Dowel Joint repair Arts and Crafts chair
#11
I have an antique mission style chair I am repairing.  Old enough for the wood and glue in the joints to dry out, shrink and become loose over the course of time.

Problem.  The dowels are slightly less than 5/16".  The holes are larger, but definately not 3/8".  I want to clean the old glue out of the holes and buy new dowels so I don't have to clean off the old dowels as well.

These sizes are not standard that I'm aware of.  Is it because they are from a time without a standard size or partly due to shrinkage over time for both the dowel and the holes?

Should I just clean what I have instead of risking damage trying to bore new 3/8" holes with now dowels?
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#12
bore to the next size (3/8")  you will not hurt anything doing so as long as the bores are true to the old holes  

Joe
Let us not seek the Republican Answer , or the Democratic answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future  John F. Kennedy 



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#13
Leave the old glue in the holes and on the dowels, and epoxy it all together.
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#14
What the best epoxy to use that's commonly available?

I was concerned it woulnd't stick to the old glue.
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#15
(03-05-2017, 07:14 PM)JGrout Wrote: bore to the next size (3/8")  you will not hurt anything doing so as long as the bores are true to the old holes  

I don't think I can, that's my concern with re drilling.
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#16
I use Loctite syringes I get at the local hardware store.

It sticks to the old glue, but more importantly the old glue provides teeth and a sort of interlock that keeps the joint from pulling apart again.
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#17
I would use epoxy from the big box stores.  It is easy to mix and you can do small batches.
"I tried being reasonable..........I didn't like it." Clint Eastwood
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#18
(03-05-2017, 07:33 PM)Bill Holt Wrote: I would use epoxy from the big box stores.  It is easy to mix and you can do small batches.

This is the stuff I use:

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/tds/EPXY_5MIN_tds.pdf

If it is older than a year old, I do a test to make sure it cures properly.
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#19
(03-05-2017, 07:25 PM)JKimel Wrote: I don't think I can, that's my concern with re drilling.

Drill the glue out with the properly sized bit then follow up with 3/8 

or just use epoxy after you drill out the glue it will not be as strong but suffice
Let us not seek the Republican Answer , or the Democratic answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future  John F. Kennedy 



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#20
Thanks for the suggestions.
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