<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><DIV>I would proceed with caution with this method.  By the time the heat from the heat gun reached the interior of the joint enough to soften any glue you run a real risk of overheating the finish, causing damage not so easily camouflaged.  There is also the possibility of weakening the veneer glue joint, when applicable.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It could work, but to my way of thinking there are definite inherent problems lurking.  I'd stick with vinegar, when necessary.  Fact is, in my experience most of the time the bench has become rickety to the point anyone wants it fixed, most if not all the joints have been compromised to the point where a sharp blow knocks each joint apart with little trouble.  I use a regular hammer, against a felt-lined chunk of wood.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>As always, there are exceptions to every rule...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Mark Potter<BR><BR>--- On <B>Fri, 9/26/08, Fenton Murray <I><fmurray@cruzio.com></I></B> wrote:<BR><FONT face=Arial>excellent idea.</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid"> <DIV id=yiv817671201> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"> </DIV>You could use a heat gun to loosen the joints.<BR><BR>Gregor<BR><BR> <HR> From: <A href="mailto:fmurray@cruzio.com" target=_blank rel=nofollow>fmurray@cruzio.com</A><BR>To: <A href="mailto:bases-loaded76@sbcglobal.net" target=_blank rel=nofollow>bases-loaded76@sbcglobal.net</A>; <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" target=_blank rel=nofollow>pianotech@ptg.org</A><BR>Subject: Re: loose wood joints<BR>Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:19:32 -0700<BR><BR> <STYLE> </STYLE> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I totally agree with Mark here. I knock them down with a dead blow or rubber mallet then clamp it up checking with a square as you go. Using a flat bench top allows you to clamp the entire assembly down assuring all legs will touch on a flat floor. The supper glue won't work for long, the bench will soon start racking back and forth again.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fenton</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(0,0,0) 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: rgb(228,228,228); FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"><B>From:</B> <A title=bases-loaded76@sbcglobal.net href="mailto:bases-loaded76@sbcglobal.net" target=_blank rel=nofollow>Mark Potter</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" target=_blank rel=nofollow>Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, September 24, 2008 6:37 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"><B>Subject:</B> Re: loose wood joints</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD vAlign=top>--- On <B>Wed, 9/24/08, Brian Doepke <I><<A href="mailto:bdoepke@verizon.net" target=_blank rel=nofollow>bdoepke@verizon.net</A>></I></B> wrote:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid"> <DIV id=EC_yiv357741541> <DIV class=EC_Section1> <P class=EC_MsoNormal>Did I read somewhere that vinegar can be used to tighten up wood joints….like the ones in old piano benches?</DIV></DIV> <P class=EC_MsoNormal> </DIV></DIV> <P class=EC_MsoNormal>Would anyone be able to confirm or deny this….and if not….what can be done to tighten the loose joints of an old bench? </DIV> <DIV></DIV> <P class=EC_MsoNormal></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <P class=EC_MsoNormal><STRONG>I am not a big fan of squirting something into the joints of a bench and expecting long-lasting results.  With few exceptions it doesn't take much more than an hour or so to totally knock the thing apart and re-glue it properly.  The old benches are worth it  - you literally cannot buy benches like that anymore.  Go for it and do it right the first time...</STRONG> </DIV> <DIV></DIV> <P class=EC_MsoNormal><STRONG></STRONG></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <P class=EC_MsoNormal><STRONG>Mark Potter</STRONG> </DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <HR> Invite your mail contacts to join your friends list with Windows Live Spaces. It's easy! <A href="http://spaces.live.com/spacesapi.aspx?wx_action=create&wx_url=/friends.aspx&mkt=en-us" target=_blank rel=nofollow>Try it!</A> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></td></tr></table>