Help! I need to glue gesso pieces back on a mirror frame.

I have this lovely mirror that has a gessoed frame. I apparently set it down too hard and corner pieces broke away. I have all the pieces and they fit together quite well with no open spaces.
I've done some googling and most articles say Rabbit Skin glue or some other esoteric adhesives should be used. Or, they want you to remake the broken parts. I think I should be able to put this back together presentably if I just know what kind of glue to use!
Someone, or lots of someones, here always have the answers!

Thanks for all your help,

Linda

 

There's no reason I can think of why Titebond or Elmer's wouldn't do the job well. If you're not comfortable with using it straight out of the bottle, they can be thinned with water quite a bit. Determine what the best sequence for fit an' ease of repair is; glue an' position one piece at a time. Clamp or otherwise add appropriate small force to allow each piece to set fully prior to attempting the next. Remember that a little adhesive goes a long way; try to avoid leaving any squeeze-out or excess glue to remain where the next pieces will be placed, including the mating edges. Patience an' planning will reward you, so take it slowly. You can do this!

 

Ye old Elmer's wood glue? I might pull out my E6000 jewelry glue, but i'm an old joolie. It dries clear.

 

Yup...tho' Titebond is a more modern formulation of that ol' favorite.

 

Thanks! I will be tackling it soon, I'll let you know how it goes!

Linda

 

One suggestion- I'm not an expert on frame repair, but on pottery repair, which can also involve multiple interlocking pieces, you lay-out all the pieces in a a dry run, and then glue them all at once using a pre-planned sequence and use a lot of "blue" good quality non-stick painters tape to hold it all together while it dries, making any final adjustments before it stiffens. If you let one piece dry before doing the next often some of the last pieces wont fit in.

 

Ooh! That sounds like good advice. Thanks @Joe in PA !

Linda

 

Definitely a wood glue. I love E6000 (which is an epoxy glue) but original recipe isn't as good with wood, so they do make E6000 in formulations for other materials, like wood or plastic.

Framers use something like Maxim, but a general wood glue that dries clear should be compariable. Make sure to remove excess.

 

Be careful when buying blue painters tape. I bought an off-brand and it stuck like masking tape!

 

I use drafting tape, testing it first. Poor man's solution is to stick the painter or masking tape to the fabric of your clothes a couple of times to make it less sticky!