Glue is Glue...Right?

[Richard A. Rivera, M.D.]

I need some advice, information and help on who will be buying the beer next. A couple of my novice wood working friends..which makes them experts...have been discussing glue.

I have been using TightBound Original glue of years for just about every thing...CA has it's special uses... The argument is that I should be changing over to the polyurathane or to the "gorilla" like glues for gluing up my stock for turning. Stock for spindle work and for segmented bowls, etc. I say that good old Tightbound has the strength and works just as well...they say I am old...that the new glues are stronger and faster...

I turn to the members of the Vortex to settle this...Thanks...

[Brian Poor]

When gluing up segments, polyurethane is stronger on cross grain bonds.
Titebond will tend to get soft if a cut gets heated by bevel friction.

I have used both without substantial problems - I will say that polyurethane requires careful handling as it will not clean up easily.

Titebond does not like non-porous materials, polyurethane could care less - it just wants a little water to cure.

Functionally, the time to get a working bond is shorter with titebond , given appropriate drying temps and humidity.

As always, your mileage may vary.

[Jim Becker]

Recent testing indicates that the polyurethane glues are not necessarily better than PVA; in fact, they performed poorer in most of the tests. The have no gap filling properties (the foam has zero structural strength) and you do NOT want to get the stuff on your hands. Leave the poly glues for where you must use them, such as for outdoor furniture. PVA is stronger than the wood as it is...and CA certainly has it's place in the turning world, too, both for quick fixes as well as convenience when mounting waste blocks, etc.

[Keith Burns]

Richard, my vote goes for Titebond original. I use it for segmented turnings as well as furniture. Can't beat it.

[Richard A. Rivera, M.D.]

Thanks Guys...This means I don't have to buy the beer...

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Richard, you definitely don't need to buy the beer. Another vote for Titebond Original.

[Curt Fuller]

When I was a kid I used to catch grasshoppers and play with them. I've never had that same stain on my fingers until the first time I use Gorilla glue. I think it's the messiest, stickiest, get all over everythingiest stuff I've ever used. My vote goes for Titebond but I use the Titebond II.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Another vote for Titebond. I keep Titebond original and Titebond II around. I agree with Curt. Gorilla is some messy stuff. I have not had one problem with endgrain gluing or any other gluing with Titebond.

[Jim Underwood]

We use Tightbond on all our panel glue-ups at work. It doesn't leave the same glue line that Polyurethane glues do. And it's not as messy or hard to clean up later. And it doesn't push things apart... And it sets and cures a heck of a lot faster which is $$$ in the production world.

I have used Polyurethane for low stress joints that are a little more "roomy" than I would have liked...:p

[Jim Becker]

I have used Polyurethane for low stress joints that are a little more "roomy" than I would have liked...

That's the thing...poly glues are not good for gap filling. Epoxy is the better go-to adhesive when you have the gap issue.

[Paul Engle]

I go with the Titebond, urethane glues are a mess to clean up and hard to light !!!!:eek: . Seriously, on end grain like oak and birch etc I have used urethane glue if is is a structural piece aka known as ( flat work) out door stuff etc.For turnings TB II or moist conditions TB III ( bath room , kitchen etc) for segment stuff I am using TB II and so far I really like the results with their glue (goin on 25 ish years) ( the segment stuff now thats another story).;)

[Jim Underwood]

That's the thing...poly glues are not good for gap filling. Epoxy is the better go-to adhesive when you have the gap issue.

Acknowledged. However, I hope you did notice I said "low stress".:)

[Reed Gray]

I called up Franklin Glue once (the makers of Titebond) to ask a tech some questions about a problem I was having. I also asked about the difference between Titebond and the urethane glues. They told me about a test they did. They glued up some strips to make baseball bats, using both glues. Under testing, the urethane glues delaminated every time, and the Titebond didn't. It doesn't take shock loads. Another thing, a friend of mine makes expresso tampers out of exotic woods and steel for the tamper part. He sent some to Japan. While in flight, at altitude, the air bubbles expanded, and the tampers delaminated from the woods. I don't use it except for outdoor stuff, and I do very little of that.
robo hippy

[Bill Wyko]

I'll tell you what. Show your friends the piece I made called Monsoon. You can see it on www.incra.com (http://www.incra.com). It has 1495 individual pieces all glued up with Titebond II. Here we are a year later and not a crack or broken glue joint in sight. I swear by the stuff. This is not the elmers they used in grade school. TB II has a slight bit of flexibility when cured and will move with the wood. Gorilla glue is a brittle glue and IMHO will not stand the test of time. This is just my opinion based on my experience.

[Norm Zax]

Robo - can you tell me where the friend gets the metal part of the tempers?
Glue - a nice comparison, well tested, in Fine WW, about a year ago. Need to search the archive (read: sift through the mess). The top performer was Titebond but Im sure they didnt consider heat produced by turning. Worth checking up.

[Hilel Salomon]

Titebond is supposed to have a limited shelf life, but I have used it in an opened bottle years after I bought it. When I opened a bottle of gorilla glue after about a year of shelf life, it was unusable.... hard as a rock. Perhaps it was an unique instance, but I've stopped buying it in large quantities.
Luck, Hilel.

[Jim Underwood]

The top performer was Titebond but Im sure they didnt consider heat produced by turning. Worth checking up.

Should there be any significant heat from turning? May I suggest that if there is, the bevel is rubbing too much, and the edge is cutting too little? I could be wrong, but I'm willing to be corrected.

[robert hainstock]

If any of you have the misfortune ever of getting poly glue any where you don't want it, It cleans up nicely,(while wet) with mineral spirits. :eek::eek:
Bob

[Richard A. Rivera, M.D.]

Titebond is supposed to have a limited shelf life, but I have used it in an opened bottle years after I bought it. When I opened a bottle of gorilla glue after about a year of shelf life, it was unusable.... hard as a rock. Perhaps it was an unique instance, but I've stopped buying it in large quantities.
Luck, Hilel.

One of the reasons I asked this glue question, is that when I went to get a bottle at the big box down the street...several of the bottles were hard as rocks...dry in their bottle. reading the lable, you are to remove any air out of the bottle to extend it's shelf life. I bought a gallon jug of original Titebond instead.

thanks for all the input....and I did not have to buy the beer.

Dr. R,,,