Picked up an old waterfall nightstand for a few dollars via a local add. For all you cabinet guru’s out there, I’m curious if you would attempt a repair of the below pictured bluster/cracking or simply replace the top sheet of veneer. That particular piece is in the neighborhood of 12”x14”. The rest of the nightstand looks like it should clean up fine with only a couple spots of minor edge separation and no cracking.

I make no claim to being a cabinet man, but I figured this would be a good way to get some practice in with little risk.

Repair it. The skills you'll learn doing that will be very useful on future projects.

I'm not a wood working person, and rather suck at such work, but I would try getting glue into the bubble with a syringe and hypodermic needle. You can get them from your local pharmacy or if you know someone in the medical field. Get a large size needle and reasonable size syringe.

Clamp or weigh it down with wax paper so it wont stick.

-Steve

I agree withy Steve about the needle and glue.
I use titebond glue and it is water soluble and you can thin it down with water so it will flow a little easier in the syringe.
I have used this method many times , and you might be surprised at how good it works.
Dan in Calgary

If it is practice you want, try to fix it. .... if repairs fail, or it is proven unrepairable, you can always then move on to replacing the veneer.

HOW to do this?? I've got no idea. I make wood things, but restoring antique veneer and finishes is something far beyond me. I'm sure you'll get quite a few pointers here eventually, or perhaps post a similar request in the "Cabinet Restoration" forum.

the moderators may move this there anyway. Go there and read everything. ... it's probably been discussed before

If you choose to go down this route, the local farm supply store also carries needles in the larger sizes (Tractor Supply / Rural King). You want luer-lock type syringes & needles, BTW.

I'd also recommend dulling the needles, a intravenous glue injection does not make for a good day...

David

Glue syringes and blunt needles are readily available. You need syringes and needles which screw together.

Agree Titebond Glue. Get the needle from the Farm Stores. Get an old junker steam iron ... yes one that works. Just don't use the one the wife irons your shirts with or we will be reading about another of our members funerals. Inject the Glue and IRON it down with steam and heat. Then your going to need lots of grain filler before you get the new finish on the cabinet.

John k9uwa

I’ll give it the old college try, have to learn somehow. Thanks to all for the tips and advice, these forums are a great wealth of knowledge. We’ See how it turns out!

Not terrible, but it will eat up a lot of filler I’m sure.

That looks like a good repair.
For what it's worth, I would not have used hide glue, but pva, such as titebond 3.
Nice job and a good save.

Go to a glazier or glass shop, have them cut out a piece of dark tinted plate glass the size of your top, with dressed edges, and maybe little rubber spacers with adhesive backing to keep it from sliding around.

The good thing about hide glue is that it is reversible. The bad thing is that it is reversible. Normally, I wouldn't worry, but I notice you are in a high humidity environment. If you seal it well, it should be OK. Hide glue is great for assembling things like chairs that need to be taken apart for repair. It dissolves in water. Titebond PVA can be thinned with 5% water without weakening it. You can use more, but it will affect its strength. 10% is the recommended limit.

The repair looks good.

John

Excuse my ignorance, I’m not familiar with PVA. My logic in using hide glue is the future repairability. I don’t know enough about PVA to know if it’s joints are able to be easily released at a future time.

Yes, I am definitely located on the “wet-side” of Washington state. How much of a factor does that play into adhesive selection?

Heat will allow disassembly of joints glued with Titebond. I once glued the base/legs of a radio incorrectly, then called the glue maker to ask about softening the glue. I think it needs to be raised to 120 degrees or so. I carefully used a heat gun. This is also why you can use an iron to apply veneer, and repair veneer with Titebond.

PVA is polyvinyl acetate (C4H6O2)n. It is Elmer's Glue, Wood Glue, and Carpenter's Glue. It is Titebond I, II, and III. As purchased, it is a monomer, but it polymerizes (links) on drying. Unlike many polymers, it doesn't harden, but remains flexible. This makes it useful in book repairs. I've made some repairs that are now 25 years old and still flexible. It won't dissolve, but can be softened with a mixture of acetone, vinegar, and water. I have heard PVA is susceptible to fungus if kept in a damp environment, but neither books nor wood should be kept in that environment.

John