Gorilla Wood Glue

jim crockett

Member
Messages
120
Location
Jay, Maine
I received an 8 oz. bottle of Gorilla's new natural color wood glue in the mail today. Don't have any idea why Gorilla sent it to me but am certainly pleased to receive it and try it out. I love freebies!!!

I've been using Titebond for quite a while, usually Titebond II, and have been very happy with it.

Will certainly give this new glue a test and report the results here in a few weeks. Anyone else have any experience with this glue?

Jim
 
Free is good, for sure. :thumb: I've not used the new natural color glue from Gorilla, but if it's like their original product, it sticks well, but can be a bit messy. It'll stain your skin (so wear gloves) and be aware that it foams up and expands as it cures. Also, although it makes a strong bond, it is not very good for filling gaps. It'll fill the gaps fine, but it has very low strength for that application. Epoxy is better under those circumstances.
 
I have used the original Gorilla Glue on several projects, even a step stool held together by dowels and it has worked great. I have not tried this new glue yet, I would be interested to see if it expands like the other or if they tweaked the formula any.
 
Whatever the color, I'm not a fan of the expanding poly glues. Messy and you must be careful to not use too much. It is removable only with scraping down to the wood. I have had bad luck storing also, hardens in container.
 
I was wandering about in HD the other day searching for Gorilla Glue (I use a lot of it, but buy in small containers because of the short shelf life... and because I often go to the shop the next day to recover the forenight's renderings and find the lid off the glue sitting and waiting to be secured.:eek:)
I Degress...
I saw where there is a wide product line from Gorilla, ranging from CA, PVA, & Poly (Plus I think they hade some "Paste" as well..... :rofl:)

As for the foaming action... When it foams it fills the void, and when the amount of glue within the void is enough to make a dense foam and confined to the area and not allow to escape, it makes a strong joint, Not as strong as when it is not allowed to foam but much stronger than anything else (save Epoxy) Epoxy , in my opinion is more of a Pain and mess than Poly. I use it but reluctantly. As a weather proof glue and as a filling glue I use Poly over all the rest. Lots of success and very little failures so far. Only faiures have come from not containing the swelling and allowing the poly to push the joint apart or bulge the joint, but had I properly contained, the problem would not have occured, Yes wear gloves or wear Gorilla colored hands for a week or so. (Maybe that is where the name originated?)
 
Different strokes for different strokes as they say, but I've used the original and besides the short shelf life, it is the messiest stuff I've ever used, the results were certainly not the same from joint to joint and a real pain to clean up around the joints afterward. It's good that some folks like it, but I promised myself that I would never buy another foaming poly glue again.

(I know, I've just gotta be different again):D
 
I agree that the original Polyurethane glue from Gorilla was messy. However, the bottle of glue I received yesterday is natural colored PVA.

Jim
 
I threw my original poly Gorilla glue out... messy, foam was ugly coming from a joint. One of the woodworking mags, think it was Fine WW did a glue test not too long ago and found the original gorrilla glue lacking... one of the weaker ones in the bunch. If this is indeed another PVA though, different ball game. But, it would have to prove to me it is superiour to Tightbond II or III which is only glue I use for general glue ups. They would have a long way to go to get over that hurdle.
 
I've only used hide glue in my woodworking projects ... it's the way my grandpa taught me and has always served me well. I have used some epoxies to secure metal and glass components, but never tried any wood glue.
 
Hey Frank,
any particular epoxy you like? I've wondered if there is much real difference between brands/products other than cure time.

Ken

No favorite. I have been using the double-barreled syringe from the BORG. But that is costly and I will probably switch to another brand and source in quart dispensers. For pens, I use the 5 min on about four or less. If I'm doing a quantity in one sitting, I'll use the 30 min. But, don't believe the 30 min. working time, closer to ten.
 
Guess I am the oddball around here as I really like Gorilla, I disagree with it being a weak joint, I have found that when the joint fits properly or you add enough glue to fill the joint and not allow the foaming to create bubbles, It is a very strong and weatherproof bond. I did some shed doors M&T Panel doors with Titebond III and they didn't last the winter. Scraped the joints and re did with Gorilla and they are head into the wind and rain and weather for 3 years now. Strong as ever. I also used a ton of it to replace the floor in my boat and it is as strong as ever. Present project I am making a 1912 Wood Body Model T Towncar, Gorilla all the way and quite happy.

Yes it is a mess, Wear Nitril gloves,. Foaming ooze, wait till tomorrow and slice it off with a chisel or scraper. (some say that it is sticky when cleaning up wait till tomorrow... I wait till tomorrow on all glueups not only Poly but PVA as well) Acetone will clean up any goo and accidents.

PVA is just as messy only advantage is water to clean up the drool, Most fellows who are put off by Gorilla are approaching the glue same as you approach PVA and the results suck, but if you treat it as you would Epoxy, the results are the same.

IMHO:wave:
 
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