Finishing Mistake

Sand&Glue

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

Unless, of course, you want to just chuck it in the chipper and start over

P.S. Generations

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

When her decorating taste changes it'll get tucked away in the basement until the estate sale when it goes for $25.

I stopped being concerned about the family heirloom bit. My kids cut off the making stuff for the grandchildren, instead buying stuff from IKEA that the kids will outgrow and pitch if they don't kick the s..out of it first. They didn't want to be busting on their kids to "take care of what your grandpa made for you".

Re: Finishing Mistake

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

You know the details of this drawer runner of which there are numerous kinds and orientations and means of fastening but I don't. So a general answer is the best I can do.

If a glue joint is desired, must scrape to bare wood. However, anything structural should be a combination of a joint and glue, or screws and glue. Have no idea if this advice applies to your situation, but if the drawer is held only by glue, add screws.

Tack into position with brads, and then screw.

Re: P.S. Generations

Bill Howatt

Unfortunately, you are probably correct although there will be some exceptions.

Mover that brought my late mother's dining room suite said it was nice to see but it isn't like it used to be. Young people want the latest fad and will discard things just for that reason alone. Particle board lasts long enough.

Bill

Re: Finishing Mistake

Don Evans

Another way would be dowels, with them the finished part will not matter.

And

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

they don't have to worry about budding crayon and water color artists screwing up Grandma's table.

Then there's the thing about upholstery. That being that it's cheaper to buy a whole new couch than to reupholster it. That's why I stopped making things that needed a sewing machine to complete; too damn expensive!

Re: Finishing Mistake

William Duffield

If you want it to last generations,nail or screw the runner in, because eventually it will wear and need to be replaced. Note that if the drawer sides are of softer wood than the runners, then the bottoms (and maybe tops) of the drawer sides will wear faster and need to be replaced first. If someone in the future can easily disassemble the drawer, then the worn edges can be planed straight and new edges glued on. This might be easier than replacing the runners, depending on the construction methods and choice of glues.

Re: Watch out for cross grain construction!

Re: Tack into position with brads, and then screw.

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Agree if the construction accommodates this means. It is common in period furniture construction to have a drawer runner simply nailed to a case side. Screwed would be better, with glue inappropriate. But who knows, your drawer may not involve this kinds of runner.

What we don't know

David Yoho

What we don't know because he didn't say is what the part of the desk where the runners will go is made from. If plywood - no problem using screws to totally attach the runner. If solid wood panel, then I would put a screw in the middle and tack it on both ends with brads without using any glue. This will allow the panel to move if it needs to. Doesn't matter if the runner goes over the finished surface either way.

Indeed what we don' t know

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

In conventional case construction the runners are mortised into the dividers/blades and not glued at all. Maybe it is a center runner that is being glued in position. A picture would be worth a thousand words.