frozen glue

[Mike in Mystic]

The short time I spent in the garage tonight has led me to several posts (see previous two posted just previously).

As I stated in one of those posts, the garage/shop was about 22 degrees F when I went out there before turning on the heat. Needless to say, I found that the glue was frozen just about solid. I checked about 5 bottles, from half-empty quarts, full quarts, and even a full gallon bottle. These were either original titebond, titebond II or titebond II extend.

I know the label says that if the glue is frozen it won't affect it's ability to work, but how long does it take to thaw it out? I got the shop up to about 70 degrees and put a few of the bottles of glue about 1-2 feet from the 80,000 BTU propane heater, which was on full blast. I was out there about 3 hours and none of the bottles seemed to thaw out at all.

I hope I haven't ruined a lot of money's worth of glue (I have probably 5-10 more bottles of it).

Mike

[rj]

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Your next project should be a little carry tray to take the glue and other freezables back to the house when you are done for the day.

I'm not attempting to heat my shop this weekend.

[Bob G]

================================= It has happened to me many times...I now have a small box that I keep my glue in and that box is heated by a 7 1/2 watt light bulb.... Started using this method about 3-4 years ago.... END of PROBLEM

I have a Hot tub in the back yard that I keep at 101 degrees 24/7 and believe it or not I have tossed a bottle of frozen glue in the hot tub and it was thawed out completely in a rather short period of time....

Bob Griffiths

[Bay Area Dave]

Mike, I believe their tech support said the glue was useful for 5 freeze cycles, so once you DO get it thawed out, give it a try and let us know how it works.

dave

Mike > The short time I spent in the garage tonight has led me to several posts

[Mike in Mystic]

hmmmm. In that case, I hope it has stayed frozen the last 2 weeks (which seems pretty likely, considering what the temps have been here in CT lately).

I'll definitely follow up with a report of how I fair.

I think I have a few cans of waterbased poly and other waterbased finishes that I'm going to have to toss out. Great.

Mike

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

Two words.

Milk Crate.

When I was a floor guy, we'd have to bring the freezeables in from the van every night, or risk buying new glues, coatings, and additives for every job.

Barry

[Charlie Self]

Mike in Mystic asks:

Recommendaiton: most glues will take 3-4-5-6 freeze cycles before losing strength, so I suggest you make up a glue bottle bucket and cart that stuff twixt a heated spot and your shop.

Now, as to thawing, bring out a kettle of fairly hot water and sit the glue bottles in that. If it's really cold, replenish the hot water (just don't get it hot enough to melt the plastic bottles). If you ask your wife, she'll tell you that's how she thaws out frozen goodies so she can use them almost immediately, without cranking up the microwave.

Fairly hot: probably try for a max of 180 or so degrees. You might even want to get one of the little immersion heaters that some people use for instant coffee and tea water. Don't leave those things on for more than about 10 minutes, though.

Charlie Self "Character is much easier kept than recovered." Thomas Paine

[Mike]

Mike:

If you have any extra room in your shop, find an old discarded refrigerator or upright freezer and keep a small wattage light bulb burning in it. These are great for storing any freezables in. I got tired of carrying my stuff back into the house all the time.

[Phisherman]

Bring them into the house. If the consistency has changed, pitch it. I try not to buy more glue than I can use in 6-12 months. It does have a shelf life.

[Jim K]

[Robert Bonomi]

The stuff I have says, _on_the_packaging_, that it's good for 5 freeze-thaw cycles. and that freezing is 'not recommended'.

[Mike in Mystic]

Well, I had varying results in bringing my glue "back to life".

I had a gallon container about 80% full of Titebond II Extend. When I found it, I could see the top surface of the glue resembled a foam. The bottle wasn't frozen solid, but it was very thick and didn't flow. After bringing it into the house for about 2 days, I was able to agitate the bottle and the glue appears to be back to it's normal consistency and properties. I put a small amount on a piece of cardboard and it set up and dried normally (this was done in the house as well).

I had similar results with a quart bottle of titebond II regular wood glue. It was completely full and hadn't ever been opened. It wasn't even as solid as the TB II Extend, above, and after only about an hour in the house it was fine.

Two other bottles of glue didn't fair so well. These were a quart bottle with only about 20% of the glue in it of Titebond II regular glue. This, even after more than a week in the house, is still fairly thick and doesn't flow as expected. Another smaller amount of glue I had in one of those Glue-Bot glue bottles. The glue in this container is still solid and I don't think I'll ever get it out.

I think these results aren't too surprising - the larger volumes of glue in mostly full containers faired best. At any rate, I'm going to be constructing a simple shelving unit for my cellar to keep my finishing products and glues, at least during the cold months.

Mike