Panel Glue Up Using Eucalyptus Veneer

[jon claw]

Hello. I'm having a problem getting Eucalyptus to adhere to my substrate. Using Unibond 800, wiped before going into the bag with lacquer thinner, still bubbled up and didn't lay flat. This is the first time I've really had a problem with adhesion. I've glued up Teak panels before and the were fine. Any tips? Anyone worked with Eucalyptus veneer before and can point me in the right direction? Thanks!

[Tony Joyce]

Could the glue be out of date?

[Mike Henderson]

Are you sure you didn't spread it too thin?

Mike

[jon claw]

I just bought the glue, so I doubt that the glue is the issue. I forgot to mention that the Eucalyptus is part of a field of three other veneers that all adhered well. As far as thin glue, I've had had problems with thin coats before so I always do a vertical and a horizontal coat. I guess I'll just try again and wipe it down even more. I didn't realize it was this oily. Oh well.....

[HANK METZ]

Just a WAG, but dot some water on it and gauge the reaction- if it beads, it needs more cleaning, if it absorbs...

- Beachside Hank

[Mike Henderson]

If your bubbles are not too bad (too many and too big), cut into them and try working some gorilla glue into the bubble area (microwave the glue to make it flow easily - but don't let it boil over). Then clamp the area flat with a caul and waxed paper (or plastic). Gorilla glue will adhere to almost anything.

I have small cauls that I've wrapped packing tape around and use those when re-gluing a bubble.

Mike

[jon claw]

Thanks for the tip about the water drops. I'll try that for sure this next round. I would try the "fill" method" but the area of non-adhesion" is just too large. I've got the veneer so I'll just do another glue up for that region. Thanks for all the feedback. I appreciate it.

[Don Kondra]

Are you using a caul on top of the laminate ?

The bag alone isn't really enough to assure a "flat" result...

Cheers, Don

[jon claw]

Yes, I am using a caul. I always go for flatness. As I said earlier, the other portions of the glue up were fine and the adhesion was good for most of the glue up. Even using a caul isn't really enough to achieve good results. I always do a caul, taped to the substrate for registration, and a piece of mesh on top, raise to odds of getting good pressure. I just haven't ever used this species of veneer before and thought I'd see if anyone had any thoughts from previous experience.

[Mike Henderson]

Just one more comment. This is probably not an issue, but I always use a piece of very heavy material - essentially like sail cloth - between the caul and the work - with plastic under the cloth to keep any glue from getting to it. It helps to even out the pressure. So if you have a thinner piece of veneer, or a build up of veneer tape, the cloth will exert pressure on the lowest part of the glue up.

Mike

[Don Kondra]

Hmmm...

That is curious.

The eucalyptus veneers and solids I've worked with didn't seem oily at all.

And you would think the glue was mixed properly if the bond with the other veneers was successful.

Generally speaking, bubbling is the result of too little glue, too little pressure, not enough clamping time or too long an open time before clamping pressure is applied.

As I understand it, you have a pattern with different species taped together and then you are laminating the whole piece ?

You could try applying the glue to the core and to the veneer. The tricky part of this process is the veneer may want to curl when the glue is applied to it.

Cheers, Don

[Rob Foster]

Just a WAG, but dot some water on it and gauge the reaction- if it beads, it needs more cleaning, if it absorbs...

- Beachside Hank

Mike,

I am the PR guy for Gorilla Glue. We NEVER recommend that the product be microwaved. This can cause serious injury. Instead, you can stand the bottle in a cup of hot water for a few minutes before you use it. Do not place on stove and bring water to a boil.

Thanks for using Gorilla Glue.

Rob

[HANK METZ]

Mike,

I am the PR guy for Gorilla Glue. We NEVER recommend that the product be microwaved. This can cause serious injury. Instead, you can stand the bottle in a cup of hot water for a few minutes before you use it. Do not place on stove and bring water to a boil.

Thanks for using Gorilla Glue.

Rob

It's Hank Rob, Mike's post is one more up, but the dialogue reminds me that I used to use a baby bottle warmer for small quantities of hide glue; same benefits of warmed product, no danger of boiling or cooking. I can appreciate you guys would have a hard time selling the statement "makes it as warm as mother's milk", but I see a picture of a gorilla and a nursing mother, so let the P.R. guys earn their pay and make it fly.

- Beachside Hank

[Rob Foster]

Sorry about misplacing. I'll float it by them....I am the PR guy.