[ Bill Chapman wrote in 110622 MMDigest --

> The instrument I am restoring was patched with white glue and the
> boards and pneumatics were unsalvageable despite hours of toil.

Bill, If it's not too late, try the trick I do when I come across white
glue.  I heat up the glue with a paint stripper heat gun until it is
soft and then lift it off with a chisel.  I hold the gun in my off
(left) hand and chase the glue with the chisel in my good (right) hand.
I use at least two chisels because they get quite hot to the touch.  It
also helps if they are very sharp so that they don't dig into the wood.

You will need to be quick because the glue softens and then hardens
again quickly as it cools.  It is a slow process, however, because you
can only heat a small area at a time.  It does work, though, with a
longer and more frustrating period of time.

More and more often I am rebuilding players that were once restored.
Too often I am finding that white glue or other strange glues were
used.  I can't remember one that used hot glue.  I can usually handle
the new type glues but please, if you do any restoration work, use hot
glue, it is still the best.

Jeff Davis
in Seattle, where are summer came and went the other day.