Oak Writing Desk

[J-G]

I agree Ian, but as the desk top is supported by the two pedestals with something like 600mm between them, the chance of 'flexing' is somewhat slim.

The Desk in question is apparently about 750 x 1500mm.

 

[Dizzwold]

HI Guys,

Thank you again for your thoughts and advice.

This afternoon I tried my steam device on one of the oak face ply panels. II can say I didn't achieve much except a lot of mess, soft ply, soft oak and 2 bent scrapers.
I think I'm going to have to get a little more destructive with removing the damaged panels. Cut them out close to the oak, soften what remains of the oak faced ply, rake it out, maybe get a saw in there to clean it out/ a demel style tool or route out the ones I can completely remove with a slot cutter.

I honestly don't know what glue may have been used. On one of the drawers that's had previous damage, someone had gummed it back together with what looked like rubber tyre cement/evostik.

Any thoughts on other ways to dissolve this unknown glue?
I have 99% IPA, Acetone and Cellulose thinners to hand.
I did read somewhere that meths will dissolve PVA, but meths in the UK has a purple dye add which will just completely shaft the oak, that's even if it is pva.
I guess I'm going to have to experiment in places unseen and see what happens.

I'm going to replace all the drawer bottom, they were all about cream crackerred. Bowed, buckled, ink everywhere.

 

[XTiffy]

A couple of points,
That size of desk if fitted with a leather insert would have two choices. 1. A skiver, normally sheep leather but would need to be in two pieces for that size) . The leather being enbossed in three panels the join being one third so that the embossing covers the join. A skiver is quite thin (it is split in thickness ) typically around 1mm thick. A one piece would be a hide which is much thicker 2-3mm thick. Very much more expensive.
2. Cleaning glue, a hot air heat gun is invaluable for Hide (Scotch) glue, play the heat over the area and use a thin scraper to lift an edge then gradually work across the surface and not concentrating on one spot. Boiling water will soften PVA, sticky label remover will soften impact glues (Evostik etc.).