Glue question

[Keith E Byrd]

I am doing some table top gluing and am curious what opinions you all have regarding the best type of glue. The wood I am using in European Ash. I am using biscuits for edge alignment. I assume traditional glue such as Titebond, is a good choice. The question: do I use origional or type II or type III or does it matter? The table will be a kitchen dining table - no outside usage.

[Jim Summers]

I am doing some table top gluing and am curious what opinions you all have regarding the best type of glue. The wood I am using in European Ash. I am using biscuits for edge alignment. I assume traditional glue such as Titebond, is a good choice. The question: do I use origional or type II or type III or does it matter? The table will be a kitchen dining table - no outside usage.

I vote for I or II. I have used III a lot but for some reason I am not into it any more.

[Paul McGaha]

Hi Keith,

I would think Titebond I as it is an indoor piece.

PHM

[Dave Lehnert]

TB2 is water prof and rated safe for cutting boards.
If I had TB1 on hands, that is what I would use. But if I was going to buy some I would pick up tb2.

[Harold Burrell]

Either TB I or II. III is for outdoor stuff (mostly).

[Gordon Eyre]

I would go with TB II. First of all it is resistant to water and also it has a slightly longer working time and on a large piece like a table top you may need the extra time to put the glue on and get it clamped up.

[Von Bickley]

I use TB II for all my glue-ups ....... :)

[Clint Olver]

Titebond III has a longer curing time, which is good for difficult glue-ups, as it gives you more time to fuss with seems and parts. But if it is a relatively easy glue-up, Titebond I or II will do. I use Titebond I a lot because there is quite a price difference north of the border.

C

[Joe Chritz]

I would use whatever was in the Glubot at the time. When I buy PVA glue it is whatever type I is on sale at the time. I like the Elmer's stuff as it seems a tad bit thicker but I haven't ever noticed any difference from one the other.

Tests in some magazines seemed to show the same thing.

A table top won't (or shouldn't) get moisture to need a waterproof glue.

Joe

[Keith E Byrd]

Gentlemen,
Thank you for y our input - if I get the general trend I hear a lot of support for TB Original and TB III. TB II is good but has quick set time. Because of potential for moisture - water/drink spills sounds like TB III could be the overall general purpose winner.

[Frank Drew]

Because of potential for moisture - water/drink spills sounds like TB III could be the overall general purpose winner.

Keith,

When they say TB III is for waterproofing, they mean like leaving the table out in the weather year 'round (or dropping the table in the swimming pool), not the incidental moisture that a dining table would typically get. There's nothing wrong with using it, but in this case it would probably be overkill.

[Darius Ferlas]

Any wood glue will be just fine (TB, Elmers, LePage etc) and I wouldn't worry about the moisture resistance, unless the table top is to be left without any protective finish. That's when I'd go for a glue with the best water resistance specs.

One notable difference between TB III and most other glues is that TB III dries to caramelized color. I use it mostly for walnut or when longer open time is important. TB III has also the advantage that it can be applied in temps as low as 45degF.

For ash table top glue up I'd use one of the yellow glues.

[Gordon Eyre]

Gentlemen,
Thank you for y our input - if I get the general trend I hear a lot of support for TB Original and TB III. TB II is good but has quick set time. Because of potential for moisture - water/drink spills sounds like TB III could be the overall general purpose winner.

Here is a quote directly from the bottle of Titebond III. "Waterproof - Superior Strength. Outperforms all other wood glues. Longer open assembly time."

It does cost more but seem to be very good. I have been using it lately and I like the longer assembly time it gives for larger projects. One thing I have noted is that it has a tendency for the top of the glue in the bottle to skin over or thicken when kept in my very warm garage. I have been keeping it in the air conditioned house and it stays fine.

[Chris Padilla]

I dunno about the longer open time of TB-III. Longer than what? There is an Extended Open Time TB-II out there as well. Reading all the bottle of the TBs...the TB-II-Ex is the longest at around 12-13 mins if my memory serves....

TB-I, for sure, is one of the shorter open times at around 5 mins.

Franklin also has a "molding" glue with an open time at 1 minute.

They all have their purposes...I normally have many different glues on hand but tend to grab the TB-III for most purposes....

[Keith E Byrd]

CHris,
What I read was that the Type III had longer set time -their website says 10-15 min open/closed assembly time. Type II has 5-10 and the Origiinal 5-10.
Titebond is really the only glue I have used but I have been reading and seeen references to other glues but no knowledge on why I would use some of them.

[Darius Ferlas]

I dunno about the longer open time of TB-III. Longer than what?
Than TB-I or TB-II, each with 5 minutes as opposed to 10 minutes for TB-III.

TB I

Open assembly timehttp://www.titebond.com/images/clear.gif5 minutes (70°F./50%RH)
Total assembly timehttp://www.titebond.com/images/clear.gif10-15 minutes (70°F./50%RH)

TB II
Open assembly timehttp://www.titebond.com/images/clear.gif5 minutes (70°F./50%RH)
Total assembly timehttp://www.titebond.com/images/clear.gif10-15 minutes (70°F./50%RH)

TB III
Open assembly timehttp://www.titebond.com/images/clear.gif10 minutes (70°F./50%RH)
Total assembly timehttp://www.titebond.com/images/clear.gif20-25minutes (70°F./50%RH)


TB-II-Ex is the longest at around 12-13 mins if my memory serves
I'd love to lay my hands on it. Do you have a link?
Titebond does not list it on their site. I also used their selector and the An extended open time search option lists only TB-III.

[Chris Padilla]

Darius,

At the Titebond web site's main page, select "Cabinet Shop Glues" (not "Woodworking Glues") and you'll find the Extended there. It claims 15 mins of open time.

[Roger Jensen]

I use the II/extended. I am building 5-piece doors and drawer fronts and I like the extra working time. However, it is thinner than the regular II so it is a little trickier to work with - you need to make sure it doesn't run or drip on you.

Roger

[Darius Ferlas]

Thanks Chris.

I hate it when they group products like that - woodworking and cabinet shop. Is there a difference in the concept?

[Chris Padilla]

Roger...good point...I had forgotten that quality of the TB-II-Ex. Frankly, I think they just add a bit more water to the TB-II and call it Ex!