Gluing question

[Ed62]

OK, I've built a few things, but I never got a handle on just how much glue is optimal when gluing up a project. I guess I typically use more than needed, but that causes it's own problems. How do you decide on the right amount to use?

Ed

[RodKirby]

Interesting question - which raises others...

IMHO - Enough to have a minimum of squeeze out. If you see a uniform amount of squeeze out, you know you've covered the joint. Practice will make you better at "getting it right".

What/how the joint is made can make a difference.

• End grain to face grain - more (particularly MDF).
• Face to face - less.
• Don't "over tighten" clamps - will starve the joint.

99% of the time I use Titebond II

Be interesting to see what the other guys say.

[MilDoc]

Rod's got it right. Still tend to put on too much.

[Wood_workur]

I put a bead on the board, then spread it with an old paint brush until it is just starting to become opaque over the wood. The I clamp it, and let it dry. I don't use a rag to wipe off excess, be rather an old chisel after about 1 hour, becuase it doesn't spear the glue around/

[Ed62]

Thanks for the replies. Maybe one day I'll get it "right".

I put a bead on the board, then spread it with an old paint brush until it is just starting to become opaque over the wood.

I'll give that a try. As I mentioned, I usually use more than "enough".

Ed

[BasementDweller]

Very good question. . . I had the same one today as I was working on a project. The plan called for me to glue a 3" trim piece to the side of a cabinet. I was thinking to myself at the time "how much glue for this?" I ended up just making 3 lines down the length of the trim piece. I think it may have been too much though, cause even though I had very little squeeze out when I put the clamps on the wood wanted to "float" around on the glue and not stay where I had it clamped. I added a bit more pressure to get it to stay put. But as Rod said I didn't want to over tighten.

I was also thinking that 3" had to be about the width limit on a piece of wood to face glue, but I have no idea, that is a guess. BTW: it was being glued to ply.



-BD

[cabinetman]

OK, I've built a few things, but I never got a handle on just how much glue is optimal when gluing up a project. I guess I typically use more than needed, but that causes it's own problems. How do you decide on the right amount to use?

Ed

Ed

Post some pics, we'd love to see what you made. I too look for a small squeeze out (I call it spooge). After a while you get used to getting a close guess. Then once in a while - oops!

[L. D. Jeffries]

Have to agree with Rod. But I also tend to put too much on, then have to clean up a gallon of squeeZe-out. Use Titebond II on light wood and T/B III on dark wood. Used Gorrilla Glue once but short shelf life after opening and initial price detered me.

[Ed62]

Thanks for the replies. If I keep at it, I'll get close to "right" one of these days.

Ed

Post some pics, we'd love to see what you made.

I never said I made anything I'd consider posting. Most of what I've done has been construction (framing, etc.), but I've made a couple of small pine bookcases, a bunch of frames, and a few other items. The only pics I have are those of the miter saw station I built from a plan. There's a thread on it.

Ed

[mojo_13]

Well I'll throw in a lil of what I have learned. I am currently in an architectual millwork class and these guys are right on in what they have said so far. It should bead out just a lil the whole way through and we scrape the wood with cheap chisels when it just starts to harden our teacher tells us to NEVER wipe it off because when you go to finish the wood it will show. Also a tip on endgrain is we put the glue on it and spread it out over the whole part with our finger then do all of the rest of the joints, It will suck down and by the time you come back to do the final gluing you can put another gluing on and clamp it up.

[Slik Geek]

...we scrape the wood with cheap chisels when it just starts to harden our teacher tells us to NEVER wipe it off because when you go to finish the wood it will show.

I've been wiping the glue squeeze out (mostly Titebond original) with a wet sponge for several years, after seeing "Uncle Norm" use that technique. I haven't had problems with the glue interfering with the finish because I wipe it all up. (Well, maybe one time - I got sloppy, but that can happen with either technique). Is the problem people have had that the glue continues to seep out after they wipe?

Doesn't some of the semi-dried glue that you scrape off still adhere to the wood and cause problems with the finish?

Now I'm curious about other folks techniques and experiences.

[LarryG]

Now I'm curious about other folks techniques and experiences.

I often use blue painter's tape to catch the worst of the squeeze out ... the better the wood, and the more inaccessible the joint, the more likely I am to take time to apply the tape. Otherwise I use either a dampened sponge or a wet toothbrush.

[Ed62]

Is the problem people have had that the glue continues to seep out after they wipe?

Doesn't some of the semi-dried glue that you scrape off still adhere to the wood and cause problems with the finish?

Now I'm curious about other folks techniques and experiences.

I think the problem is that wiping smears the glue, not that it seeps out after wiping.

I also use a chisel to get the glue off after drying for an hour or so. Works much better than wiping for me.

Ed

[mojo_13]

I think the problem is that wiping smears the glue, not that it seeps out after wiping.

I also use a chisel to get the glue off after drying for an hour or so. Works much better than wiping for me.

Ed

That is exactly what our teacher told us. That you are not getting it off of the wood you are just smearing it around and getting it into the pores of the wood which 'could' cause problems with the finishing of the wood later on. I am not sayin this is the only way or best way to do it just what we were taught. And yes we use titebond original and we scrape just after it gels up and we usually wait about 15 mins or so depending on the amount of squeeze out that we have, doesn't leave any type of residue.

Also a wet sponge introduces water into the wood surface which we are told is a big no no with all types of wood because it can make areas of the wood different thicknesses and with the tolerances we use is not acceptable. Unless of course we are trying to raise a scratch in the wood to sand out.

[Slik Geek]

...you are not getting it off of the wood you are just smearing it around and getting it into the pores of the wood which 'could' cause problems with the finishing of the wood later on. I am not sayin this is the only way or best way to do it just what we were taught. And yes we use titebond original and we scrape just after it gels up and we usually wait about 15 mins or so depending on the amount of squeeze out that we have, doesn't leave any type of residue.

Also a wet sponge introduces water into the wood surface which we are told is a big no no with all types of wood because it can make areas of the wood different thicknesses and with the tolerances we use is not acceptable.

Mojo - I'm not saying that using a moist sponge is necessarily better - I'm intrigued by this discussion.

With the moist sponge, the glue is diluted so much that if there is any residue, it doesn't seem to impede penetration of the finish. Isn't there some residue left over using the scraping technique? Next time you are cleaning up a spill in the kitchen, don't use a wet cloth or sponge, use a paint scraper and see if it leaves less residue!

If there is any raising of the grain due to the moisture, the finish sanding takes care of that in a flash. Doesn't the water-based glue sitting on the wood for 15 minutes raise the grain more than a momentary wipe with a moist sponge???

Has anyone seen a woodworking magazine compare glue cleanup techniques? Maybe this question needs a side by side comparison.