Epoxy Glue For Wooden Biscuits ? Or,...?

[Robert11]

Hello,

Have a real old wooden bed frame that is in pieces, that I would like to put back together.

It was originally held together by very large Biscuits, and a few Dowells, it appears.

Re the biscuits:

a. Should I use an epoxy glue, or perhaps that Gorilla Glue which I think they call an acrylic adhesive ? Which would be better ? Why ? (anything even better these days ?)

b. Some of the biuscuits have old, very hard, dried glue on them.

Would either the epoxy or Gorilla glue work (well) if I don't go to the trouble of sanding them clean ? Or, must I really get rid of the old stuff before either would grab ? (looks like a lot of work to try and sand them clean)

Thanks, Bob

[Frank]

Epoxy, Gorilla glue, or Elmers old polyvinyl acetate wood glue would work. I believe Gorilla glue is polyurethane and may not last as long as the other two as I have seen polyurethanes degrade with age. Frank

[Joe]

Definitely a two part SLOW cure epoxy. Gorilla glue has reported some problems, like foaming. Epoxies have higher strength, low shrinkage, and are perfect space fillers for imperfect fits. Still nothing on the market that beats it.

Clean it all off. A heat gun should help get all of it. Or just make new ones. And clean out the stuff in the holes, too.

If you'd rather do a half-a**ed job, just take the bedframe out to the curb tonight and forget about it. Taking short cuts will guarantee an early failure. And never even think about restoring antiques again.

Joe

[KC]

I used gorilla glue on an outdoor project. Within 6 months every joint failed.

KC

[Jim Yanik]

Joe wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Polyurethane glues are not meant for gap-filling applications. Biscuits(new ones) are meant to swell from moisture in the glue,to be very tight mechanically in addition to the glue bond. Glue Epoxies do not get absorbed into the wood,and have a weaker bond than a glue like Titebond.Clamping can also squeeze out too much epoxy,weakening the joint.They do fill gaps nicely,and would work better with the old used biscuits,as the old biscuits have a glue coating that would prevent absorbtion of a polyurethane or Titebond-type glue.

it would be better to use NEW biscuits(or make a spline) and Titebond.

Wood Magazine recently did a test on biscuit/dowel joints,tested their relative strengths and ease of use. They also have done glue tests.