How and when do you all remove glue squeeze out from panels?
How and when do you all remove glue squeeze out from panels?
Ideally, when it gets rubbery and comes off the wood easily. Too soon, and the glue smears and can be difficult to get off entirely later on; too late, once the glue's cured, and it just becomes a bit harder to remove and there is the risk of pulling up a bit of your wood along with the glue. A really sharp scraper comes in handy at that point.
I usually do it when it is around the rubbery stage and it will peel off easily. That is always not practical in that I am not always going to hang around waiting for this to happen. If that be the case, when I get back to the shop the next day it only takes a few minutes with a scraper and then I proceed to plane or sand the panel flat. I always start with my boards oversized in thickness.
Retired, living and cruising full-time on my boat.
Currently on the Little Tennessee River near Knoxville
I agree with Frank, but usually sand off the glue rather than use a scraper if it gets too hard before I remember to remove it. Sanding avoids tear out caused by the glue.
However, The best cure is to use just enough glue to not get excessive squeeze out. I love it when I see just pin head sized bubbles of glue every 1/8-1/4" along a glue seam.
Lee Schierer
USNA '71
Go Navy!
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How long do you let the glue set-up before un-clamping?
I'm with Frank. I have a kitchen timer that I set for 30 minutes to remind me to come back and check. If I catch it right, I can skin off the rubbery squeeze out by running a chisel, bevel down, along the line. I have a carbide scraper to handle anything I miss. Like Lee, if I totally miss something and it has cured, I carefully sand as I have torn out material with the scraper once the glue is set. If only the glue would hold when we want it to and let go on command ;-)
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
I typically sand well after glue up so I will wipe immediately with a damp rag. On something that may not require heavy sanding, I am with the rest.