Padauk gluing problems

[Mark Singer]

I was gluing up panels for my Balboa cabinets and I used Padauk for one unit. 24 hours after gluing ,I cut the panel to door and drawer widths and began drum sanding.....every joint failed ! I was using Lee Valleys 2002 gf which is like Tightbond....it never curred? I re glued using West Systems Epoxy. I have used Padauk for many projects in the past....the desk I am using now...my sofa...my shelves and never had this problem... Any similar experiences?

[Chris Barton]

Hi Mark,

Sorry about the glue failure. I have done several pieces in Paduk and never had a problem with the 2 PVAs I use most often, Probond and Titebond. Sounds like somthing went south with the glue. Even the PVA I use for veneer press work will dry within 24 hrs.

[Greg Heppeard]

I've heard of a few people having problems like this with padauk. It might be contain a little more natural oil than usual. Try wiping the joint with acetone before gluing it up. I've heard it helps.

[Andy Hoyt]

Mark - Wondering if it could be responding like teak does due to the natural oils it contains.

I recall reading that for teak you've got to wipe the to-be-glued surfaces down with acetone just prior to the glue application.

That said, I made the timberframe for one of my dollhouses in padauk last year, used yellow glue (probably TB II - but I don't track these things) and had no problems.

Ooops - Greg beat me to it. I'm a really slooooooow typer kinda guy

[Jim Becker]

What Greg said...

[Lee DeRaud]

No issues here: just did a padauk picture frame with Titebond...and that's end-grain. (Well, 45 degree...half-end-grain?)

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Mark,
I made three sets of end table and coffee table legs with padauk. I used a dowelled tenon joint to hold thing together with epoxy (not the 5 minute stuff). This joint was so strong mechanically, I would not have been able to tell if the epoxy failed. However, when I was finishing the legs, the polyeurethane stayed sticky forever. I mean for several days! I tried wiping down with acetone beforehand and it seemed to help, but not fully alleviate the problem. It did eventually fully cure, but it took about 2 weeks.

My word of caution is to use mechancial means (biscuits, dowels, tenons, etc.). It's difficult with edge glued panels. I don't know if epoxy was a better choice, but I was concerned with adhesion between aliphatic glue and the oily wood. And be cautious when finishing, the same curing issues will probably arise again. I don't know of a magic bullet to deal with this.

On the positive side, padauk is spectacular looking upon finishing. It even smells like vanilla to me while machining!

cheers, Jeff

[Robert Waddell]

Mark,
I've been glueing Padauk for years with TB and TBII and have not had any failures. I don't usually think of Padauk as a "difficult" wood but sometimes it has a white cloudy fog on the surface of the S2S I buy. I presume this is mold but don't know for sure. This might come into play if the pieces have been surfaced for days before the glue up. It could just be the oils but I would be more inclined to think it's a glue problem. Either way clean your wood with the solvent of your choice and reglue with a new bottle of glue.
Rob

[Mike Wenzloff]

Hi Mark, sorry to hear about the problems.

I don't know if this is your problem or not, but I had some of the LV GF glue that I don't think was fresh or there was simply something wrong with the batch. Even on white Oak it refused to fully cure. After about a week to got very "gummy" but not hard.

As I had another bottle, I took it apart with some heat, cleaned everything with [I thin] Acetone very well and reglued it without problems. Which is why I think the first bottle had something wrong with it.

For exotics, I use either plastic resin or epoxy anyway. The one time I had an issue with Padauk was from not cleaning machine dust out of the pores well.

Take care, Mike

[John Miliunas]

Mark, don't know what to tell you. I ordered some of the LV glue upon your recomendation and that's been my "go to" glue ever since, including my last little project, which just happened to be that Padauk frame for Casey. No failures, including the simple edge to edge between the Padauk and BE Maple. Guess I didn't realize I should be cleaning all the surfaces with Acetone, so I didn't, but all is holding well.

[Mark Singer]

Mark, don't know what to tell you. I ordered some of the LV glue upon your recomendation and that's been my "go to" glue ever since, including my last little project, which just happened to be that Padauk frame for Casey. No failures, including the simple edge to edge between the Padauk and BE Maple. Guess I didn't realize I should be cleaning all the surfaces with Acetone, so I didn't, but all is holding well.

I still think it is a great glue!

[John Miliunas]

I still think it is a great glue!

Me too and thanks for recommending it! I have a hunch that maybe your Padauk may have had a higher oil content, thus resulting in the failed joints. I will, however, keep a close eye on Casey's frame, just to be sure.