Regluing dowel joints

[dlminehart]

I have a dresser drawer whose 3/4" front is attached directly to the 1/2" veneered particle board sides using a 3 dowels per side. The dowel glue failed this winter, with the front completely detaching, and I need to reglue.

Can I just apply glue to the protruding dowel stubs and holes (and butt joint) and clamp? If so, what kind of glue works when overlaid on existing glue?

Or do I need to sand off and ream out most of the existing glue before adding new glue? If so, what kind of glue in this case?

Or should I just saw off the existing dowel stubs and insert new ones (with corresponding holes) elsewhere on the joint?

And how to treat the merely mitered but now separated rear corner joints? Glue blocks on the inside corners to anchor the newly glued miters?

Thanks.

[Larryl]

I don't know about what glue to use, but I would suggest that for just a little more effort you could build a permanent drawer for little more effort and not much money by using plywood or some type of solid wood.

[4estgump]

If it were me i would scrap the dowels with a pocket knife or what ever, and the holes also to get a good butt joint fit. I would use any good carpenters wood glue. I get my glue at lowes. Hope this helps.
4est

[cabinetman]

The more you clean up the more chances are that you'll change the fit. If the fit is close, but there is gaps, I would leave the dowels alone, use a two part epoxy, and re-insert the dowels, and clamp.

.