Titebond 3

[STUART Robertson]

I have used gallons of this for many laminated curves and many other glue ups in an array of dimensions primarily for external non structural applications.
And it's waterproof....
I apply to both mating surfaces fairly generously.
The only failure I've had was temperature related.The air was sufficiently warm but both the glue and the material were too cold.
Interested in others experience.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I just cleaned up a scrap wood pile that was left out in the rain for over two years and found an off cut of a lamination glued with III and it is still perfect. The piece happens to be roasted black locust. It is good as new and still perfectly flat.

[Jimmy Harris]

I've read a lot of people complaining about it failing on them. But personally, I've never had an issue. I used it on some outdoor planters a few years back and they're still holding together despite a ton of moisture and wild temperature swings. It's pretty much the only glue I use, unless I need something gap filling, in which case I go for epoxy.

It's great for end grain to end grain joints. Just thin it out 50/50 water and glue, and coat the joints, let it sit and soak in for about 10 minutes, and then follow up with 100% glue and set the joint and clamp like usual.

I think one of the problems people have with this glue is it takes longer to fully cure than what most people think. It takes about 3 days under ideal conditions, and maybe a week or more under less than ideal conditions. You often don't need a full cure to get back to work on it. I typically only clamp it overnight. But for something like bent laminiations, I'd probably wait at least 3 days, despite the bottle recommending only 24 hours. You've got to give time for long chain polymers to form. And I wouldn't trust it for an exposed joint out in the weather, as I don't think it's a waterproof as they claim (nor any PVA type glue). But for something like a tight mortise and tenon joint, that won't be sitting in pooled up water, it seems to hold up really well.

[Edward Weber]

Never had a failure and I too have used gallons over the years

[John TenEyck]

I don't use it in bent laminations or veneer work because it can creep, especially if it gets warm. TB II has become my go to shop adhesive. I also don't use it in exterior door glued up panels because the panel can separate at the glue line if it gets really hot from sun. But for non-structural exterior applications, it's done well. I have some outdoor furniture that's fine after 10 plus years, and the three edge glued redwood boards on the roof of a birdfeeder I made over 20 years ago have yet to fail despite sitting out fully exposed year-round.

John

[Michael Burnside]

Yea, not a fan of TB III myself. I don't like the glue line consistency/color/residue. It's a fine glue, but after using nearly a gallon of it, I switched to TB II (extend) or TB Quick and Thick as my two go-to and I'm much happier. For glue-ups where you don't need a lot of time, quick and thick is awesome stuff. I do use the dark for certain woods. For anything outdoor, which is rare, I use epoxy. Only failure I had was on roasted oak, but I was expecting that and only used the glue as a test just to see (TB II failed too).

[John Kananis]

I do use tb3 and I like it for specific applications - I do tend to clamp longer but I've never had any issues. I don't think there's any one glue (hide glue comes closer than any other imho) that can do it all in woodworking. On the adhesive shelf, I currently have, hide, tb2&3, unibond 800, 3 types of epoxy (including the west systems, which I really like), 2 types of contact cement, 3 types of CA, spray adhesive and I'm sure I've missed something.

[Jamie Buxton]

When TB3 came out I jumped on it. A waterproof single component glue! Pretty quickly I had two glue failures. I was went back to 2-part glues.

[STUART Robertson]

All the curved lams have been exterior,all are mechanically fixed in place and have had water thin epoxy sealant followed by a four coat paint process.
West system for when longer open time required or higher strength joint in a more demanding application.
Loctite PU in a range of cure times.
CA is handy too.

[Andrew Hughes]

I like titebond 3 for interior work. Walnut is the perfect wood for 3 what I do to exclude glue creep on lamination is too thin down the glue wet both surfaces and clamp the hell out of it.
For outdoor gates I like gorilla glue in western red cedar is soaks in and fills up joinery to keep water out.
We had this discussion not to long ago.
There must be a thousand different results and reasons for glues.
Good Luck

[STUART Robertson]

I had read an earlier thread mainly about TB 3 and was a bit concerned by the mixed reviews,particularly with regard to joint failure. It's always good to know what limitations others have found and where a product has failed or appeared to fail,but equally important to identify the cause of a failure.
Product or process?

[Warren Lake]

you said the wood was cold. If you bring in cold wood you can get failure till its warmed to some level, you dont say how cold. Also age of glue.

[Jimmy Harris]

you said the wood was cold. If you bring in cold wood you can get failure till its warmed to some level, you dont say how cold. Also age of glue.

Using new glue, I've had no problems with TB3 in temperatures applied near the bottom of their recommendations, with overnight temps dropping near, but still above, freezing. So like, I've applied it to wood when my shop was around 47° (made sure the wood was warmed up first with a space heater to probably around 60°), and then let it sit in my garage overnight when the temperatures dropped to around 35°. But I kept the temperatures up for the first hour or two. And they've all held up fine. And some of them were kind of stressed, like laminated table tops where I had to clamp the boards to meet because they weren't straight. I wouldn't recommend pushing the limits like this, but I've done it and gotten away with it. Also, make sure the glue is warm. I usually keep it in the house (72°) to avoid temperature extremes and extend its life.

[STUART Robertson]

The temperature of the glue and material at that time was probably in the low 40's. I had been using another yellow glue tolerant of low temperatures and this was my first use of TB3.
It has been the only failure,I learned my lesson quickly.
Have used many gallons since.
Useful glue.