Test Your "New" Glue

[Andrew Joiner]

I test my glue-ups from time to time. I'm usually concerned with minimum temperatures.

I bought some new Titebond lll in December of 2009 because my other glues are getting real old.

The new Titebond lll popped off in 3-tests. 6 year old Elmers carpenter glue and 5 year old titebond extend held fine under the same conditions!

Titebond told me the Titebond lll was made in July of 2008 so I should return it to the store.

I think I'll stick with ( no pun intended) Titebond Extend from now on. It sands of with no gumming, dries in a cold shop, and gives a bit xtra working time.

I'll test all "new" glues from now on, even if the code dates say it should be OK.

Anyone else finding Titebond lll has a shorter shelf life than other wood glues?

[Howard Acheson]

According to the Titebond spec sheets, TB, TBII and TBIII all have a 12 month shelf life if unopened and keep below 75 degrees. So the TBIII you used was beyond its time.

I use Elmer's Carpenter Glue. I date it and generally discard after a year. Adhesive is a small cost in the overall cost of a project. It's not worth taking any changes IMO.

[michael case]

A good reminder for us all. I got some Titebond III sitting down in the shop that is definitely going in the trash!

Thanks

[Mike Goetzke]

I keep mine in the frig - supposed to extend the life.

[John Morrison60]

This thread is interesting to me because I have not paid much
attention to shelf life issues.
I do not think that I have been burned yet, but maybe a problem
waiting to happen.

Where is the best place to buy glues?
Surely somewhere that has a good turnover in it, but where is that?
Is the borg better than Rockler?
Does either of them get glue with a later date?
How is glue coded? Mine has some stamping, but it is cryptic, and
obviously not intended to be read and evaluated.

Which glues have the best shelf life?
How much tolerance is in the published shelf life?

Is there anything that can be done to prolong the life?
How do you "test" it?


Should I always buy in the smallest containers?

concerned
John

[Van Huskey]

I tend to replace "yellow" glues after I have had them for 6 months, I mark the date bought and after 6 months put a big black X with a marker on the label, I will use it for SOME things fater that just not critical. I buy my "standard" type glues at the Borg due to fast turnover, specialty glues I tend to order from large mail order houses since I have a better chance of getting fresh glue.

[Andrew Joiner]

John here's the way I'd answer your questions.

----How is glue coded? Mine has some stamping, but it is cryptic, and
obviously not intended to be read and evaluated.----

I call the company who makes the glue to have the "code "explained. However it only a rough guide as I just had my newest glue fail.



----How do you "test" it? ----

I glue wood scraps and pry them apart. The wood fibers should break on acceptable glues. If the scraps "pop" apart at the glue line only,the glue is no good. Record clamp times and temperature. Several tests with different glues in the same conditions proved Titebond lll has a shorter shelf life than my other wood glues.

Bottom line: Test your glue often.

[Peter Quinn]

I've kept that stuff around several years and never had a problem. Never. No failures. I didn't know it went bad? I don't tend to work out of the container or keep it open for long periods, don't know if that has any effect. I use tite bond III exclusively at this point as the shop is 55 degrees in the winter and type three is the only one that works at that temperature according to the manufacturer.

I never cared for the extend lines. They may have a bit more open time, but boy they grab real quick and tack up too fast for me. I've never had type III make it that hard to adjust anything so quickly before. And the extend tends to separate and needs to be shaken real hard to get it back together. Not so much fun IME.

[Andrew Joiner]

I wanted to bump this up.

I just got of the phone with a Franklin/Titebond tech guy. I asked him if some of the Titebond glues have a longer shelf life. Told him my TB extend is many years old and still fine ,but the much newer (by date code on the jug) TB III failed. He said " the date the glue was made is only a rough guide because if the glue was left in a hot truck or stored improperly it goes bad faster".

We have no way of knowing how glue was stored before we bought it. Test your glue often. Use the material and temperature you will do your real glue-ups in.

[glenn bradley]

I've been stung by "Dead" glue before. Like Howard I know felt pen mark the date of purchase on the container. If it is well beyond its life and I haven't used it, I toss it. I no longer take chances just to save a few dollars. There's places to save money and places to be sure of things. A pint of glue is wayyy cheaper than the piece I plan to use it on.

From another date code discussion on Titebond:

"The first digit represents A for America (made in), the second digit is the last digit of the year of manufacture, the third and fourth digits represent the month, the fifth and sixth digits represent the day of the month and the last four digits represent the lot number. Example: A904270023 – This material was manufactured on April 27, 2009"

[Dave Lehnert]

I buy the smallest bottle glue available and date it with a sharpy marker. Toss after 6 months.
I get a kick out of people buying gal of glue at a time. You could glue a house together with a gal.

[Dave Zellers]

You could glue a house together with a gal.
Or a whole lot of cabinets and other stuff. Back in the day, I used to buy glue by the gallon and use it all. But then I'm a heavy gluer. When I'm gluing, I cover every single millimeter that will be touching. And if it's porous, I let it soak a bit and apply a second coat before assembly.

[Bob Preshong]

Everybody seems to talking about heat making glue go bad, well let me say a cold unheated shop will do terrable things to a new fresh container of glue. At least a couple of times a winter I forget to take it in the house when I'm through for the day so the next day I'm on my way to the Borg for a new jug. Like an earlier poster said I've learned to buy the smallest size they have. There is one glue I don't worry about in winter, super glue, I don't know low you cah go but I haven't been there yet.

[Cody Colston]

I buy TBIII in the round, 16 oz. containers. There is no way one will last anywhere close to 6 months so I don't bother to mark the date.

If you do get 6 months or longer out of a container of glue, you are either buying it in too large a volume or you aren't doing much woodworking or both.

[John Nesmith]

Where is the date stamp located? I can't find one on my 16 oz bottle of TB III

[Don Bullock]

I wanted to bump this up.

I just got of the phone with a Franklin/Titebond tech guy. I asked him if some of the Titebond glues have a longer shelf life. Told him my TB extend is many years old and still fine ,but the much newer (by date code on the jug) TB III failed. He said " the date the glue was made is only a rough guide because if the glue was left in a hot truck or stored improperly it goes bad faster".

We have no way of knowing how glue was stored before we bought it. Test your glue often. Use the material and temperature you will do your real glue-ups in.

reat post!!! Like others I'd never considered "shelf life" of glue.


I buy the smallest bottle glue available and date it with a sharpy marker. Toss after 6 months.
I get a kick out of people buying gal of glue at a time. You could glue a house together with a gal.

Great advise. I'll do that just before my upcoming glue up.

[Andrew Joiner]

Great post!!! Like others I'd never considered "shelf life" of glue.





Thanks Don,
Since the glue can be stored improperly along the distribution from the factory, "shelf life" or dates on bottles really can't be counted on.
The bottle of TB III I mentioned at the beginning of this thread was made July of 2008 tested and failed in December of 2009. It was 3 or 4 times newer by the stamped date than my old glues that are still holding.

The Titebond tech rep says he has a 9 year old bottle at home that is still fine,but he knows it's been stored perfectly. He said heat in storage will shorten PVA glue life a lot, more so than freezing. He thinks it is smart to test glue and observe it's flow (non clumping) rather than rely on shelf lives or dates.

The manger of the store I buy glue at says" we don't track dates or toss older glues but we sell a lot" " we will return the price of the glue if your not happy" Of course I'd rather test my glue regularly.

Date marking a new glue purchase is good. It won't have anything to do with glue joint strength. The glue could've sat in a hot truck, a hot warehouse and on a shelf for an undetermined time.