again). I've had plenty of experience with TB and contact cement, as well as plastic resin glue. I recently heard that hide glue would not affect the finish, and that's why I was thinking of trying that, but I've never worked with it and I don't know if that's the best choice here.

 

[Glennbear]

I vote for contact cement also. Blue tape masking during application and 0% chance of squeeze out since it will be dry when you stick the veneer to the substrate. :wsmile:

 

[froglips]

If it was hide glued, I'd recommend sticking (har har) with it.

You can easily test for hide glue, a tiny bit of denatured alchohol will crystalize hide glue. With heat, it will revert back to glue, so it won't ruin the joint. Hot water will also reactivate the glue, so a drop or so and the glue should become tacky again.

You can buy bottled liquid hide glue (Old Brown Glue or Titebond), but check the freshness date, if its more than a year old, don't go with it. You can test it with a drop between your thumb and pointer finger, if it doesn't get stringy/tacky within 30 odd seconds of pulling your fingers apart, its probably gone bad.

Hot hide glue is more involved. If you want to embark upon the joys of hot hide glue, thats a longer discussion. Well worth the effort, IMHO.

Liquid has a longer open time than (unmodified) hot, but hide glue gels. You want the joint as locked in as possible before the gel starts.

To hide glue veneer without ruining the finish, you want to use a dry heat to warm the veneer and substrate.

Hairdryer on low comes to mind.

The old hide glue will reactivate with heat and join with the new glue. One of the many benefits of hide glue.

A little warm water in the joint might also help soften it. Not too much, it weakens the gram strength of the glue. The hot water will soften the old glue.

If its not hide glue, adding hide glue might work. Hide glue is one of the few glues that will adhere to modern glues, but its really hit or miss.

Hide glue won't hurt the finish, but removing it might. I'd try waxing the finished surfaces. That will keep the glue from bonding.

Can you tell that I've been reading "Hide Glue" book from Stephen Shepard? He has a whole chapter on veneer repair.

If there is a "modern" glue, you'd want to try to remove it before adding hide glue. A cabinet scraper and steady hands

Jim

 

[SteveColes]

I'm with Jim, if in fact it is hide glue. if not contact cement.

I hope you be on more often now.

 

[sapwood]

Welcome home, Monty :icon_cheers

I'd go with a nail gun :qleft7:

Roger

 

[Howard Acheson]

If this is a factory made item, most edge veneer is applied with a hot melt adhesive. First thing to try is to use an iron and heat the veneer in place keeping pressure on it as it cools.

If that doesn't work, use your hot melt glue gun. Apply the glue and use masking tape to hold the veneer in place. If you don't get it right, use the iron to reheat.

My third choice would be to use some solvent based contact cement. You can get it in small bottles at many places. Follow the directions carefully.

 

[ErnieM]

It's good to be back! I'm a little worried about squeeze-out ruining the finish

I've repaired the cheek arms of many grand pianos - they look just like the photo you submitted. I would clean the pieces as much as possible with a scraper and/or sandpaper. Then apply Titebond liberally to both surfaces. Let the glue dry completely, then add another coat to each surface. Again, let the glue dry completely. Then take an iron set to medium and iron the two pieces together. The heat will melt and reactivate the glue and leave no residue or glue squeeze out on the finish. No tape or clamps required.

Ernie

 

[froglips]

Ernie, by Titebond, do you mean their liquid hide glue or a PVA?

Jim

I've repaired the cheek arms of many grand pianos - they look just like the photo you submitted. I would clean the pieces as much as possible with a scraper and/or sandpaper. Then apply Titebond liberally to both surfaces. Let the glue dry completely, then add another coat to each surface. Again, let the glue dry completely. Then take an iron set to medium and iron the two pieces together. The heat will melt and reactivate the glue and leave no residue or glue squeeze out on the finish. No tape or clamps required.

Ernie

 

[ErnieM]

Ernie, by Titebond, do you mean their liquid hide glue or a PVA?

Jim

Sorry, I keep forgetting that Titebond makes liquid hide too. I've always used PVA. I think liquid hide glue would work too but it takes much longer to dry.

Ernie

 

[cpowell]

No recommendation on the veneer. Saw your thread and grinned. Nice to read one of your posts again...I really think you inspired several of us to go for it and make a workbench.

This has opened up the handtool world for me. :gar-Bi


Chuck