Clamp time

[Harold Piper]

I have a bunch of oak panels to glue up,but don't have very many clamps. What is the shortest time that I can leave the clamps on before I take them off? I'm using Tight Bond II.

Thanks

Harold

[Mark Engel]

Longer is better, but you can usually remove them after about 30 minutes or so. Leave the panels for a full day before machining further.

[Peter Quadarella]

I don't know from experience, but the manufacturer says 30 minutes to an hour - and then goes on to say they usually recommend at least 45 minutes.

Also, if you suffer from lack of clamps, you could check out bowclamp (there is a subforum for it here, in the manufacturer's section).

[Sean Kinn]

Not sure of your shop situation/temps...but be mindful of the temps suggested on the bottle. Cool weather can affect drying time, and full cure time.

[David Duke]

As Mark said if temperatures are within mfg guidelines and your joinery is good 30-45 minutes in the clamps is fine, just be sure and not do any machining on the panels for at least 8 hours.

[M Toupin]

With temps in the mid 70s, clamp for 30-45 min or so. Light machining after a hour, though I try and wait 2 if I can. Heavy machining in 8 hours or so. Manufacturer times are generally conservative for liability reasons.

Mike

[Bert Johansen]

I recently glued up 8 oak panels for a small chest. Lacking adequate clamps, I resorted to "Bubba Clamps." See photo.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...I resorted to "Bubba Clamps..."

Yes...these are the best...but, my god, the price! 35 grand for four clamps????

YM

[M Toupin]

Originally Posted by Yoshikuni Masato

"...I resorted to "Bubba Clamps..."
Yes...these are the best...but, my god, the price! 35 grand for four clamps????
YM

Not to mention the space they take up! Is it bad to store your clamps in the driveway or do you have to keep the in the shop???

[Brian Dormer]

The instructions on Titebond say 30-60 minutes is "good 'nuff". So an hour or so may be adequate for your application. But - when I'm building to last (and I don't have a ton of clamps either) - I will let my glue-ups cook overnight. The last thing I want to do is get in a rush and blow a glue-up because I got impatient. YMMV.

[Joe Chritz]

This seems to come up every month or so.

Last so called scientific test in a wood rag showed that with almost all PVA glues 80%+ strength was achieved in 15-20 minutes. That means that with good glue joints and proper clamp pressure you can remove them in 20 minutes and set them aside to further cure.

When doing panels I look at the clock after the last clamp is tightened, round up to the next 5 and add 20. I write that on the face with a lumber pencil then go back to processing whenever I was doing.

I also try to glue up two panels at once whenever possible. Just leave out the glue between the panels. It doubles the speed.

Joe

[Charles Wiggins]

Depends on heat and humidity, but usually an hour is sufficient, esp. with a porous wood like oak, but if I have the time to wait, I usually like to give it a few hours. Overnight is real good. My best test is if the clamps are just a tiny bit 'looser' than when I first put them on. That lets me know that the glue joints have shrunken together as the moisture in the glue and wood has evaporated.

[Steve Clardy]

70 degrees in shop, I pull clamps off of panels in 20-30 minutes.
Titebond Original

[Peter M. Spirito]

Well as Norm says; "You can never have too many clamps." And I do have a lot of clamps. But I still let everything stay in the clamps overnight. It's just not worth not gettting the best joint I can get. And for the gloat: With some of the Christmas money from Dad I got a pair each of Bessey 60", 50", and 40" clamps and a Jet air filter. Follow this link to a review of the Jet filter at my web site. http://www.peterspirito.com/airfilter.htm

[J. Z. Guest]

Harold, I run into the same thing.

1st - I leave them on for an hour at this time of year, since my garage is only something like 45-50°F

2nd - When I find myself low on clamps, I usually go buy another one or two. Eventually, I'll have enough, even if I can't afford to buy them all at once.

For glue-ups, it's hard to beat pipe clamps for price & versatility.

Another option is to use pocket screw joinery to hold the panel together, and you don't need clamps at all. (except when drilling the holes and driving the screws)

Of course this doesn't work when you need to see both sides of the panel in the end application.