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Best backer for roll-top type slats?

Lazy, did not google anything yet.

Old client that has spent quite a bit with me for new furniture in past decades sent the rolled up slats from a roll top by another maker hoping i can fix/provide better solution. As received slats are nicely held by overlapping layers of exterior grade duct tape that seems to have served pretty well for a while. But areas have lost adhesion leaving the slats to shift &/or pop loose. Under that the original backer seems to be some sort of paper?

Obviously everything on the back will have to be stripped to 7bare wood.
Whats considered the best current product for assembling such constructions?

thanks,
smt
 
It's been decades since I've done this, but I'm pretty sure I used linen. And that would have been because I read it in the Encyclopedia of Furniture Making", which was my bible when I was trying to fill in the huge gaps in my RIT education.

Probably lots of products would work, both for backer and adhesive, altho duct tape would seem a poor choice.

It occurs to me that just about all the tradional woodworking lore available to us is from Britain, and a bit of
Scandinavian and Japanese. But the continental furniture has always interested me more, too bad those traditions are not documented in english texts.
 
I think canvas with SS staples about 4" apart and a good glue would be best.

Yes, staples seem, low class,

My uncle Jo worked for the phone company in Manhatten when they scrapped a bunch of roll tops about the year 1955.
He put the roll bords verticle halfway up on his apartment walls. That looked very fancy.
 
Made a bushel of roll top bread boxes. I just used old Levi's and titebond. That was at least 40 years ago and most if not all are still rollin'!
 
Deluxe would be linen canvas, probably most easily sourced through art supply stores. If you go that route, get unprimed canvas, as oil primer and/or gesso will just interfere with adhesion of PVA glue.
 
I built a roll top desk about 45 years and just used light canvas and white glue to fasten the canvas to the slats. Still in great condition and used all the time. I even received a Mechanix Illustrated golden hammer award for it. Still have the hammer framed and hanging on the wall.
 
Sounds like “traditional” fabrics & some form of white/yellow glues work fine.
Any fabric is probably going to be better than original paper back.

I have read about adding glycerine to hot hide glue & have plenty of that around for veneering. Sounds like unnecessary, though. I was concerned that titebond might be too rigid but apparently not.

Probably ought to do some quick experiments. I really like the blue jeans concept.
Wife has stockpiles of linens of various weights.

Will report when i get to the project, which is low priority at the moment. Among other things, extensive sudden onset plumbing repairs are keeping me busy. Finally giving upon copper and putting in plastic.

smt
 
I'll be watching, as I have a preventative maintenance project waiting for my on my old-school roll-top tambour. The backing material is tearing in a few places, and I want to head off catastrophic failure while I can. It's definitely the OEM canvas-like material, and it's pushing 80-90 years old at this point.
 
If dry rot is a concern, you may try Sunbrella. comes in many colors and weights. the waterproof types may repel glue. get a small sample and experiment with common glues. If PVA fails something like 3M 90- would hold it well, I used 3M 90 to glue laminated print to plywood, it rips the plywood before the glue gives up on the laminate.


dee
;-D
 
Stephen,
The yellow glues or titebond are fine for a linen or fabric backer. The key part is to be very frugal with the glue spreading to minimize how much gets on the fabric "hinge" part. I seem to recall having to "crack" the joints after gluing on the fabric. I have done several tambour door systems but it was many years ago.
 
Any memories of happy clamping processes?

I can probably do it in 2 sessions between the platens on my pressure press with some layers of rubber or vinyl but wondering about other’s methods?

smt

I would be tempted to bag it, vacuum clamp. A good shop vac may be able to apply up to 1.5 psi which does not sound like a lot of pressure, but that 1.5 PSI is also over 200 pounds sq ft. And it is even.
I have a 50x100 heated Joos hydraulic press and needed to do a PVA lamination 30x144. I Applied the PVA and put it on my 5x12 router table and covered it with a poly sheet. Turned of the 25 hp pump and walked away.
 
Scruffy - have 3 cenco megavacs & started vac bagging for a set of radius church pews ca 1991 or 2. Use it off & on since but really hate the effort & set up. Much prefer pressure. Pressure bagd for convoluted stuff, or between platens on my small shop press for jobs that fit.

I like your router table idea.
What impresses me most, though, is getting 30sf of pva uniformly spread on (2 sides/60sf?) & assembled without dry spots & wrinkled veneer. :)

Richard- still have to clamp it edgeways. To keep it flat at the same time makes my press seem easier than hammer. Also not sure if adding glycerin (for flexibility). changes the tack effect? I,m being lazy & asking on here because id rather just git-er-done than have a drawn out experimental learning process. My normal process, e.g.
:). Probably won’t be able to resist, though. Sigh.

smt
 
What ?....Not "Stits polyfiber" ??....:D

I was going to suggest sunbrella as well. But, Has anyone used sunbrella in a glued application ?

However, Stits has a glue system made for the job, and we know it will hold.
should be able source a few scraps locally.
 
whoaa, Doug, that is a great idea!
As you allude, though the glue could be a factor. Finding a good can that has already been opened. or waiting for someone to start a project with a fresh can... Also, the clients are a bit, ummmm fastidious, not sure how long for smell to dissipate in closed area?

Michael - this is not high on my rush job list. Others in front, + the relentless all pervasive house renovation/construction here. Another job making more flooring plugs like the 20,000 made & documented on here a couple years ago. Have to remember how to set that back up and re-tune the tooling since it was used for other purposes since.

Yesterday i said the heck with it and went skiing for the first time in almost 10 years. :)
At least the weather has been really good for that and should continue so hope to try to get out again at least once a week.

smt
 
Yes, I just pictured in my mind, finding some scraps, and some left over glue.

I'll wager, that even if it's past it's date, if it still is liquid, it would be
o.k. for this un-approved application.

Unless the desk is sporting an "N" number....:D
 








 
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