Swel-Lock 2fl oz

I've been a wood worker and had an informal, part-time business repairing furniture, for 35+ years. A common problem I deal with is loose rungs and spindles on old chairs, and I often have to re-repair chairs which owners have tried to fix with liberal amounts of glue. Glue is NOT the best way to fix this problem. Yes, applied correctly, glue can be useful - but the key phrase here is "applied correctly." That means choosing the right glue for the right job, and knowing when something else is needed. For many years, I relied on Chair-Loc as my go-to fix , but that product has become a unicorn in recent months. I purchased a bottle of Swel-Lock because glue was not the answer to my customer's problem, and I needed *something* like Chair-Loc. Swel-Lock proved to be similar enough that I've continued to use it on other projects. It's ultimately not quite as effective as Chair-Loc, but it's dang close, and I recommend trying it before using glue or anything else for repairing loose fitting joints.

I had a dining room chair who's legs were lose enough that it was dangerous to sit on. My first attempt at using this didn't seem to work so I tried again. Turns out that I just didn't really use very much the first time. After 5 or 6 applications (my fault, I really should have used a syringe) the legs are as tight as ever. Turns out I didn't use as much for each application as I thought. I'm now going to apply it to all of the remaining chairs that are starting to feel lose and even this will probably not use more than a quarter of the bottle.

I have a collection of antique and "classic" hammers, hatchets, and other tools. I have used this before and bought a new bottle when I couldn't find the old bottle. This works by soaking into the wood end and causing it to expand in the tool socket.Here is how I fix a hammer or hatchet that's loose in the socket. First make sure no paint, oil, or shellac is on the bare wood part of the handle that sticks into and through the tool such as a hammer head. A little sandpaper can be helpful. If the wood doesn't absorb the liquid it won't work. Next I put the tool in a clamp or vice so that the tool is standing straight up. Then I apply a liberal amount of the stuff to the end of the wood. Don't be afraid to let it puddle on top of the handle - That's why you fix the handle upright. Let the tool sit for a couple of days. It should have absorbed all the stuff into the wood by then and be tight in the socket, Occasaionally with really, really old dry wood - It may take a second application and a second time to work. I've yet to have a problem after a second time if it was needed.The good thing is that this works by causing the wood to swell and it contains additives that causes the pores in the wood to stay swelled even in dry weather. This means that you don't ruin the appearance of an antique hammer by using glue or an additional wedge or something like that. This works for cases where the wood has shrunk over time to restore the tool to working order.On the other hand if the loose handle is caused by wear or damage that has removed some of the wood in the handle socket area you are probably going to have to add a wedge to the handle top, epoxy the handle in, or replace the handle. The latter two are not good cosmetic fixes if you are dealing with an antique tool and want to keep the character of the original handle. But you can generally avoid the wear or damage from a loose handle by using the swell-lock the first time you notice the tool is a bit loose before the damage becomes worse.

Swel-Lock is a great product whcih is why i ordered it. Unfortunately Amazon sent me 2" O rings instead of the product and has not made it right ...so far. Still waiting for them to contact me regarding their mistake. looks like that charge gets disputed until they fix it.

Works great

I have a rocking chair ( all wood) that my father brought me back in the 70s. It was really loosened at the bottom . Every-time you rocked back it wood slide out enough that when you rocked forward there was a loud thud. Without Swell Lock, we would have had to remove the whole curved rocker piece. We put the swell lock into the joint and put a come-a-long to tighten it. It was better after it dried, but still a little loose. So we applied it again. And now no more thudding. It's not a glue. It's runny like water. So no ugly glue to show. Something that did as exactly as what it was suppose to do ! I'm very pleased.

I had 6 wooden, kitchen chairs that needed tightening. The wood spindles and the back slats squeaked and I didn't really want to want to take al chairs apart and clean/re-glue everything. I gave this product a shot. I used this whole bottle liberally in every wood joint in my chairs. In most cases I was able to wiggle the wood parts to allow the swel-lock to work itself in. In some cases I drilled a 1/16" hole to allow to the liquid get deep "into" the joint. I let it work its magic with the drilled hole facing "upwards" for 24 hours. I did 1 chair a night so as not to disturb "family" operation. After 1 week, not a squeak in any chair. Just work the product into the wooden joints and you will be squeak free too in no time.

Swel-Lock did not work as well as the Chair-Loc I have used in the past. I can no longer find Chair-Loc. I found that this product was runny and did not stay long enough in the area where the wood most needed to be moistened and re-swollen to stop joint movement. It was messy to use. Please bring back Chair-Loc.