What glue to use?

[bob blakeborough]

This is probably an elemetry questions and may not be worthy of its own thread, but here goes...

So I have been using simple craft type white glue for small things I have been making (simple picture frames, wee boxes and the like), just because I have had quite a bit around and really I have only been gluing simple joints, but now I am trying to progress onto bigger boxes and other projects that are going to require making wider boards out of narrower ones, laminating thinner pieces into thicker etc, and I want to know that it will be strong and durable. There probably are different glues considering use I would imagine (cutting boards vs jewelry box for example), but I really son't know what might be best. I am willing to buy a few different options to be more versatile if it is best. Are any brands better than another? I have seen lots online but don't know if any one is much better than the other, or is there really much difference at all?

All feedback is welcome!

Bob

[Steve Schoene]

Basic white glue ie. Elmers is actually respectable, and as strong as others. Essentially all the readily available glues give joints, if well made, that are stronger than the wood. Yellow glue(titebond) is really quite similar to white glue but has higher initial tack and sands a bit better. It's probably the most popular. It even comes in a very water resistant version.

Hide glue is under-appreciated. Either liquid Franklin (Titebond) or Patrick Edward's Old Brown Glue give relatively long times to adjust joints. Hot hide glue is really useful for things like veneering (you can use the hammer veneer method which lets you lay down veneer without vacuum bags or clamping arrangement. Hide glue is particularly desirable for heirloom level pieces since they are easier to "reverse" for repairs, and easier to reglue after the repairs. Great for chairs, since there are only two kinds of chairs. Those that need repair and those that will need repair.

Plastic resin glue is also useful for veneering, but sometimes has greater specific requirements to get right. There are a number of types with differing properties.

Super glue has some uses. Turners use it a lot.

Polyurethane glue is less strong than the others and is messy, but will bond some woods that others find difficult.

Epoxy is really messy, but for certain weather resistant uses can't be beat. It is the only glue that will fill gaps with strength.

[Charles Goodnight]

Recently I have switched to titebond III. I used to use Elmers construction glue, but I find I like the flow and open time of Titebond III a lot plus it is very waterproof. It has become my go-to glue. I occasionally use gorilla glue. I find it very easy to clean up after its dried, and I rather like the way it is water activated. I have switched away from it because it does obscene things to your hands, and I am not all that fond of its spreadablity. I often use epoxy for some things. It is great in that it is totally water-proof, and if your are making a boat or something it is basically the same material that you use to coat the boat with (but be careful-- its very uv sensitive, so you have to put paint or spar varnish over the epoxy). I also like it because epoxy binds to a wide range of materials, and fills gaps well. That said, I only use epoxy when titebond III is not appropriate. I don't make instruments, but I know that my cello is made with hide glue, and should be made with nothing else. The reason is repairability. A hot butter knife can be used to separate hide glue joints, which is essential for stringed instruments that see a lot of hard use and are very valuable. I would think it would could be the correct choice for heirloom quality furniture because of the repairability. One possible caution with the liquid hide glues: I had a guitar that launched its bridge across the room because the maker had used liquid hide glue instead of the traditional hot pot glue and the glue let go catastrophically . The maker was very embarrassed, and complained that the glue was not as good as his usual glue.

[Brian Kent]

For cutting boards and most projects - Titebond III.

White glue is fine for most dry indoor work.

I only used epoxy while filling a space or gluing wood to metal.

[David Laaneorg]

A few years ago, FFW did a comparison of various glues. I don't have the copy in front of me (the cover showed a bridle joint in a testing machine), but I remember that epoxy was not that good at filling gaps as people think. In fact, if I remember correctly, Titebond II and III were both stronger and better at gap filling. I believe that in many categories, epoxy tied with hide glue. Hide glue was amazingly strong. You may want to try to find a copy of that one and read it for yourself.

[bob blakeborough]

Thanks everyone! I will look for that issue, but it does seem that the Titebond II or III is used by most... I will look for some this weekend and go further when the project demands!

[Andrae Covington]

A few years ago, FFW did a comparison of various glues. I don't have the copy in front of me (the cover showed a bridle joint in a testing machine), but I remember that epoxy was not that good at filling gaps as people think. In fact, if I remember correctly, Titebond II and III were both stronger and better at gap filling. I believe that in many categories, epoxy tied with hide glue. Hide glue was amazingly strong. You may want to try to find a copy of that one and read it for yourself.

Fine Woodworking #192 (July 2007). The article is available in pdf on Titebond's website
http://www.titebond.com/Download/pdf...urGlue_FWW.pdf

In the "loose" fit joints, the strength of slow-set epoxy was only slightly more than waterproof PVA glue (Type I) in maple and oak and slightly less in ipé. This led FWW to conclude that epoxy does not fill gaps as well as expected. However I believe epoxy does fill gaps better than PVA glue, which shrinks more as it dries. Nonetheless, the end result has roughly the same failure point as PVA, therefore gap-filling ability is somewhat superfluous.

In loose and snug joints, both liquid and hot hide glue were comparable with regular PVA (I think their result with hot hide glue on ipé may have been an anomaly, considering the liquid hide glue number). In tight joints though, hide glue fell behind the PVA's and epoxy. If you look at the hide glue numbers for loose, snug, and tight joints, the range is pretty small. PVA on the other hand shows notable improvement in strength with tighter fitting joints. PVA works best as a very thin film, it does not bond to itself very well and therefore thicker applications tend to be weaker. Applied in an ideal condition of very thin in a tight-fitting joint, it is definitely stronger. Hide glue is weaker overall, but more forgiving of imprecise joinery, in part because the glue can bond to itself.

[Russell Sansom]

An easy way to get into it is buy a bottle of Titebond I and a bottle of Titebond III. For each project, decide with of the qualities advertised on the front of the bottle would work the best. This works for me. The others mentioned come in handy, but after getting to know what the "yellow" glues can do, you'll be able to decide if you should be using something else.
I found that ( as awful as it is ) polyurethane was perfect for doing dentistry on several victorian house door frames where I had an uncertain fit somewhere deep inside and I wanted air / insulation tightness. I haven't found any other use for it