[jhgrahamjr]

Hi,

The Model 43 cabinet of the radio I want to repair is in great shape, except the bottom layer of the plywood base is separating in certain areas. Is there a way to squirt some kind of glue in there, and clamp it together? What glue would you recommend (some seem too thick to pack into a syringe), and what technique to clamp?

Thanks so much!

[klondike98]

I have been able to get Elmers wood glue into a syringe with a pretty large gauge needle (its blunt for glue applications).  It doesn't suck up into the syringe like water but does slowly fill the syringe.  I was mostly gluing down delaminated veneer although some of the underlying wood also needed some glue.  I used wax paper between the glued veneer and the wood used to provide even clamping under the C-clamps.

[Image: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5462...yringe.jpg]

[jhgrahamjr]

Thanks, Bob!

Can you tell me where to get a syringe and needle like that?

What size C-clamps work well for this size radio and job?

Jim

[klondike98]

I got the syringes and needles off of Amazon.  As for the clamps they just happened to be what I had on hand.  No one clamp does all jobs unfortunately.  So a few C clamps and some like this might be useful.  I've also taken the low tech route with string tightened like a tourniquet and some paint cans      The C clamps I have open up about 4 or 5 inches.

[Image: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5462...clamps.jpg]

[jhgrahamjr]

Bob, I ordered the syringes and needles as suggested. I think I'll visit Lowes or Home Depot and have a look a clamps. Thanks so much!

[Arran]

 I use the larger 10cc type hypodemic nerdles syringes, originally from ink jet printer refill kits, but they use similar ones for injecting things into IV bags. I pull the piston out of the end and shirt the glue out of the bottle into the syringe, with the needle off, then turn it upside down and push the piston in to drive the air out, then put the needle on and start injecting glue. There are longer needles you can buy too, 3'' or "4" jobs, that you can get from fleabay among others, if you have to get the glue further in.
  For covering the clamping blocks I use saran wrap or a plastic shopping bag rather then wax paper, sometimes the wax paper sticks to the glue, the others do not and peel right off.
Regards
Arran

[jhgrahamjr]

Thank you, Arran! Great advice!

Jim

 I use the larger 10cc type hypodemic nerdles syringes, originally from ink jet printer refill kits, but they use similar ones for injecting things into IV bags. I pull the piston out of the end and shirt the glue out of the bottle into the syringe, with the needle off, then turn it upside down and push the piston in to drive the air out, then put the needle on and start injecting glue. There are longer needles you can buy too, 3'' or "4" jobs, that you can get from fleabay among others, if you have to get the glue further in.
  For covering the clamping blocks I use saran wrap or a plastic shopping bag rather then wax paper, sometimes the wax paper sticks to the glue, the others do not and peel right off.
Regards
Arran

[Eliot Ness]

Years ago I found a glass syringe that worked great for gluing.... I liked it much better than the disposable plastic syringes.  Unfortunately I dropped it and part of it broke..... and no place around here used glass syringes any longer.  I then looked on eBay and found a couple of replacements with large gauge needles.  Needles aren't as hard to find, try a feed store that stocks supplies for farm animals.

Like Arran I like the larger 10 or 20cc sizes and also squirt the glue directly into the syringe instead of trying to suck it up.  Depending on what I'm gluing I'll sometimes dilute the wood glue with water.

Since I work around hospitals I have a stock of disposable syringes in various sizes from 50cc on down, but for the easiest glue injection I always use a glass syringe.... it's the kind of thing where you won't miss it until you try one, then you'll be hooked

[jhgrahamjr]

John,

Thanks for the great advice! I'll keep my eyes open for a syringe like that, and for the larger needles as well. I was wondering about "diluting" the glue with water--so it doesn't have any negative effect?

Jim

Years ago I found a glass syringe that worked great for gluing.... I liked it much better than the disposable plastic syringes.  Unfortunately I dropped it and part of it broke..... and no place around here used glass syringes any longer.  I then looked on eBay and found a couple of replacements with large gauge needles.  Needles aren't as hard to find, try a feed store that stocks supplies for farm animals.

Like Arran I like the larger 10 or 20cc sizes and also squirt the glue directly into the syringe instead of trying to suck it up.  Depending on what I'm gluing I'll sometimes dilute the wood glue with water.

Since I work around hospitals I have a stock of disposable syringes in various sizes from 50cc on down, but for the easiest glue injection I always use a glass syringe.... it's the kind of thing where you won't miss it until you try one, then you'll be hooked

[Eliot Ness]

......Thanks for the great advice!  I'll keep my eyes open for a syringe like that, and for the larger needles as well.  I was wondering about "diluting" the glue with water--so it doesn't have any negative effect?....

I think they say you can do 5% w/o any issues, but when I have to do deep injections I'd rather the glue be just a little thinner and work down where it's needed.  If you can get by without thinning do so, but I have injected slightly thinned glue under veneer that was delaminating and as long as it was tightly clamped it came out fine.

You might find the following video interesting and John (Hagster) has done some fine cabinet restorations:

http://hagstar.phanfare.com/2864504_3128...D=50041892

His glue was a little thinner than I'd like and I prefer to inject, but there are dozens of way to achieve good results and we can learn a little from each method.  Good luck!

[jhgrahamjr]

Thank you, John! Great videos.

......Thanks for the great advice!  I'll keep my eyes open for a syringe like that, and for the larger needles as well.  I was wondering about "diluting" the glue with water--so it doesn't have any negative effect?....

I think they say you can do 5% w/o any issues, but when I have to do deep injections I'd rather the glue be just a little thinner and work down where it's needed.  If you can get by without thinning do so, but I have injected slightly thinned glue under veneer that was delaminating and as long as it was tightly clamped it came out fine.

You might find the following video interesting and John (Hagster) has done some fine cabinet restorations:

http://hagstar.phanfare.com/2864504_3128...D=50041892

His glue was a little thinner than I'd like and I prefer to inject, but there are dozens of way to achieve good results and we can learn a little from each method.  Good luck!

[Steve Davis]

A flattened soda straw works well for putting glue in a tight spot.

Steve

[jhgrahamjr]

GREAT idea, Steve! I will try it. Thank you.

Jim

A flattened soda straw works well for putting glue in a tight spot.

Steve