Titebond III can be used as low as 45° F. Liquid hide glue begins to gel at 50° F, but if you keep the bottle warm, it can be used in colder weather. Open time: The maximum amount of time glued pieces can be left open to the air before assembly. Glad to hear that this type of force gauge is considered to be reasonably accurate in the professional world. Liquid hide glue, however, is considered to be inferior to traditional hot hide glue in strenght, but is a lot easier to use, with it’s long working time. The length of time between applying glue and the point at which work pieces should no longer be manipulated is known as “assembly time”. That’s good to know. Avoid: Urea formaldehyde. Avoid: Polyurethane glue. Most of these require a temperature above 50° F to work. With many adhesives like wood glue, you depend on the glue being very liquid to absorb into the material surface. Our go to here is original Titebond. Avoid: White and hide glues. In smaller projects, creep means visible glue lines and laminations that lose their shape. A little plasticity is necessary to allow for some wood movement, but slipping or stretching (often the result of constant long-term loads) that doesn’t snap back is called creep. Try: Epoxies. Aside from some dicey moments at the top and bottom, it went together really well. For even more time, try Titebond Extend (see sidebar, right). Log In. This indicated that that the glue was still able to form a bond that was stronger than the wood itself, even after being substantially manipulated 55 minutes into the glue-up. Can you describe the process that you use to calibrate these devices? My samples were about 3″ square and immediately pressed in a 20 ton hydraulic press to full pressure as fast as the machine would go. It creeps the most, but most PVAs can stretch under long-term loads. Good eye, Steven! I like their extended times. The amount of time from when the adhesive has set, to the time it will no longer bond. Interesting. The working time, or the time you get before the glue sets once contact is made, is much better with this type of glue. Open Working Time10 minutes 5 minutes 5 minutes 30 minutes 5 minutes Not repositionable 5 minutes Up to 4 minutes Grip Time1-2 hours 2 hours Hold for 20-60 seconds Hold for 30-60 seconds 20-30 minutes Hold for 10-45 seconds 30 minutes Grips on contact A typical yellow glue known as wood glue or carpenter’s glue would take between 12 to 24 hours to dry whereas a Super glue can get the job done in less than 5 minutes. It held solidly through the maximum 25 pounds that my force gauge can measure. Fundamentals Standard yellow wood glue—aliphatic resin—comes in thick liquid form with a yellow color and usually is sold in squeeze bottles. When that happens, you’ll find yourself at the mercy of catalogs and home centers looking for the perfect product. Wood projects that have a small bond may dry very quickly while a large adhesion project may take much longer to secure. Pot life: The maximum amount of time you have to apply two-component glues to your work after they have been mixed. Related Videos. In some cases where assembly is simple and my goal is to get to the next step as quickly as possible, fast cure time becomes the key consideration. Once you apply the glue to the first stick, you have to affix and position the second stick in less than 5 minutes. VERSATILE: Ideal for use on hardwoods, softwoods, and natural wood composites. CA fumes irritate eyes, nose, and lungs. Glue-lines shouldn’t show, but when they might, Titebond II Dark can prevent the lines from standing out on darker woods. Hi Steven, Great question! Because of the nature of the various glues that I tested, I anticipated a sizeable range of assembly times, but I expected the range to be in the order of 2-3X. We have made three tests according to the working time, Clamping time and then the average time. Working time is often different from open time. The next surprise was the extensive assembly time of Elmers White Glue, coming in at an average of 37 minutes, and consistently exceeding 30 minutes in each of the three rounds of testing. Surebonder Construction Professional Grade Adhesive Hot Melt Glue Sticks - Full Size 10" L, 7/16" D - 3 Minute Working Time, for Trim Molding, Wood Floors, Stairs … Avoid: PVAs. Since each project is different, we selected a variety of wood glues that are versatile and strong. Tight Bond III. Better Bond. There are dozens of choices, but selecting a suitable adhesive needn’t be dizzying. Glue was Titebond original. When the glue began to show signs of curing, I used a force gauge (a special scale designed to measure push/pull force on a concentrated area) to measure the amount of lift force necessary to remove the test piece from the substrate. This tool probably won’t get tons of use in my shop other than an occasional tool test where it might make sense, so I’d hate to open up the case when I do need it and find it destroyed by battery acid. Then used the press and a steel wedge until the samples broke. Always be sure to read the directions and warnings any time you are working with wood glue. I ran the test three separate times with each glue, and calculated the average assembly time value across the three tests. Polyurethane and epoxies contain sensitizers that can trigger allergic reactions. That means far less "hold" time and a lot more productivity. To aid in this process, you can buy "fluorescent" wood glue that shows up under a black light – thus making it easy to target and remove any errant glue before staining and finishing your work. Tips for using wood glue Before gluing the wood, make sure that … It cures in approximately 24 hours, and results in a glue line that is either translucent, pale tan, or amber. In every case the wood broke, not at the glue line. Make sure you find the right kind of wood glue that fits your needs since there are a lot of manufacturers with a lot of different products out there. COMPLETE PROJECTS FAST: Requires only 20-30 minutes of clamp time, fully cured in 24 hours. ), Try: Epoxy is the only adhesive suited for constant water contact but for typical outdoor projects, Titebond II, polyurethane, and urea formaldehyde will all hold their own. If you can afford a few minutes, fast-curing epoxies cure in minutes, but offer considerable strength. There are a number of criteria that help me decide which glue bottle to reach for in a given situation, but one of the key determining factors is how much time I need or want for a particular glue-up. Thank you for the comparisons by open time. If a glue appears abnormal, test first, or toss it in the trash.). If a joint is under stress, maintain clamping pressure for the full cure time.). It offers superior strength, a longer open time and a lower application temperature. These cure best at 70° F, but some mixes work in temperatures as low as 35° F. (In chilly conditions, you can use a heat lamp or hair dryer to help the epoxy kick in.) Study the working properties of each glue in the chart to see if you can use what you have on hand, or if it’s time to go shopping. Although my strength test was non-scientific, overly simplistic, and not inclusive of enough data points to be statistically significant, it serves as enough validation in my mind that within this product group I will make a glue selection for a given project based upon other factors such as open time, water resistance requirements, heat resistance, repairability, FDA approval, sandability, and whatever other attributes are important for that particular project. In larger structures, creep can spell joint failure. Based on your experiment I am going to try Elmers. CA glue bonds are stiff to the point of brittle; the bond can be broken with a hard rap. (Note: PVAs and hide glue offer only 30-50% of full strength at stated time. Clamp time: The minimum amount of time required before you can remove the clamps from a glue-up assembly. Special-blend PVAs possess certain abilities that have made them shop favorites. Some glues recommend a clamp time of up to 24 hours, but Elmers claim their Wood Glue requires only a 20-30 minute clamp time until the bond is strong enough to work with. For even more time, try Titebond Extend (see sidebar, right). Disadvantage is long cure times. By the way, if your wood glue … Wood glues take longer to dry than their cousins of other glue types, but Gorilla is well-liked for its relatively fast-drying wood glue. 1:01. My goal was not to challenge the manufacturers’ claims about their advertised assembly times, but rather to use a consistent approach across all products in an actual shop environment to measure the relative assembly times across these adhesives. Working Time 35 Minutes Clamping Time 7 Minutes I had heard that white glue offered longer open time, but I never realized that the difference was as significant as I … Unless your woodworking projects are limited to knockdown furniture and timber-frame barns, you are already quite familiar with a variety of tubes, bottles, bags and jugs of this sticky stuff. Complicated glue ups that require longer open time (working time) would be made simpler using hide glue. (If in doubt, get a Material Safety Data Sheet [MSDS] from the manufacturer.). Type I testing involves several boiling/backing cycles and then testing the samples while they’re still wet. This can be a huge advantage, especially when doing complicated glue … I would like to see 30 minutes as a minimum. In the PVA category, Titebond Extend offers the best creep resistance. We have compiled the glue test according to the availability of the glue. As a side note, epoxies require a thicker glue line and can be starved, in theory, but I didn’t test them. Woodworking in poorly heated spaces during winter months often leads to glue failure. (Lowering the temperature will also buy more time.). Thanks to Bernard Naish for the great tip. Working Time "Working time" is how long you can reposition the pieces after you join them without affecting the ultimate bond. I live in Tucson, Az where the humidity is low to very low (except during the monsoons) and the open time on T3 is well under 10 minutes making glue-up with multiple clamps and cauls a stressful job (confession: for me, glue-up is the worst part of woodworking — glue is a lubricant until it becomes an adhesive). Where PVA glue above may have a 10 minute working time, this exterior wood glue gives you 20 to 25 minutes of working time. I’ve also done various glue tests based on what we normally use. Try: Urea formaldehyde and epoxy are the safest choices, but polyurethane is more convenient, and suitable for non-structural projects. In my own simple non-scientific test, I verified this by using a hammer to fracture joints made with each glue type after allowing each joint to cure overnight. Use the match-maker chart for all of your glue-up needs. Again gluing two sticks together, this time with an adhesive with a 5 minute working time. The 15 minutes of assembly time that it scored in my test puts it into the “just right” zone for most of my projects; enough time to assemble most joints at leisure, but not so long that it becomes a bottleneck in my work-flow. (Note: Excessive heat, humidity, or repeated freeze/thaw cycles will cause glues to spoil prematurely. This gives you a quality finish that shouldn’t ruin the quality of the woodwork. – Titebond Original will continue to be my “go-to” glue when quick setup is desirable, and the fact that this glue stood out as the fastest setting glue in this lineup did not surprise me. This will really depend on a number of factors including how much glue you used, the porosity of the wood surface, the humidity and the temperature of your workshop etc. Depending on the type of wood project you are working on, it may take as long as several hours down to a few minutes for your wood glue to dry. The manufacturer recommends a clamp time of “between 30 minutes to an hour” for their Titebond Wood glue products. I will keep this in mind if an extreme situation comes about, but in most cases I don’t want to wait an hour for glue to set up, and the relative high cost and short shelf-life (6 months compared to 24 months for typical wood glues) make it a “niche glue” in my shop. Thanks again. When the required force reached 20 pounds, I considered glue to be cured to the point where further manipulation could not be performed to the test piece without affecting adhesion quality. I calibrate a lot of force gauges working for an auto maker. Yellow carpenters glue is readily available, easy to work with and cleans up with water. Slow: Titebond III and liquid hide glue offer more time for complex or multi-stage glue-ups. Wood glue works best when applied to both pieces of wood and brushed to cover the entire surface. Under ideal conditions, adhesives remain useable for longer time periods. In addition to the quick-reference chart on page 40, you’ll find adhesive advice focusing on common problems, as well as valuable suggestions destined to stick with you. The time of adhesion for aliphatic wood glue is 30 minutes and 24 hours for a complete drying. (Boiling water activates Titebond III crosslinking polymers, improving Titebond III's bond. Gloves, respirators, goggles, and good ventilation provide decent defense, but if you are concerned about the effects of long-term exposure, or if you are chemically sensitive, steer clear of adhesives containing problematic chemicals, including those requiring solvent-based cleaners. Average Wood Glue Dry Times. Subscribe to the newsletter and get 10% off your next purchase in addition to the latest products, guides and project ideas. – Hide glue was the hands-down winner of the extended assembly time test. If the temperature drops below a certain point, or if the stock was cold to start with, some glues can’t cure (or stick) like they should. If you can afford a few minutes, fast-curing epoxies cure in minutes, but offer considerable strength. The next surprise was the extensive assembly time of Elmers White Glue, coming in at an average of 37 minutes, and consistently exceeding 30 minutes in each of the three rounds of testing. Rarely used here. – Titebond III has been my default glue for years because it is waterproof and approved by the FDA for food contact. You must be logged in to write a comment. The main reason that I chose this one was because of what you mentioned; no batteries to charge or swap out. It contains formaldehyde, a skin and lung irritant, and possible carcinogen. The one big drawback to PVA glues is that they are not reversible – meaning once cured, the glue joint cannot be removed for repairs. The key here is “relative”; there are many variables that go into determining actual assembly time in any given environment (temperature, humidity, wood species, grain pattern, glue coverage, clamping pressure, size of gluing area, etc. When choosing glue for your projects keep in mind that there are many attributes to consider; ease of clean up, cure strength, sandability, water resistance, and durability to heat exposure. Learn about the most commonly used woodworking glues and how to choose the best glue for your next woodworking project. In practical terms, this means that in all cases these glues are stronger than the wood itself when good building practice is followed and sound, gap-free joints are formed on long grain applications. Here’s a quick-pick guide to help you select the right glue for new work or old, indoors or outside, and the variety of materials woodworkers use. Is that a calibration sticker I see? This article is from Issue 52 of Woodcraft Magazine. This article was designed to provide you with insight on assembly time only. As the name suggests, this PVA sticks to melamine, and also vinyl, high pressure laminates (and wood). What Glue Works Best For Pressure Treated Wood. As far as strength goes is there any difference in Titebond 1 and Elmers yellow? Since my father and I make dozens of cutting boards each year, these attributes make it a winner in my shop. So I just add weights to the hanger and read the scale. It’s repositionable & washing machine safe. Then I placed 5 test pieces into the glue, pressing each into the glue and ensuring good contact across the entire piece. Yes, that is in fact a calibration sticker on my force gauge. In addition to the broad range, a couple other things surprised me. TAKE 10% OFF JET WOODWORKING MACHINES + FREE SHIPPING*, Home Here in Tucson I should get about 20 minutes open-time which will give me more time to apply clamps and cauls. Or Elmers yellow and Elmers white? I prepared 1” x 1” x ¾” thick squares of hard maple from freshly planed board to use as my test pieces, and I installed a hook into each one so that I could apply direct lifting force. Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue. Its faster set-time than white glues can make its use on complex projects difficult. Can't decide what to get the woodworker in your life. Try: Epoxy is the best choice for structural, gap-filling repairs. 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