# hot glue dilema



## Rob Brown (Jul 7, 2009)

trying to repair a spindle back kitchen chair and discover that someone has tried to reglue the back on this piece using hot glue. Obviously it didn't work, so now I get it to try and fix correctly. They also dropped a dime in the bottom of one hole because the spindle had been shortened years ago, due to unrelated reasons. The dime caused the top of the back assembly to ride high, so none of the spindles would seat properly. I removed the dime by drilling a hole up from the bottom and driving a nail into it, that was easy. Now the question is this-- will reheating the glue let it run enough to get it out of the holes? I don't have a heat gun, so will need to be creative without burning up the chair. Thanks for your ideas.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

IMO, you can't get it hot enough to run. If you can get to it, you might be able to dig it out. Use a 2 part epoxy for a glue.








 








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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Rob Brown said:


> trying to repair a spindle back kitchen chair and discover that someone has tried to reglue the back on this piece using hot glue. Obviously it didn't work, so now I get it to try and fix correctly. They also dropped a dime in the bottom of one hole because the spindle had been shortened years ago, due to unrelated reasons. The dime caused the top of the back assembly to ride high, so none of the spindles would seat properly. I removed the dime by drilling a hole up from the bottom and driving a nail into it, that was easy. Now the question is this-- will reheating the glue let it run enough to get it out of the holes? I don't have a heat gun, so will need to be creative without burning up the chair. Thanks for your ideas.


It's no wonder someone tried to reglue the chair with hot melt glue. The makers of the guns advertise that you can use a hot melt gun for that application. Anyway I usually scrape off as much of the old glue as I can and then soak it with mineral spirits to get the rest of it. Just let the solvent dry well before re-gluing the chair back. I recommend using a slow set two part epoxy.


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## Rob Brown (Jul 7, 2009)

*hot glue*

Okay then. Mineral spirits and two part epoxy. Thanks.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Steve Neul said:


> Anyway I usually scrape off as much of the old glue as I can and then soak it with mineral spirits to get the rest of it. Just let the solvent dry well before re-gluing the chair back.


Mineral spirits has no effect on dried hot glue.








 








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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> Mineral spirits has no effect on dried hot glue.
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It does in my shop.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Steve Neul said:


> It does in my shop.


I figured you would say that, so I conducted a test on 3 different types before I posted the results, and there was no effect. 








 







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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> I figured you would say that, so I conducted a test on 3 different types before I posted the results, and there was no effect.
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I've done it for years on antiques people have used hot glue to put them together and it just lifts out. You have to soak it for hours though. I got the idea from a brand of veneer I was using that had a paper back applied to the wood with hot melt glue. The directions said specifically not to use an oil stain or any finish containing mineral spirits.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Steve Neul said:


> I've done it for years on antiques people have used hot glue to put them together and it just lifts out. You have to soak it for hours though. I got the idea from a brand of veneer I was using that had a paper back applied to the wood with hot melt glue. The directions said specifically not to use an oil stain or any finish containing mineral spirits.


Another interesting story. Paper backed veneer glued with hot melt glue??????








 







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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> Another interesting story. Paper backed veneer glued with hot melt glue??????
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Well I didn't make the stuff, I just read the literature that came with it. I haven't seen that again in many years. I did laminate some of the veneer on some scrap wood and stained it with an oil stain, probably sherwin williams woodclassics and it did delaminate in spots leaving the paper stuck to the wood. I couldn't believe anyone would make a veneer you couldn't use an oil stain.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Steve Neul said:


> Well I didn't make the stuff, I just read the literature that came with it. I haven't seen that again in many years. I did laminate some of the veneer on some scrap wood and stained it with an oil stain, probably sherwin williams woodclassics and it did delaminate in spots leaving the paper stuck to the wood. I couldn't believe anyone would make a veneer you couldn't use an oil stain.


Sounds like a story to cover your claim that mineral spirits will dissolve hot glue. Now it's with the mineral spirits in oil stain. It doesn't dissolve with straight mineral spirits, no less as an ingredient.








 







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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> Sounds like a story to cover your claim that mineral spirits will dissolve hot glue. Now it's with the mineral spirits in oil stain. It doesn't dissolve with straight mineral spirits, no less as an ingredient.
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> ...


If you can't make it work that is your problem or fantasy. It works for me. I'm done on the subject.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Steve Neul said:


> If you can't make it work that is your problem or fantasy. It works for me. I'm done on the subject.


Thank you.:yes:








 





 
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## Trav (May 30, 2011)

As the situation is described, I would use a paddle bit the size of the mortise to clean out the hot glue. The point should register with the hole drilled in the bottom to remove the dime if it was drilled in the center. 

On the hot melt issue, I can say that I also routinely use 3m hot melt on countertops. On corian you can use it to glue clamping blocks to the top, I hold templates together with it, Glue up corner blocks for crown molding, and a host of other things. The 3m adhesive is not the same stuff as the hobby hot glue, you know this the first time you get it on you and cry like a baby from the pain (think napalm). Denatured alcohol causes it to release. I am not sure why, is does not re-emulsify the adhesive. I have always assumed it had something more to do with thermal shock. So there you go, possibly not the same situation, but a solvent does remove hot glue in my shop.


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## builder64 (Jan 1, 2014)

It probably depends on the hot melt brand and ingredients. There are so many varieties.
Alcohol may react with the plasticizers in the glue, but in the OP's scenario, I don't think it will do much good. Maybe if you are just pulling one surface off of another surface. 

If you have disassembled this chair and all the spindles are removed from the holes, why not just re-drill the holes to remove the glue? Then use an epoxy or gorilla glue, which expands.

Whatever you do, remove ALL of the old adhesive, whatever it may be.


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