# Ungluing a drawer.



## Jacob (16 Aug 2021)

Got a trad drawer to mend all heavily glued together with trad bone glue.
Will try to separate joints with hot air gun, or iron, and damp cloth.
Just wondered if anybody had any useful suggestions which might make it easier.
More of a prob than some as it's a fairly hefty drawer with thick sides and large glued area surfaces
Some hints here already disassembling a hardened PVA glue-up. I guess if it works for PVA it should be easier with bone glue.


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## Setch (16 Aug 2021)

Sometimes a sharp blow with a mallet will break the brittle glueline with hide glue, but this is obviously an approach not without risk!

Hide is much more susceptible to moisture and heat rather than dry heat, in fact it is very popular as a glue in luthiery for this reason - it can withstand dry heat better than almost any other glue, but will release quite easily when water is added to the equation.

Edit 
**oops, didn't read carefully enough. Is bone glue different from hide glue?**


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## rob1693 (16 Aug 2021)

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How to use Bone glue | FINE TOOLS


Bone glue, made of animal bones, as the name suggests, was in general use among cabinetmakers for centuries. Bone was ground into powder, dissolved in water, evaporated and dried into a hard jelly. Bone glue is completely safe and environmentally benign.



www.fine-tools.com





According to this just apply heat presume a heat gun would work


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## Droogs (16 Aug 2021)

Leave it in front of a halogen heater, it will heat up the material over a few hours without burning and you can then tap it apart.


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## dzj (16 Aug 2021)

A luthier I know once told me he uses alcohol when removing the top or back of a violin.
I've never tried it though.


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## Jacob (16 Aug 2021)

dzj said:


> A luthier I know once told me he uses alcohol when removing the top or back of a violin.
> I've never tried it though.


Dutch courage?


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## Droogs (16 Aug 2021)

If you have some try acetone


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## dzj (16 Aug 2021)

Jacob said:


> Dutch courage?


He he, no, I believe he introduced the alc. only in the joint with a syringe.
98% alcohol would be too much even for him.


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## AJB Temple (16 Aug 2021)

De-natured alcohol works very well on old thin hide or fish glue joints and is (as above from djz) a traditional way with violin, cello etc tops. Works well (done it several times under instruction in Italy). Usual approach was a thin brush, and/or cotton buds, and inject with a syringe for stubborn areas at the same time as applying a little heat (old hair dryer). Will not necessarily work on very wide joints (finger boards) without a little persuasion with a flexible palette knife as used by artists.

For furniture joints, that fail to respond to a hairdryer, I use a Karcher steamer (ideal for cleaning ovens) (any brand of steamer - or oven) and this has never failed me.


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## Just4Fun (16 Aug 2021)

I tried a steamer and it started to adversely affect the finish on the piece before it freed the joint so I had to find an alternative method.


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## Jacob (16 Aug 2021)

Thanks for suggestions. I've got a 500w halogen studio lamp and might have a go with that. Can just leave it while I do something else and just make sure it's not getting too hot.
I wondered about steam - pressure cooker produces a nice focussed blast.
It's a very ordinary bit of furniture and it's been caustic dipped so I'm not risking much if I mess it up.
Come to think it would be easier to make a complete new drawer!


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## thetyreman (18 Aug 2021)

heat/steam is your best bet, I would just use an iron and tea towel soaked in water. Might actually be easier to make a new one...


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## profchris (18 Aug 2021)

I'd use the heat lamp on the unfinished side, heat until the opposite side is hot to the touch. Then steam the non finished side or dribble warm water into the joint. After about 5 mins to let the glue reactivate it should wiggle apart.


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## scholar (20 Aug 2021)

I have watched a few videos by this guy 
He uses a hot air gun to take joints apart, and always sets a timer - I haven’t tried to see what settings/timings he uses, but the above video shows him softening some glue at 19mins.

Cheers


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## scholar (20 Aug 2021)

Incidentally, I used this hot air gun technique to take apart some bits, where I didn’t need to be too careful, but it is easy to scorch the wood, hence Tom Johnson’s use of a timer, I guess.

Cheers


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## Jacob (20 Aug 2021)

scholar said:


> Incidentally, I used this hot air gun technique to take apart some bits, where I didn’t need to be too careful, but it is easy to scorch the wood, hence Tom Johnson’s use of a timer, I guess.
> 
> Cheers


Thanks for that I'll have a closer look. Going to have a go with halogen heat first as it's easiest and can be left to cook slowly.


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