Extending glue set time - Help

[John Lankers]

I also vote for moderately thinned TB 3, doing the glue up on a cool and damp morning can buy you another 5 minutes easily - but then, if I leave a door open this time of year the glue would probably freeze before it sets .

[Dennis Peacock]

I also vote for moderately thinned TB 3, doing the glue up on a cool and damp morning can buy you another 5 minutes easily - but then, if I leave a door open this time of year the glue would probably freeze before it sets .

LOL! Thanks John! I don't have the freezing problem here in Conway, AR. I do have cool temps with high humidity.....so maybe I'll raise the doors on the shop and apply glue with it cool and damp.

[Jim Becker]

In addition to all of the above, since you have helpers, you can speed things up by assigning one person just to spread the glue via roller and have whomever is remaining of the team at their spots ready to add the cauls and clamps. Refreshments can sometimes provide additional helpers... I'm sure you're already doing this, but it really does come down to having a "system" for each iteration to keep things fast, but still accurate. I didn't have helpers when I did my kitchen island top and it was a royal pain...and that's a much smaller surface than you're working!

[Robin Frierson]

This is my favorite glue, Lee Valley cabinetmakers glue, and it has 15-20 minute open time.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...10,42965,45104

[Andrew Joiner]

LOL! Thanks John! I don't have the freezing problem here in Conway, AR. I do have cool temps with high humidity.....so maybe I'll raise the doors on the shop and apply glue with it cool and damp.

I would test this at several open times. Glue small scraps from the batch of wood you'll be using for the top. Keep an accurate record of times and temperatures.

I had a new jug of properly dated Titebond fail on a small job years ago, so I learned a lesson.
Now I test all glues old and new before any important project.

[Mel Fulks]

When we made some tops for government we found it was faster and easier to stack glue 2x8 material then slice off on bandsaw ,face, plane ,joint and edge glue. Trying to glue 2 by 2 pieces was really messy and produced some open ends. Time was saved at wide belt sander since the tops were much flatter than the ones made from moulder run pieces ,many of which were too crooked to use. They told us they were the best ones they had ever bought.

[Chris Padilla]

How about using the Tite Bond Extend glue?

http://www.titebond.com/product.aspx...d-79f8a75a2e95

I've used TB-II Extend in the past and wasn't impressed. I don't know if this is the same thing or something new. I see they claim 15 minutes open time so it may be new.

[Jamie Buxton]

I use epoxy for long open time. You can easily have thirty minutes or more, depending on the temperature in your shop, and which catalyst you choose. And unlike urea-formaldehyde, there's no concern about carcinogenic outgassing. I use West Systems epoxy. System Three is equivalent.

[Frank Pratt]

Same here. And it doesn't seem to have the shelf life of regular Titebond. I had 1/3 of a gallon go bad after 4 years of storage in a cool, dark place. I've had the regular stuff last much longer.

I've used TB-II Extend in the past and wasn't impressed. I don't know if this is the same thing or something new. I see they claim 15 minutes open time so it may be new.

[Mike Walsh]

I used Titebond Extend to glue up a maple bench top - strips of 4/4 maple 7'x2-1/2" glued in sections. Was able to get glue on 4 faces well within the open time without going crazy. Bench is about 5 years old and top sill looks great

[Chris Fournier]

Plastic resin glue should be your go to. PVA is very inferior for your application compared to plastic resin. In fact I would use the powdered pre-cat product and have done so on large cutting board runs. 70 degrees F min!