Glue question... resorcinol-formaldehyde?

[Pete Staehling]

I have a hazy recollection of glue that I used decades ago that was reddish in color, crazy strong, and very water resistant. I think it was used in boat and aircraft building. If memory serves I think we called it red resorcinol. I think it was a red powder that was mixed with water. A lot of the glues called resorcinol I see now are two part glues. I also see the term urea-formaldehyde and I have a vague recollection that maybe the glue we used was also called that. Or maybe I am confusing two different glues.

Any way, I am remember the red glue lines looking nice in laminated pieces. I was thinking it might be interesting to use it for gluing of segmented sections for turning pieces where the red glue lines might look interesting. I used it in laminating parts in canoe and kayak paddle many years ago and liked the results.

I am wondering what readily available product today might be the equivalent. Dap 00203 Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue sounds similar, but it doesn't sound like it is red, so maybe not the same stuff.

I recall the stuff we used having decent gap filling properties, but needing careful measurement in mixing and long clamp times.

[Mel Fulks]

Must have been rescorcinal. The plastic resin glue is brown. I think as a feature the rescorcinal glue line might vary too
much ,as it soaks in unevenly.

[Martin Melderis]

Not sure how to send a link to a website, but when I Googled urea formaldehyde glue which we used in a cabinet shop I worked at in the 70’s, about the third hit was a company that sells it and in the description it said that “urea formaldehyde glue is also called plastic resin glue”. So it looks Ike they are one and the same.

[Pete Staehling]

Not sure how to send a link to a website, but when I Googled urea formaldehyde glue which we used in a cabinet shop I worked at in the 70’s, about the third hit was a company that sells it and in the description it said that “urea formaldehyde glue is also called plastic resin glue”. So it looks Ike they are one and the same.

The weldwood plastic resin stuff is available locally so maybe I'll just pick up some and experiment with it a little.

Mel mentioned plastic resin glue being brown, but one of the comments in the reviews I read made it sound like it didn't show a glue line. Perhaps that reviewer was using it with a darker colored wood though. Anyone used the weldwood plastic resin glue and know what it looks like?

[roger wiegand]

https://www.amazon.com/Aerodux-Resor.../dp/B00DP5VQD2


I'd use tinted epoxy for better control of the color myself.

[John TenEyck]

Resorcinol glue is what the OP asked about and what the link RW posted goes to. Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue is a urea formaldehyde glue. The two have different chemistries and some of their properties are different but both can be used for many of the same applications. Only resorcinol, however, is recommend for use in below the water line applications.

John

[Orlyn Gaddis]

The red colored glue that the OP was talking about was Weldwood Resorcinol Glue. It was two part with one part a thick syrupy liquid and the other part a dry powder. It was favored by boat-builders and is apparently no longer made. Ironic this came up in discussion because just last week I was cleaning out my finishing cabinet and threw some out that was about 30 years old. There is a product called Cascophen that is a resorcinol formaldehyde glue that is still available. Don't know what color it is.

[Pete Staehling]

The red colored glue that the OP was talking about was Weldwood Resorcinol Glue. It was two part with one part a thick syrupy liquid and the other part a dry powder. It was favored by boat-builders and is apparently no longer made.

My memory was hazy and the details were muddled, but I believe that is correct about what I was using back in the early 70's.

Ironic this came up in discussion because just last week I was cleaning out my finishing cabinet and threw some out that was about 30 years old. There is a product called Cascophen that is a resorcinol formaldehyde glue that is still available. Don't know what color it is.

I am curious about Cascophen and will look into it, but truth be told tinting some epoxy may be a more sensible solution for getting some dark glue lines.

[Mark Daily]

I wonder if you could tint any of the white PVA glues? I think Titebond II Extend is white.

[Dave Mount]

Resorcinol glue is not as favored today because of the wide variety of epoxy products available. However, it is still available, e.g.,: https://www.amazon.com/Aerodux-Resor.../dp/B00DP5VQD2

Not recommending it, just saying it's out there if you want it.

[John TenEyck]

Resorcinol and Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue have an advantage over most epoxy, including the ones often referenced here, for use in exterior applications that get a lot of direct sun. Epoxy looses a substantial amount of strength at surprisingly low temperature (well less than 200F), unless specifically formulated for high temperature use. That may not seem of much concern but it is in some marine applications as well as exterior doors with direct sun exposure.

John

[Larry Edgerton]

Its still available. It has more of a burgundy color. Works well. I have bent redwood laminations that have been outside 35 years and are still as good as new, no delaminations. Wear gloves, work outside if you can and if not ventilate, cleanup with water while wet, easy peasy. All the really good glues are messy it seems?

[Tom M King]

Nothing I've ever put together with it has failed, that I know of.

I've quit using epoxy on the outside of the old houses, other than on a North wall. I've seen too many failures where epoxy gets full Sun. Inside a SW facing corner, and it might only last a couple of years. Others may last 15 to 20 years, but it's not a permanent repair. If it's shaded from the Sun during hot weather, it might be okay, but I quit even there, a long time ago. And that is under white paint, so it's not direct sunlight, but simply the heat.