How to use gorilla glue

[toller]

I glued the top of a table to the base with gorilla glue. (I had screwed up the design and couldn't get any mechanical fasteners in without being conspicuous.

The glue foamed up, I cleaned it up and went to dinner. Three hours later it was as strong as I hoped, but it had foamed a heck of a lot more than I expected and some of the the foam had dripped down the work. For reasons I won't go into now, I had already finished the parts before gluing so I have no reasonable way to clean it up. I scrapped, sanded and refinished the worst spots and my wife thinks it looks great. I however know that the parts you can't see well are a mess, so I am going to rebuild the project. (Actually I erred more than the gluing, or I would just refinish the whole thing; the glue is just the final straw. Rebuilding it will give me the chance to do it all correctly)

For future reference, how do you deal with the foam? Just plan and scrapping and sanding it way, or can it somehow be contained. (Obviously you don't use it on work that is already finished)

This will go down as my worst project to date. To bad cause the mahogany was really pretty and now it is kindling.

[Bob]

I think gluing the table top is a mistake. The reason for mechanical fasteners is to allow for wood expansion so the top won't split or crack later due to stresses.

[Phisherman]

This is the first time I ever heard about gluing a tabletop to the base. Tisk Tisk. Save the gorilla glue for outdoor projects.

[Bob Schmall]

I agree with Bob the First about gluing the top--it's an invitation for splitting. As for the Gorilla, be sure to use much less of it than yellow glues, and follow the directions. (Sorry, don't mean nto crimp your manhood) A thin layer is all you nees, since the stuff expands by several times its original volume. It draws moisture, so you'll need to dampen one of the mating sides, and remember to use it on the other side only. If it foams, there are two schools of thought:

1. Wipe it off thoroughly with a damp cloth before it sets.
2. No, no! Don't rub it into the wood where it can discolor finishes. Let it dry just past tacky and scrape thoroughly.

I've used #1 with good results, but YMMV.

Bob

[Thomas Bunetta]

[Bruce]

On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 23:14:55 -0700, toller wrote (in article ):

Use painters tape (the blue stuff) near the glue joints. Glue sticks to tape, pull tape off of wood, no glue on wood!

-Bruce

[patrick conroy]

Blue painters tape to catch squeeze/foam out around both sides of glue lines. Dampen one side of joint with water. Use less. Don't go to dinner / walk - away.

[John]

Painter's blue masking tape can catch most. That plus using it sparingly AND coming back a hour or so later to scrape off the still soft foam is about all that is needed.

However, in this situation there is probably NO advantage to Gorilla glue over something like TiteBond, where you wipe up the squeeze out at the time you clamp things up - and with TiteBond the blue masking tape is also a help

John

[J]

Blue masking tape is the new duct tape.

-j

[TWS]

Actually they are quite complementary. Duct tape is very sticky and is intended to hold for a long long time. Blue Masking tape is intended to be very temporary with virtually no sticky residue. Between the two of them you can 'fix' 'anything'...

TWS

[J]

Exactly. What I mean is that it has become indispensable.

-j

[Lazarus Long]

I use Gorilla glue all the time. Mostly for it's long open time than it's waterproofness. Yes, if it's over applied it'll foam. It cleans up well from the surfaces you don't want it on with lacquer thinner while it's still wet or tacky. Water doesn't work here as it does with yellow glue. Use blue tape as others suggest.

I wouldn't rigidly attach a table top to the base. A solid wood top has to expand/contract. Use Z clips or buttons instead.