Does PVA wood glue have a particular affinity for wood?

Question

Because when I happen to leave the application brush unwashed for an hour, it's still usable, whereas when I yesterday glued a piece of timber in place it started almost immediately to "grab".

In another situation I drilled a hole for a dowel through both pieces of wood, glued the dowel and hammered it in. But stupidly I had not previously located a suitable punch to punch it right through into the second piece, and by the time I did find one (30 seconds) that dowel was immovable. I've done this before and it works fine as long as one does not pause even for a second whilst hammering it through.

This is Evo-Stik Weatherproof Wood Adhesive, by the way.

I fill the hole in the outer piece with another dowel cut off flush, then planed or sanded, by the way(2).

MM

Steve Walker · Accepted Answer

That would be the dowel expanding due to moisture... ?

Rick Hughes · Answer

It's just that when it is in a joint it is in contact with wood over a large surface area .. and if your joints are any good very thinly ... dry wood acts like a sponge and sucks out the water content ... quickly.

I usually dampen wood slightly when I glue (except with contact adhesive)

The Natural Philosopher · Answer

It sort of dries out to grab, then seems to set in some mysterious way.It loves porous wood.

MM · Answer

In 30 seconds?MM

The Natural Philosopher · Answer

easily

stuart noble · Answer

It has an affinity for most things, especially the spout of the plastic container it comes in.

TheOldFellow · Answer

I bet you like Polyurethane glue then!  (Moisture set, even underwater)R.

MM · Answer

Yes, it dries hard after a week or two, but on wood it seems to "take" in no time. I usually leave a joint overnight, but I've noticed that joints are rock solid after just a couple of hours. I wouldn't like to subject them to the full working load, mind you, but if one is glueing and then screwing afterwards, it's not necessary to wait 24 hours.

BTW, anyone know why we used to use horrid-smelling fish glue at school? It was kept warm in a pot of hot water, as I recall. Wasn't PVA around in the 1950s?

MM

The Natural Philosopher · Answer

I use it extensively on balsa and ply, in model aircraft., Its very strong,doesn't crack and is generally 'handling safe in under an hour, though springy stuff may break the join after that time. Overnight is maybe not full strength, but its close.

I've speeded it up by putting small assemblies in the bottom aga oven.

A trick that is very good for epoxy, too.

Rick Hughes · Answer

Animal glue in a gas heated pot used to be used in my woodwork class in the

70's ......... and PVA was certainly about then. The advantage of hot melt glue was that it was gap filling and set as soon as it cooled.

Axminter still sell the stuff.

Elf & Safely ... probably wouldn't let school kids near it now.

The Natural Philosopher · Answer

HOT GLUE GUN.

Does PVA wood glue have a particular affinity for wood?

Join the Discussion

Didn't find your answer?