The brick fireplace chimney on my mother's 32 year-old home is in need
of repair badly, and since I parged her foundation last summer, I want
to get started on repairing the fireplace.

I never did tuck-pointing before, and it seems one of those
pain-in-the-butt type time-consuming jobs. If anyone has any tips to
make the job easier, I'd appreciate hearing about it here.

Also, the chimney lists about an inch away from the rest of the brick
fascia (of the house). I obviously can't glue it back. I'd like
suggestions on the best "adhesive mortar" to use for this job.

Lists-leans an inch? You better get pro estimates and be sure you are
fully covered even liability on her house for you work on this one.
Actualy I dought you may want to do it. The mortar may be so bad it is
just sand compressing. You need to remove all loose mortar, if it is
that deep loose what is going to hold it from going over. Many bad
chimneys get removed and rebuilt. Get a few pros out to get up and look
before you decide it is a simple job, some books are good to. There is
alot to correct chimney repair. It could have a bad liner so it is
deteriorated from inside and out, you need mortar mix, not to thin or it
will crack, it must be cleaned or mortar wont bond, it can mean acid
washing Before new mortar. Chimneys get the most abuse. It could be a
nightmare if you just jump into it or repairs fail in a few years done
improperly.

wrote:
The brick fireplace chimney on my mother's 32 year-old home is in
need
of repair badly, and since I parged her foundation last summer, I
want
to get started on repairing the fireplace.

I never did tuck-pointing before, and it seems one of those
pain-in-the-butt type time-consuming jobs. If anyone has any tips to
make the job easier, I'd appreciate hearing about it here.

Also, the chimney lists about an inch away from the rest of the brick
fascia (of the house). I obviously can't glue it back. I'd like
suggestions on the best "adhesive mortar" to use for this job.


There are at least two problems.
For repointing the masonry:
Check out BIA (Brick Industry of America) Tech Notes section.
Pay attention to directions on preparing mortar.

For the "listing" chimney:
There is a foundation problem which will continue until the weight of
the masonry topples.
Movement in the chimney is allowing water penetration where the brick
separates.
This will eventually lead to damage of the building structure.
If the chimney is / was attached to flashing at the roof, that is being
pulled apart.
This allows more water into the house.

I would take a good close look at the chimeny from foundation to roof,
then call an architect or engineer to suggest a fix.

TB

wrote:
The brick fireplace chimney on my mother's 32 year-old home is in
need
of repair badly, and since I parged her foundation last summer, I
want
to get started on repairing the fireplace.

I never did tuck-pointing before, and it seems one of those
pain-in-the-butt type time-consuming jobs. If anyone has any tips to
make the job easier, I'd appreciate hearing about it here.

Also, the chimney lists about an inch away from the rest of the brick
fascia (of the house). I obviously can't glue it back. I'd like
suggestions on the best "adhesive mortar" to use for this job.

There is no "adhesive mortar" that is going to hold the chimney. You
have to fix the cause of the settling first. As others have said, this
is not in the DIY range of things, it calls for a professional.

Harry K