How to (wood glue question)

[toomuchreality]

Hi
I have a wooden rack screwed to my wall, for hanging stemware. I put it up years ago and I used wood glue to secure wooden dowels on either end, to cover the screws.

I am now wanting to take the rack down and give it to someone else, but haven't been able to remove the wooden dowels, to get access to the screws.

Any suggestions?


Because I rent, I will eventually need to take the rack down, or will be charged for leaving it. So I need to figure out how. (I didn't know wood glue was so strong!) Yikes.

[Opti]

I just noticed you put the dowels over the screws and then glued them on with wood glue? My only suggestion is never do something like that if you plan to remove it. Can you just lever the rack off the wall and limit your damage to the screws in the wall? That can be spackled over. I'd go around the dowels instead of planning to remove them.

[Tiny]

Jun 10, 2021 15:38:32 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

Hi
I have a wooden rack screwed to my wall, for hanging stemware. I put it up years ago and I used wood glue to secure wooden dowels on either end, to cover the screws.

I am now wanting to take the rack down and give it to someone else, but haven't been able to remove the wooden dowels, to get access to the screws.

Any suggestions?


Because I rent, I will eventually need to take the rack down, or will be charged for leaving it. So I need to figure out how. (I didn't know wood glue was so strong!) Yikes.

Been there... wood glue always sticks when you don't want it to.    

You need to "crack" the glue.   I'm thinking your dowel was small - quarter inch width.  You'll need something metal and thin - a very small screw driver or some "metal picks"   I have something like this:    www.harborfreight.com/mini-pick-and-hook-set-63697.html?cid=paid_google|||63697&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8IaGBhCHARIsAGIRRYq50pF0tJNs1J0zz7hZ-31fIWFlp-kzSkTeaYFeJD6OlKSyv8b31uAaAvWyEALw_wcB
or maybe an old metal nail file? 

Basically you want to wedge the thin metal thing between the dowel and what it's glued to and gently pry up.    The goal is to break the connection between the glue an the dowel.  You aren't gouging out the dowel.  Be gentle but FIRM  and patient.    

if the dowels are sticking out - you might be able to grab it with pliers (or needle nose pliers) and  give it a twist or a wiggle to break the bond. 

I'm a little unclear on what you have... so take my suggestions with a grain of salt and use your best judgement.    

If the dowel is part of the "rack"  - you may be able to just wiggle/twist the dowel to loosen it.   This is all about finesse and patience.  


In the future for something like this - good old Elmer's glue will do the trick - it dries clear and you can usually just get it wet to loosen it up.    I'm assuming you weren't hanging anything from the dowels you used - they were just to cover up the hole the screws went into.    

ADDED the wood glue you used might be water based and a bit of moisture might "loosen" it up.   

[kadee79]

If you have a way to do it...put "goo gone" on where the glue is.  It may take several applications to loosen the glue...but it should finally do that.  If you don't have any "goo gone", it's usually available at places like Walmart in the paint section.  I keep it on hand cause it takes off all sticky things, like labels that won't come off an item clean.
Maybe even soak some paper towel with the goo gone & wrap it around where the dowel attaches to the screw head.

[toomuchreality]

Thank you all, so very much for your suggestions!

I do have GOO GONE and will see if there's a way to let some soak in.

I have some of those SAME PICKS! Plus a full set of dental picks (20+), I bought from a retired dentist, along with various others I've collected through the years. And some hat pins etc. One of those ought to work, right?

I thought the wood glue was going to hold like Elmer's, so I'd be able to give the dowel a twist and remove it. I now know that's not the case. 🙄
At the time I put the rack up, I wasn't thinking things through very well and I knew it. But I didn't have help and was just happy to get it done.

Yes, I did hang my stemware from the dowels. Part of why I wanted it to be secure.

The rack looks like this:
www.amazon.com/dp/B000H37PN0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_JS0FBSWJCMF2EZ0QGRZY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Only I had a smaller space, so I cut off the ends where the screws originally were supposed to go. I put the screws in through the holes made for the dowels. (Adding to my confusion, at the time of hanging.)

The rack is hanging above my kitchen sink, which makes ease of access a bit more difficult. And I am now old! Who knew I would become so limited in my abilities, so quickly? Certainly not me, 15+ years ago!

And patience... I'm not sure how much of that I will have, when I attempt to do this again, because it's so awkward, in a limited space (cupboards on side of sink). But I will try. Maybe.

Yes. I have certainly learned my lesson. I won't do this again!
I'm actually surprised I did it this time.


@tiny
@kadee76
@opt4coolcars

Thanks again! 😘 You all made good points and had good suggestions.
I may end up leaving it where it is, and letting maintenance deal with it when I'm gone. We'll see.

I hope my link works! 😬

[Tiny]

if you return to this thread -

Now that I see what you are working with - try googling remove wood plug or remove glued in wood plug. Or substitute "cover" for plug. It might take you to furniture refinishing - but the video's may give you some clues on possibly ways to remove them you may have to improvise so you don't destroy the screw cover.

I read up a little on wood glue - and rubbing alcohol may do the job as well (but I see you have goo gone which may do the trick!.)

FYI: if you damage the screw covers - you can buy replacement ones. Keep your damaged ones so you can measure them (or take them with you so you can compare packages of the covers). You might find them at a craft store - or a hardware store (small or large). They will NOT have the same color as your wine rack - so you may have to get creative with some colored sharpies or tempura or acrylic craft paints (mix the color you need). Think outside the box (brown shoe polish might get the wood to right color too...) A bit of clear nail polish will give them a "shine" once they are re-installed. 
(actually - you can mix nail polish colors together to get new colors.... you might be able to mix together some you already have to get to the color you need.) 

[gambler]

Get a drill bit the size of dowels, you should be able to drill the out

[toomuchreality]

Jun 11, 2021 9:48:02 GMT -5 Tiny said:

if you return to this thread -

Now that I see what you are working with - try googling remove wood plug or remove glued in wood plug. Or substitute "cover" for plug. It might take you to furniture refinishing - but the video's may give you some clues on possibly ways to remove them you may have to improvise so you don't destroy the screw cover.

I read up a little on wood glue - and rubbing alcohol may do the job as well (but I see you have goo gone which may do the trick!.)

FYI: if you damage the screw covers - you can buy replacement ones. Keep your damaged ones so you can measure them (or take them with you so you can compare packages of the covers). You might find them at a craft store - or a hardware store (small or large). They will NOT have the same color as your wine rack - so you may have to get creative with some colored sharpies or tempura or acrylic craft paints (mix the color you need). Think outside the box (brown shoe polish might get the wood to right color too...) A bit of clear nail polish will give them a "shine" once they are re-installed. 
(actually - you can mix nail polish colors together to get new colors.... you might be able to mix together some you already have to get to the color you need.) 

Good ideas! More good ideas!
Your "think outside of the box" ideas are right up my alley. Thanks.

If I get this down, I'm giving it away, so getting it down in decent shape is all I'm worried about.

Having a picture of the product makes it easier to give ideas, doesn't it? I wasn't sure I would be able to find the item, or be able to post a link, when I made my original post. I bought my rack over 30 years ago!

I hope you're having a good day!

[toomuchreality]

Jun 11, 2021 10:54:41 GMT -5 gambler said:

Get a drill bit the size of dowels, you should be able to drill the out

This is a very good possibility. I will need to cut off the 2 end dowels first.
I've never worked with (cut or drilled) bamboo before. Have you?
Because it's light weight, I'm thinking it shouldn't be too hard to do. Right?

[gambler]

Not hard at all, drill slow because the wood is soft