I have a 6-drawer dresser. While moving it, I learned the hard way that
the top three drawers were secured to the bottom three by a long, 1/2
inch long x 1/2 inch wide mortise/tenon joint with three wood screws
driven up into the tenon. One such arrangement on each side of the
dresser. The top three drawers came off, pulling the screws out of
their holes.

Here's a link to a picture of the problem; the bare wood in the middle
is the tenon:

http://www.dahdistributing.com/joint.jpg

I cannot remove the screws because there's wood glued and nailed over
their heads. It's not coming off.

I CAN get the joint back together and the top tier rests solidly on the
bottom tier. The tenon doesn't shift side to side in the mortise. The
screws just slide up into what's left of their holes.

The wood is cherry, I think. This dresser is older than I am (50+
years).

What glue would you recommend?

Is there glue on the exposed "bare" wood that you want to put back together?
Cause if there is, some of it has to be removed, cause glue fastens wood to
wood, not wood to old glue.

Having done that, if the wood mates tightly, I'd use TiteBond or Elmer's.
If it doesn't mate tightly I'd use epoxy cause it bridges small cracks. It
is sure messier to apply and harder to remove slops than the Titebond is.

Good luck,

Walt C



"Dhakala" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a 6-drawer dresser. While moving it, I learned the hard way that
the top three drawers were secured to the bottom three by a long, 1/2
inch long x 1/2 inch wide mortise/tenon joint with three wood screws
driven up into the tenon. One such arrangement on each side of the
dresser. The top three drawers came off, pulling the screws out of
their holes.

Here's a link to a picture of the problem; the bare wood in the middle
is the tenon:

http://www.dahdistributing.com/joint.jpg

I cannot remove the screws because there's wood glued and nailed over
their heads. It's not coming off.

I CAN get the joint back together and the top tier rests solidly on the
bottom tier. The tenon doesn't shift side to side in the mortise. The
screws just slide up into what's left of their holes.

The wood is cherry, I think. This dresser is older than I am (50+
years).

What glue would you recommend?

No, there isn't any glue on the mortise/tenon or the surfaces around
them that mate.

I'd like to fill those torn-out screw holes so I can get some gripping
power on the threads of the screws.

Would Gorilla Glue be a good choice?

Dhakala wrote:
No, there isn't any glue on the mortise/tenon or the surfaces around
them that mate.

I'd like to fill those torn-out screw holes so I can get some gripping
power on the threads of the screws.

Would Gorilla Glue be a good choice?

No. Epoxy would be.


--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Stay away from Gorilla Glue for this project. If you use it you will have
foam-out all over your finished surface.
I would use Epoxy for this project.

--
Charley


"Dhakala" wrote in message
ups.com...
No, there isn't any glue on the mortise/tenon or the surfaces around
them that mate.

I'd like to fill those torn-out screw holes so I can get some gripping
power on the threads of the screws.

Would Gorilla Glue be a good choice?

OK, no Gorilla. Glad I saved my receipt! :-)

Next question: what kind of epoxy?

I'm not very experienced at this sort of thing.

Dhakala wrote:
Next question: what kind of epoxy?

Any. But for what you want, one with a filler would be appropriate.
Best used if you can turn what you are fixing so the epoxy runs down
into the screw hole. Fill the hole not quite full, run in the screws
and leave it alone until the epoxy totally sets up.

I'm not very experienced at this sort of thing.

NO! You *have* to be kidding

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico