Which adhesive?

[MJP]

I've got an old wobbly four-legged stool which I've dismantled and cleaned up.

The holes are pretty worn from years of wobbling so I need a glue which will gap-fill and set as slowly as possible since I'm a beginner and there are twelve glued joints and four wedges to set.

I've got Evo-Stik Resin W, Titebond Hide glue (the ready made one in a bottle) and Lumberjack 5 minute PU glue.

Now The PU glue is out, I need more than five minutes to panic when I try to glue this up -
I believe that the hide glue is slower than the resin W so would that be the best option? Would hide glue be strong enough for a stool's heavy use? Or would I be better off buying a two-pack epoxy to use?

Martin.

 

[Peter Capon]

Polyurethane glue 5 minute or 30 minute if you need time to adjust

Pete

 

[Trevanion]

If you use the PU on joints that aren’t tight they’ll work loose just as quick as you glued it. It’s technically gap filling but it does absolutely nothing for strength as it’s just a weak foam.

Definitely better off with an epoxy for that job.

 

[MJP]

Yes, that's what I though too - my brief use of PU glue didn't impress me that much.
Looks like a need a nice couple of bottles of epoxy.
Any recommended brand/source?
Martin.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pacer-Zap-PT ... SwjONduZCI

hunt for price, though this one is good.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

I suspect that probably what's really needed is some repair work to the joints to make them close fitting again prior to reassembly and gluing up. However, for whatever reason you may not have the ability to do this effectively, or perhaps the joints aren't too bad - no idea really from your description. So maybe you could get away with using an adhesive with gap filling capabilities, and you mention epoxy resin, which does have that ability.

Have a look at this link about half down the page at the slow set West Epoxy resin, and use one of the fillers, either the microfibre filler or the colloidal filler, both of which thicken the resin. As an alternative, you might look at their Six10 epoxy which comes in a tube ready to be squirted into the joints with the use of a caulking frame gun, and has an approximate working time of about 45 minutes. Slainte.

 

[MJP]

Thanks both.
Epoxy it is then - I think I'll try the Z-Pacer 30 minute one on ebay for £16.49 since the West Systems slow one on Ax is £52!
Thanks again both.
Martin.

 

[MikeG.]

Don't rely on the glue (or epoxy) to repair this for you. I think you are going to need to repair the joints such that they fit properly. A look at the stool in question would be handy. If the legs penetrate the top then you might be able to wedge them. If they don't, then you might be able to plant a sliver of wood onto the face of the tenons to get them to fit. If they don't have tenons, and have just dowels, then you might as well cut it up and put it in your woodstore...but you could try drilling the dowels out and fitting slightly larger ones.

 

[MJP]

Thanks Mike.

This is a learning experience as much as anything - it's just an old stool of my daughter's which might well get thrown out anyway.

The legs originally socketed into the top without penetrating but I've bored right through the top now and intend to wedge the legs then cover the top with, effectively, a thick veneer.

I've shaped the top of the legs so that they fit rather more snugly into the holes into the seat - making the height about an inch lower but hopefully no-one will notice!

If it works, it works. If it doesn't, well, I'm no worse off than at the start and I've learned something!

Martin.

 

[Suffolkboy]

I suspect that probably what's really needed is some repair work to the joints to make them close fitting again prior to reassembly and gluing up. However, for whatever reason you may not have the ability to do this effectively, or perhaps the joints aren't too bad - no idea really from your description. So maybe you could get away with using an adhesive with gap filling capabilities, and you mention epoxy resin, which does have that ability.

Have a look at this link about half down the page at the slow set West Epoxy resin, and use one of the fillers, either the microfibre filler or the colloidal filler, both of which thicken the resin. As an alternative, you might look at their Six10 epoxy which comes in a tube ready to be squirted into the joints with the use of a caulking frame gun, and has an approximate working time of about 45 minutes. Slainte.

This will definitely do it.

I have used quite a bit of west for all sorts of applications. I think I would use the microfibers for this situation.

Loads of time to play with your joints and once it's stuck... It's stuck.

Don't over mix and leave too much in a container. It goes off with an exothermic reaction and can set fire if it's thrown in a bin etc.

 

[Suffolkboy]

Don't rely on the glue (or epoxy) to repair this for you. I think you are going to need to repair the joints such that they fit properly. A look at the stool in question would be handy. If the legs penetrate the top then you might be able to wedge them. If they don't, then you might be able to plant a sliver of wood onto the face of the tenons to get them to fit. If they don't have tenons, and have just dowels, then you might as well cut it up and put it in your woodstore...but you could try drilling the dowels out and fitting slightly larger ones.

If it's just a gap in the joints then epoxy will absolutely fix it.