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"How strong is your glue?"

11798 Views 12 Replies 11 Participants Last post by  allenworb, 
Dadoo
Gorilla Glue took a major hit in the shins recently with an article published in the Aug07 issue of Fine Woodworking magazine. Seems that "The Toughest Glue on Planet Earth" is not. Out of six various glues tested, Gorilla came in with a very poor last place. #1 was Titebond III followed by Epoxy and then regular wood (PVA type) glue. Numbers's 4 & 5 were "hide type" glues.
I've also noticed that in the same magazine the Gorilla Glue ads have removed the "Toughest Glue" statement from their labels, yet the picture of the one posted shows the statement.
Damn! I just got back from a 400 mile trip to Ohio where I fixed my mother's dining room table with Gorilla glue. I wanted to use "The Toughest Glue on Planet Earth" so to insure the stability of the leg joint. I'm just glad I put in some hefty 3" screws as well.
Gorilla glue seems to have some uses though…I used it recently (for it's foaming effect) to glue some Birchbark to a piece of plywood. So far, so well. I figure someday I'll need to glue some pennys to a window and Gorilla Glue will once again come through…but I have bought my last bottle. :mad:
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scottb
Yeah, I"ve used Gorilla glue in setting up the kitchen, I did some seamless miters around the countertops… but now, It's waterproof titebond for everything. I've got to say, I"ve been very happy using it, and now after reading said article… I've got great piece of mind as well.
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Buckskin
I have been pro Gorilla glue for handy man repairs. I have fixed aluminum window screens with it. My bathroom door hinges where stripped out with Gorilla glue and duct tape to the rescue. When it comes to initial assembly of wood projects I like the Titebond series.
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boboswin
My rule of thumb is :
If it fits use regular wood glues .
If it doesn't fit use urethanes.
If it's at all punky use Epoxy.

bob
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brunob
I'm also a Titebond fan for almost everything.
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M
I use Titebond also, but for some of my projects with glass I've been using Elmers ultimate polyurethane glue for attaching wood to glass. Anybody else use this glue? opinion? Any other wood-on-glass glue you would recommend?
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Dadoo
Mike, does the Elmer's poly glue foam like Gorilla glue? I think the air bubbles are its biggest weakness, plus it tends to foam out of the joint creating a cleanup mess.

Bob, FWW mag tested tight, perfect and loose joints with the 5 glues given. Gorilla didn't hold up. Are there any other type "urethane" glues with a stronger bond?
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M
Yes Dadoo, the Elmers does foam. I've learned to use less to cut down on the cleanup. I trust the strength in places where the glass fits into a same-size groove that I've cut, but I have a couple of pieces where I've glued glass shelves flat on top of smaller wood blocks. They seem tight and sturdy, but I am nervous about the long term and selling it to a customer, so I'm staying away from designs like that in the future.
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mtcarver
I use the elmers polyurethane,if i glue up pieces for carving.its not noticable after staining or painting{and its cheaper}
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TheGravedigger
Titebond III is my main glue for clean wood with a good joint. I HAVE used polyurethane in repairs where I had a torn-up joint that I couldn't restore properly (old church pews with bad joints to begin with, for example). The gap-filling qualities can come in handy if strength isn't a primary concern, & I haven't noticed any real difference between the major brands. I think Dadoo is right about the bubbles being the Achilles heel of these glues.

Epoxy is great stuff, but sometimes it's hard to get in place, like on the aforementioned pews.
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Radish
I use Gorilla Glue, Titebond III and liquid hide glue, dependent on fit, need for strength and complexity of glue up. Gorilla Glue wins for me especially with lamination, as the PVAs tend to swell thin sheets shop-made veneer.

What I would really like to know is, does anyone here use that Titebond HiPurformer hot reactive PU glue gun? I have itched for one for several years, but have held off for a number of reasons, cost being one of them. I think that stuff might not foam.
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WeeWilly
I use Gorilla glue on the barrels that are inserted into wood blanks for pen turning. The glue expands to make a tight bond with the metal barrels to the wood blank and fills in the gap. The barrels never slip when turning the blanks. For wood projects that have close tolerance, I use Titebond III.
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allenworb
Gorilla Glue now has a great white wood glue product for the more traditional woodworking uses.
Yes I do work for them as a freelance writer. I wouldn't if I didn't find their product good for woodworking.
Performance is right up there with the rest of the brands. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
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