Gluing pine kitchen chairs

quinnthebin

I have a set of 6 pine kitchen chairs (2 are carvers). Two of them are in pieces as the turned legs and rails have come apart and a third is following closely behind. The joints are loose (joints are just turned legs inserted into round holes in rails and under seat). Was wondering if anyone could recommend:
1. A glue to use and;
2. How I might clamp them together while setting.

I've previously tried regular PVA wood glue with no success (probably largely as a result of not clamping but also due to joints not fitting snugly)

Any advice would be appreciated.

SpitfireIV

PVA should do the job quinn provided its a good snug joint and the mortises/tenons dont have any varnish/oil on or in them, they'd have to be clean so to allow the glue to get purchase on the bare wood. If the joints arent tight cut a few slivers of wood and slip them up into the joint. With chairs you need to use straps to clamp them up, bar/sash clamps arent of much use as they usually cant get a good purchase on the pieces and is often the case the pieces are at angles etc.

You could use the heavy duty nylon straps with the ratchet on them, or, a cheaper way, which, I cant find a picture of, is using some rope (similar to what you'd use for a washing line) tying this into a loop around the two pieces to be clamped together, then, getting a bar, or a piece of wood, twisting this around the rope and keep turning it until the two pieces get pulled together good and tight! The bar that you are twisting obviously is going to have a tendancy to unwind, at a fast rate! So wedge/lock this behind a spindle or something.


Edit: found a pic which might explain, see the image below. Its being used here to clamp a box together, but, you get the idea

quinnthebin

Thanks for the comprehensive advice - sounds great. I was a few chairs short this evening for a few friends calling round so I'd better get moving on this now I've no excuses

jack of all

I might be too late but could I suggest using "gorilla glue" (an expanding polyurethane glue) instead of PVA. I have used this in the past to repair loose furniture, especially chairs. It expands before curing and works well when your joints are not as snug as they should be (as can often the case on a lot of pine chairs). Also try and remove as much of the old glue as possible or roughen up the mating parts with abrasive paper to give a good key.

SpitfireIV

jack of all wrote: »

I might be too late but could I suggest using "gorilla glue" (an expanding polyurethane glue) instead of PVA. I have used this in the past to repair loose furniture, especially chairs. It expands before curing and works well when your joints are not as snug as they should be (as can often the case on a lot of pine chairs). Also try and remove as much of the old glue as possible or roughen up the mating parts with abrasive paper to give a good key.

Good point, never thought of the Magilla glue (made from real Gorillas! ). If you do want to use it get the smallest bottle possible as it doesnt have a long shelf life and DONT get it on your hands as its a bitch to get off (even when you think you've cleaned it off black stains will appear on your hands for days after!)

jack of all

CroppyBoy1798 wrote: »

DONT get it on your hands as its a bitch to get off (even when you think you've cleaned it off black stains will appear on your hands for days after!)

Tell me about it! I was building a sled for the kids to use in the snow and in my haste I didn't bother taking the usual precaution of wearing some latex gloves, my hands are destroyed! Still, small price to pay for the fun!

quinnthebin

jack of all wrote: »

I might be too late but could I suggest using "gorilla glue" (an expanding polyurethane glue) instead of PVA. I have used this in the past to repair loose furniture, especially chairs. It expands before curing and works well when your joints are not as snug as they should be (as can often the case on a lot of pine chairs). Also try and remove as much of the old glue as possible or roughen up the mating parts with abrasive paper to give a good key.

Thanks - have heard gorilla glue is good but I've never used it - sounds perfect.

Definitely not too late - when i said I would get moving - I meant someday soon

tabby aspreme

if using polyureathane glue be sure to wet both surfaces before you apply the glue as this helps it to foam and fill the joint ,leave any glue that pushes out of the joint to harden before you try to clean it up , poly glue is great stuff and you should be able to remove clamps in under an hour