removing laminate from a chest

[chizlr40]

i have recently picked up a old cedar chest that was used in the old days to store stuff and keep moths out. my ma gave to to me and i am gonna try and get the laminate off with as little damage to the underlying wood. its from the 50's and she finally realized she aint gonna wear her wedding dress again. its a red cedar and would look great in a future project. any ideas? or am i just gonna do the best i can with a chisel and hammer. thanks

[mike4244]

Use lacquer thinner if the glue was contact cement. Try and lift a corner with a putty knife,drizzle in the thinner. If this fails then rout the laminate off, plane or sand the bare top.I would not chisel it, the cedar make break off in long strands.
mike

[Splinter Puller]

You can sometimes soften the laminate and glue with a heatgun and then peel the laminate off with a putty knife. Solvent to remove the glue residue.

[Cooler]

Splinter Puller said:

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You can sometimes soften the laminate and glue with a heatgun and then peel the laminate off with a putty knife. Solvent to remove the glue residue.

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My thought too. But I would try a household iron. Set it on the hottest setting and work from one side with a paint scraper to peel up the laminate. That should work with contact cement.

But I re-glued the laminate in our office with carpenters glue and I don't know if that would work in that case.

I would certainly try heat before I tried any solvents.

[John Mihich]

Scraper or chisels. The heat gun may help but I have done a number of things like this and just pry the stuff off. Just take your time. Once off sand it as smooth as you can. Any dings fill them with wood putty, sand smooth, clean really well - acetone is good - then put new laminate on it. If it's a flat surface use the peel and stick laminate - just make sure you rub the surface to get good contact.

If you use a chisel use the flat edge down and go at it with the chisel parallel to the surface.

[Steve N]

Likely the veneer was applied with hide glue. Hide glues major strength is it's completely reversible with moisture, and heat. A steam iron, and spritz, and move the iron around, spritz, and move. Use a thin putty knife to try to gain purchase of a corner. Once it starts coming off you just have that much longer to go. It can be a sloooooooo process.

I wouldn't use any heavy chemicals until you are certain it isn't hide glue. If warping isn't a concern you can increase moisture, and use a heat gun.

Have fun

[fredhargis]

The heat gun would be my first choice until you see how it goes. Change tatics depending on the results.

[clockman]

I would guess the chest may be veneered, as my mothers lane hope chest is of the same era. my grandmothers which is from the 30's is solid wood.

[chizlr40]

thanks for all the sugestions. i am not goin to redo the chest i want to disassemble it and use to wood for something else. i have a industrial heat gun at work so i will give that a try first. havent looked that closely but doesnt look like a veneer

[John Mihich]

The wood under the veneer is probably going to be poplar. Of the few I have done they all had poplar as the wood in between. It will not be one big piece either. It will be usable but not premier wood.