Gorilla Glue and Bloxygen

[Anthony Whitesell]

I don't use Gorilla Glue often, so I don't get the large bottles. I don't get the large bottles because is gels or hardens or begins to cure in the bottle.

I don't know much about the drying process of Gorilla Glue. But if it is curing in the same respect as varnish cures, would it be useful to squirt some bloxygen into the half empty bottle before capping it?

[rob mason]

Store it upside down. It will last longer.

[Alan Schaffter]

I don't use Gorilla Glue often, so I don't get the large bottles. I don't get the large bottles because is gels or hardens or begins to cure in the bottle.

I don't know much about the drying process of Gorilla Glue. But if it is curing in the same respect as varnish cures, would it be useful to squirt some bloxygen into the half empty bottle before capping it?

Gorilla glue, a polyurethane based glue that cures, and unfortunately, the catalyst is moisture. Either moisture in the wood, sprayed on the wood, or, and unfortunately, in the air. Once you have opened the container, it begins to cure. The amount of moisture, up to a point determines how fast. After you squeeze the bottle to dispense glue, then relax and let the bottle return to its original shape, you draw moisture containing air back into the bottle. Bloxogen, might slow down the absorption of moisture, I can't say. I don't use GG often, and only buy it in small quantities that I will likely use quickly. I think GG should sell the glue in a container that is like one of those open-sided baby bottles that dispense the contents from a collapsable plastic bag, and so does not need take-up air.

Also there are other brands, like PL, sold in big box stores that are identical to GG, but much cheaper.

[Lee Schierer]

I tried polyurethane glue and had the same problem with it curing and skinning over. I read a tip either online or in a magazine to store it upside down. I made a holder for my bottle and always kept it upside down and tightly capped. The glue still cured, but at a much slower rate and the skin effect was not blocking the flow of glue out the bottle tip.

I also found that I got stronger joints and far less foaming by not wetting the wood and taking advantage of the moisture in the air and the normal moisture of the wood to provide the curing. I did need to keep pieces clamped over night, but then that was occurring even with the yellow glue since most of my shop work was done after work.

[Tom Veatch]

...But if it is curing in the same respect as varnish cures, would it be useful to squirt some bloxygen into the half empty bottle before capping it?

As others have said, water is the curing agent for polyurethane glues such as GG. If a dry gas, one containing no water vapor, is introduced into the bottle displacing all moisture vapor, it could possibly slow or inhibit the curing of the glue. Whether it actually would or not, I can't say. But it stands to reason that if moisture catalyzes/causes the cure, the absence of moisture would inhibit/prevent the cure. Worth a try, anyway.