Removing felt and glue

[Chipmunk]

Does anyone have any idea about how to remove felt that has been glued to a drawer bottom for 40years?

I’ve pulled most of it up just by pulling tufts up and used a wire brush to remove more. Right now I’ve saturated the remaining felt and glue with denatured alcohol but it seems to have no effect.

I hate to sand it because I’ll go through a dozen disks just to get down to the metal and then you still have the corners to contend with.

 

[jamesemery728]

I have had good luck with Naptha on most glues but you may have a hard time with any glue that is 40 years old.

 

[Erampu]

Turn the drawer bottom upside down...

 

[dittle fart around]

Used heat gun to remove an laminated top off an antique table. Worked great.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Have you tried Goo Gone for the glue ?

 

[bad_idea]

metal bottom? try a propane torch and a scraper.

 

[Chipmunk]

The denatured alcohol and a putty knife eventually worked. I just had to let it soak longer than expected.

 

[91bronc300]

Old Gerstner? Ya got pics?

I didn't even use denatured alcohol, just an old, broad wood chisel.

 

[Chipmunk]

No an old Craftsman.....

 

[91bronc300]

Nice looking box. (not referring to your avatar, but I'm sure that's nice too)

 

[kbs2244]

Denatured alcohol or acetone.

 

[ckadams00]

When I restored an old Kennedy the glue under the the felt was all chips and powder. The only thing that worked for me was a flat razor blade scraper. I suppose a chisel would work as well but I went through about four or five blades and they are a lot easier to replace then a chisel is to sharpen.

This took care of the corners too.

Nice looking box BTW love to find one like that.

 

[EdT]

For most elastomeric adhesives like rubber cement, contact adhesive, some tile adhesives, and the rubbery kind of gasket adhesive, I have found that xylene works pretty well. Also works on silicone caulk. You have to give it time to work, but the adhesive will swell up and get soft. Xylene is the primary ingredient in "Goof Off" paint spot remover. Xylene is cheaper. It stinks and is flammable and probably environmentally unsound, but it works.

 

[machine_punk]

I would certainly try Goo Gone first (citrus adhesive remover).

I would try mineral spirits second (paint department...MAKE SURE YOU TAKE THE RAGS OUTSIDE TO DRY. I think that is one of the solvents which could start a fire, if left to dry in a pile in the workshop).

Then it is pretty much down to mechanical means, i.e. scraping. I have had good luck using the brass-bladed windshield scrapers (cheap little plastic ice scrapers, with a thin piece of brass as the scraper.) Of course, a stiff putty knife usually does the trick too. If you have the HF hand-held pneumatic scraper, that might make the job a little quicker too, if you have compressed air.

M_P

 

[steel 35]

HF has a Electric Oscillating Multifunction power tool that I will be trying in the morning for removing glued in carpet (Boat) Powered scraper, I like power tools but I will only test it not even doing the hole thing.......

 

[steel 35]

The little power scraper works very well for the little I did and doesn't dig into the fiberglass floor so I think it may work for your drawers....

 

[ckadams00]

It stinks and is flammable and probably environmentally unsound, but it works.

LOL I love that sentence.