How much time to dry glue?

Bill Simpson

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Last Friday I did some Lamenting about how wise I was by not dryfitting dowel joints... http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12710 on the Off topic forum. Blowing off steam on my stupidity...

Well, this is Monday and I redrilled the dowel holes although just a tad off center of the "now Dried" dowels that I sawed off. To my amazement, the drill bit came out with sticky chips in its flutes. Hmmmm:huh:
How long does it take those joints to dry?

I know there are several who whiz through projects leaving them in clamps a half hour and then processing onward. Are you not taking a chance on future failure? "Norm" clamps it up, shoots a brad to "hold it till it dries", and removes the clamps (I saw him do and say that on TV this week)

Back in the dark ages when teaching in school the hour long classes created a situation where work was done and sat overnight so the student could resume the next day. Never really thought of the drying time. :dunno:

Three days in a joint and still tacky makes me want to reconsider glue-ups. Don't say it was old or cold glue as it was fresh (about a month old) and in my heated basement shop. Too much glue in the hole, Nope as I brush on a thin layer much like painting and the dowels were snug in the hole (reason for first posting problem :type:)

Anybody know the drying time needed for full strengh joints, Bottle says 30 minutes, Blah Blah Blah, etc. BUT ?????
 
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Three days under the conditions you state, I would have to say you got a bad batch of glue, because it is not matching my experience or I suspect yours until now.
 
+1 on Bill's response. How old is your glue? TB I and II last about a year for me. This will shorten if you leave 3" of glue in the bottom of a gallon jug with all that air inside. . . DAMHIKT. Franklin states that even after seperation (layering) of the glue occurs; if it can be blended by shaking the container, it is OK. I found a different result with my seperated glue ;-(

I also found that buying a gallon to "save money" is a false economy at my consumption rate.
 
Heat will quickly soften PVA glues. I recently rebuilt a child's rocking chair and had to remove the spindles that made up the back. A min in the microwave and they came right out, but the glue was sticky from the heating. Is it possible what you are experiencing is the glue softening from the heat of drilling?

Mike
 
Heat will quickly soften PVA glues. I recently rebuilt a child's rocking chair and had to remove the spindles that made up the back. A min in the microwave and they came right out, but the glue was sticky from the heating. Is it possible what you are experiencing is the glue softening from the heat of drilling?

Mike

good answer grass hopper:)
 
Mike, I was thinking about that as well. Perhaps that is what occured. After all I was tracing almost atop the old glue route as I was redrilling to better match my holes. But the drill was not that warm to the touch. As I said the glue was fairly new. and it was Titebond II

Just the same, I am going to re evaluate my clamping techniques and wait time.
 
TB II will not dry hard like regular TB it will alway be a little rubbery Orig Tb will dry hard thats what I use for my Street Organs the TB II will just cause to much creep for my needs.

Only use the II if you have a need for moisture conditions projects like cutting board or kitchen cabs and Bath vanity's etc.

Jay
 
There's probably not anything wrong with the glue. I've heard of people finding wet PVA glue in joints after YEARS. The glue gets encapsulated, gets no oxygen and never cures. Thats why some advocate epoxy for joints where there may be gaps/voids; no oxygen needed. as far as regular glue ups, it depends on the temp and humidity. Here in AZ yellow glue sets up almost as fast as super glue. I've clamped up pieces, couple minutes later realized i'd made a mistake and had to beat it apart with a hammer! Never had a good glue joint fail after clamping for 20 or 30 minutes.
 
Heat will quickly soften PVA glues. I recently rebuilt a child's rocking chair and had to remove the spindles that made up the back. A min in the microwave and they came right out, but the glue was sticky from the heating. Is it possible what you are experiencing is the glue softening from the heat of drilling?

Mike

Now that makes sense :thumb:.
 
Once you seal some PVA glue inside a dowel or MT joint, I wouldn't bet on it drying totally in less than a year. However, the thin layer on the edge grain, where the strength comes, will have built plenty of strength in minutes or hours.

If you use biscuits or other relatively wet joints, be sure to allow a few days before sanding. My favorite trick :( is to sand a few hours after gluing hardwood edges on plywood shelves, then wondering why the wood has shrunk back at the joint when I am sanding out the finish.
 
Heat will quickly soften PVA glues. I recently rebuilt a child's rocking chair and had to remove the spindles that made up the back. A min in the microwave and they came right out, but the glue was sticky from the heating. Is it possible what you are experiencing is the glue softening from the heat of drilling?

Mike

Wish I had a 26" Microwave.... :rolleyes: Would have saved me on my first screwup that created the finding of uncured glue.
 
TB II will not dry hard like regular TB it will alway be a little rubbery Orig Tb will dry hard thats what I use for my Street Organs the TB II will just cause to much creep for my needs.

Only use the II if you have a need for moisture conditions projects like cutting board or kitchen cabs and Bath vanity's etc.

Jay


TBIII is even more rubbery. I know this, Infact the reason I am used to using TBII is for the time factor, I are Slow.... Gives me more time to assemble. We started using it back in the classroom because kids were having trouble getting it done in a timely manner,
 
TBIII is even more rubbery. I know this, Infact the reason I am used to using TBII is for the time factor, I are Slow.... Gives me more time to assemble. We started using it back in the classroom because kids were having trouble getting it done in a timely manner,

You are right about that I tried a small bottle of III and after gluing two small pieces I got rid of it just didn't like it at all.
When I was using II, I would process boards in 30 min and never had a failure, but wood movement, even after clamping over night.
Just don't care for the rubbery stuff.
Jay
 
I used it to glue on the molding on that antique car I was rebuilding, because of the rubber effect, I was/am hoping it will react better to the vibrations of driving down the road. Sufficient clamps and patience will overcome the sliding.
 
The comment about glue not drying when in a dowel joint reminded me about a comment my boss made to me probably aout 45 years ago. It is slightly off topic since he was a mason/brick layer. He claimed that during the bombing of London during WWII some of the walls that had been built by the Romans using lime mortar were hit exposing the mortar in the middle. His claim was that the mortar was still workable after 1,000 years.
 
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