Trying to repair loose joints on INDOOR teak chair

Soak it in water..... Like a dried out splitting mall or ax....handles get loose. I know.....what a dumb idea... john

I have loose joints in my teak chair where the seat joins the back. At first I tried taking some yellow glue that I watered down a little so it would drip into the joint. No success. This method has always worked in the past. Next I tried a product from Veritas called Chair Doctor glue. No success. The chair is at least 30 years old. I don't think the teak is still oily so I have resisted taking oil off with acetone, especially since I have been able to make other repairs in the past. I don't want to use any gorilla glue or polyurethane glue due to the squeeze out mess.

I am looking for ideas folks!

TIA.

Dick Snyder

Is there any way you can fit wedges into the tenons? Presuming these are mortise/tenon joints. Another thought. Clamp the joints hard and drill through legs & tenons. Glue in hardwood dowels and make good as necessary. Nick.

The legs are very visible where I would have to drill. Even if I made teak dowels, they would be very visible. It is a good idea as a last chance move. I can not put wedges in for the same reason - visibility.

Need more information, without which any advice is assumption based:

What kind of joint?

Pictures?

How loose are they? What kind of joints? Any mechanical fasteners?

The outside surfaces of the legs are very visible. Even if I could make a perfect dowel from teak or at least a teak cap on a dowel hole, it would be quite visitble on the chair. If I can't come up with something else, I will try that path but I hope I can find another way Nick.

There are two tenons coming from the chair frame to the leg

Pretty loose. I have glued them before with yellow glue thinned with a little warm water but it isn't working this time. No mechanical fasteners. Just mortise and tenon.

" I am looking for ideas folks! TIA. Dick Snyder"

Still don't know size, thickness and how much room you have to work with, and since previous attempts at gluing have not worked, do you feel up to pegging the tenons, perhaps using an epoxy as the adhesive?

Or is that two tenons coming from the seat frame? Two tenons at each of t he 2 back corners of the seat frame? Hence, there are 2 mortises, 90 degr ees to one another, one on each of 2 faces of each back leg? Like this: h ttps://

If the above is correct, are there no other joints, on the chair, loose?

Sonny

Is it possible to disassemble them?

Is it possible to cut a fine "saw kerf" and install wedges? Like a Fein Tool kerf? I know, you want to be cosmetic. I have old chairs (1906), and the joints wore out. They are difficult to repair. Nice oak.....too. I like the idea of steel pins..... lots of ideas.... john

I have loose joints in my teak chair where the seat joins the back. At first I tried taking some yellow glue that I watered down a little so it would drip into the joint. No success. This method has always worked in the past. Next I tried a product from Veritas called Chair Doctor glue. No success. The chair is at least 30 years old. I don't think the teak is still oily so I have resisted taking oil off with acetone, especially since I have been able to make other repairs in the past. I don't want to use any gorilla glue or polyurethane glue due to the squeeze out mess.

I am looking for ideas folks!

TIA.

Dick Snyder

Caillouet@ (the obvious) Previous attempts until now have worked but not any more. I could peg the tenons but then this chair would look different than it's 5 other brothers and sisters. I may not have any choice but I am hoping to keep it looking the same.

I *hope* you can see a picture here

Dick

Or is that two tenons coming from the seat frame? Two tenons at each of the 2 back corners of the seat frame? Hence, there are 2 mortises, 90 degrees to one another, one on each of 2 faces of each back leg? Like this:

If the above is correct, are there no other joints, on the chair, loose?

Sonny

Both of the rear joints are loose, one worse than the other:

This is a picture of a healthy chair, not the one I am working on

Dick

I think I will have to do that. Here is a picture of a healthy chair to give you and idea of what I am talking about

Dick

Yipes! I hope I don't have to go there but thanks for the idea if all else fails.

Here is a picture to help you visualize

Dick

------------------------------------------------------------- Do yourself a favor and forget gorilla glue or polyurethane glue.

Strictly garbage.

At 30 years of age, these chairs don't owe you anything but you do owe them something.

You are probably not going to like my approach because it is a LOT of work, but here goes.

Start by taking chair apart and clean out all the old adhesives back to bare wood.

Dry fit all the pieces back together and blue tape the exposed surfaces to prevent squeeze out problems later.

Now take all pieces apart and arrange for glue up using laminating epoxy with a slow hardener which will give you about 25 minute pot life at 25C (77F).

You may also need some microballoons to thicken the epoxy.

Once you start playing with the mixed resin/hardener, you'll figure that out.

Once assembled, use those cloth straps to hold pieces in position.

Allow 2-3 days for epoxy to trip and cure past green state, but not fully cured.

At this point, remove straps and tape.

Talk to System 3 for the particular epoxy they suggest for this application.

They have a very good tech service group.

This time around, the epoxy joints will outlast the wood.

Have fun.

Lew

---------------------------------------------- Google wants me to sign in.

SCREW THAT NOISE.

Lew