Glue block question

[Dave Cullen]

I'm a spindle turner about to enter the vortex of bowls. I've read about glue blocks and I'm wondering what kind of paper and glue to use. Craft paper and CA gel? Copier paper and yellow glue?

... or does it matter? Just don't want to get hit in the head with my first bowl blank.

[mike ash]

When I use a glue block, I glue it directly on to the bottom of the bowl with wood glue and when the inside and outside are to shape and sanded, I reverse the bowl via a jam chuck or even pressing against a flat mounted disk at the head stock end(meaning the the tail stock is against the glue block) and turn it off except for a very small nub where the tail stock is pressing against. The nub is easily sanded away. This process allows me to shape the underside of the bowl to whatever design I want.

Hope this helps.

[John Keeton]

I do as Mike describes, and I use 5 minute epoxy, unless I am at the end of the day. If that is the case, then Titebond overnite. No paper in the joint.

[Robert Henrickson]

Yet another doing as described by Mike and John, though I simply use Titebond only and leave it overnight. So far I have not used paper in any glue joint. I very rarely use CA for any purpose anymore -- the fumes are too noxious for me -- but never used it for attaching glue blocks even when I used it more often.

[Dale Gillaspy]

The problem with CA in this instance is that it is brittle, and doesn't withstand lateral loads well. One good catch and your bowl could become a projectile. I'm with John and the other thoughts….No paper, and epoxy or Titebond. I use Titebond II, but I think the original would work fine as well. The only thing I would add is that your surfaces need to be flat and oil/solvent free to give the glue a good surface to bond to.

[John Keeton]

I would add that I use Vince's 1" back up pad in my Jacobs chuck to sand off the nub on the bottom, using an 80 grit disc. Just put the drill chuck in the headstock spindle, at relatively low speed, and hold the nub against the sanding pad. I make all my bottoms a bit concave, and that works well with this method. Then, just sand the bottom by hand starting with 150.

Sorry for the fuzzy pic - it is from Vince's site and I didn't realize the pic quality until I uploaded it! But, you get the idea.

[Thomas Canfield]

I will add that my glue blocks are made from solid lumber (poplar, yellow pine, etc) depending on size of piece. I try to have grain in same orientation as block and consider it a "waste glue block" and turn it completely off down to the nub discuss earlier. A friend uses a lot of end grain small limbs, trunks, etc for end grain glue blocks. I do not use glue blocks on green wood due to shrinkage potential problems if rough turning.

[Lee Koepke]

I will add that my glue blocks are made from solid lumber (poplar, yellow pine, etc) depending on size of piece. I try to have grain in same orientation as block and consider it a "waste glue block" and turn it completely off down to the nub discuss earlier. A friend uses a lot of end grain small limbs, trunks, etc for end grain glue blocks. I do not use glue blocks on green wood due to shrinkage potential problems if rough turning.

I tend to keep things I never need, and I have a box full of 'plugs' from using my hole saw bits. they are round, generally 3/4" thick, and have the pilot hole in the middle for lining up the tailstock to remove the glue block when I flip the bowl over.

[Dennis Ford]

+1 on gluing block directly to bowl blank with Titebond (allow to cure overnight) IF the bowl blank is dry.
For wet blanks that need a glue block (rare for me), I use Gorilla glue. It is not as strong as Titebond and dry wood but will work. CA glue will also work on wet wood but be sure to use fresh glue (old CA glue may result in flying bowl syndrome).
If you feel that a paper joint is needed for some reason; use craft paper and yellow glue with a fairly large surface area AND BE CAREFUL.

[robert baccus]

Roger that on Ford's comments. I would add that woodglues must have clamping pressure and are not gap filling or wet wood tolerant. Have used CA on 100#+ green vase blanks with no troubles. Dry wood is rare in my shop? Also use really strong woods for GB---no scraps.

[Dave Cullen]

Thanks for the replies. A waste block without the paper interface then it will be. I'm suprised nobody uses the paper trick, it seems to be popular at least in the books.

[Robert Henrickson]

Thanks for the replies. A waste block without the paper interface then it will be. I'm suprised nobody uses the paper trick, it seems to be popular at least in the books.

If you use the paper trick, you can remove the waste block entirely. But in the case of, for example, a bowl bottom, you are then faced with the problem of centering the bowl to finish its base in whatever profile you might choose. I find it easier to leave the block/tenon in place and simply turn it away, as this maintains the centering of the item to the end.

If, however, I were doing a split turning, I might well use the paper trick. So far I have not done any split turning which might benefit from that approach.

[Dave Cullen]

If you use the paper trick, you can remove the waste block entirely. But in the case of, for example, a bowl bottom, you are then faced with the problem of centering the bowl to finish its base in whatever profile you might choose. I find it easier to leave the block/tenon in place and simply turn it away, as this maintains the centering of the item to the end.

If, however, I were doing a split turning, I might well use the paper trick. So far I have not done any split turning which might benefit from that approach.

Understood. It was my intention to use a faceplate and turn the outside and bottom, then mount a glue block and chuck it up do do the inside. Afterward the block gets peeled off and the residue scraped or sanded away. I figured that if the block is smaller than any details in the bowl foot the bottom wouldn't need anything more. Is that logical?

[robert baccus]

Dave, for removing glueblocks & thick CA you can knock off small ones with a putty knife. Larger GB I simply part off down to 1/2" and saw off. After turning around, a sharp small detail or bowl gouge will cut the bottom clean. I use a 1/4" point on the tail stock end and an internal or external friction drive on the headstock. The 1/4" nubbin is your problem. Using GB's, paper and wood glues were popular 25 years ago before CA use became common.

[Jon Finch]

What are folk's opinion on hot glue in this application?