Yes, TA, the problem is the lacquer in the groove !!! The glue will not hold because of the lacquer, or paint of any knind !Groove should be sanded and clear of any old glue . I was taught that new glue will not stick to old glue.
Also you should NOT be using carpenters glue ! That is for wood /furniture and a more permanent hold. Use Elmer's All Purpose glue! This was one ( of many ) lessons that "I" learned from this wonderful forum !! NO carpenters glue for machine cane. You will be sorry when you have to replace the cane.
You probably will have to redo the whole cane and spline "outfit". Sand the groove extensively, and start over. Sorry for such a hard lesson, but that is how we all learn.
Good luck, and let us know how it does the second time. Jan N Caners workshop Cuyahoga Falls, OH
The project .... install machine cane in a removable wood chair seat frame. The frame was refinished.... Sanded, re-stained and a lacquer finish applied over the frame. The sprayed lacquer coated the ... more
Handy chair caning tip -- If you ever want to spray or apply a finish on the seat with a brush before putting in the sheet cane and don't want the groove to get anything in there, just put some... more
Jan is right on both accounts, When you get glue on finish it takes no more than a fingernail to flake it off when it dries- this was no stronger than installing a seat with no glue at all. and never ... more
One of the wonderful things about reading this forum is the variety of suggestions that come forth. On the subject of machine cane and glue, I buy and use carpenter's wood glue on all machine cane. I ... more
I'm one of those people that likes using Hide glue. I use it when I do veneer jobs. I also like using it when I'm doing a restoration job for customers it is an option they have. I also use white... more
Hi David! It could be that the white glue wasn't applied heavily enough if it came loose. Also could be that the wrong size spline was used (too narrow). I've always used Elmer's white glue for... more
Re: machine caneMindy King - the chair weaver,Mon May 14 12:41pm
David, the concern with carpenters glue is in the difficulty in removing it years down the line. If you look at comparative strength data available on line you find that the white glue is actually a... more
Q: Is my bottle of glue still good? A? Looking at that bottle of glue wondering if it's still any good? Picking up one in the store and looking for a fresh one? I suppose it's way too complex to just ... more
Larry, Thank you for posting this information, (and with humor) I guess I may have done a lot of chairs during the winters that may have questionable glue jobs. Will keep fingers crossed. Randy Randy ... more
This thread is very helpful as I work on my first machine cane seat. The chair belonged to the gramma of a colleague at work. I inherited a few bottles of Ol' Yeller quick set (white) glue from a... more
In My View: You sealed the grove of the seat and so the glue could not adhere to the wood. The glue is not the problem but the glue will not adhere to a sealed surface like lacquer. When you spray... more