Glue question...

silly question I'm sure. What do you guys use to apply wood glue. That is, is there a better choice for brushes or rollers? I've got a bunch of old paint brushes, will they do? Also, i would assume that I just use water as the solvent, right? Thanks! Peter

Reply to
peter.slamp
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| silly question I'm sure. What do you guys use to apply wood glue. | That is, is there a better choice for brushes or rollers? I've got | a bunch of old paint brushes, will they do? Also, i would assume | that I just use water as the solvent, right? Thanks! Peter

I have a box of Q-Tips, a box of flux brushes, a stack of plastic cards (look like credit cards but aren't), a tool that a friend used for smoothing epoxy for autobody work, a set of flexible plastic putty knives, and a pair of glu-bots. Sometime during every major glue job I end up using a finger or two (and wishing later that I hadn't.)

You'll need to read each glue container to find out what the appropriate solvent is. Water is ok for some; but others need mineral spirits, acetone, or something else that isn't water.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

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Reply to
Morris Dovey

For edge gluing I go direct from the bottle onto the wood edge and spread the glue out with a 1/2" acid brush, the little steel tube handle throw away brushes.

For large areas I use a flat plastic card of appropriate size to squeegee the glue to the entire surface.

Reply to
Leon

I use a digital glue spreader for most things. Acid brushes work good for certain applications too, and they can be rinsed out. The digital glue spreader is easily cleaned with soap and water.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

You use your finger? I have when I have needed to catch something quickly, but it is not something I would chose over a brush.

Reply to
Toller

I used to use a brush for edge glueing, but I learned that my finger is more accurate, and I never misplace it. It's surprising that, with just a little practice, I can spread the glue from the bottle in a single bead, then the finger seems to know just how much pressure to apply to take that glue right to the edge and all the way to the end with just one long stroke. I never got good enough with a brush to do it that fast and easy. You should try it.

I use an artist's brush from the kid's section at Walmart to glue dovetails and such and a 1 1/2" paintbrush to glue larger surfaces together. I have a tiny little stainless steel mixing bowl that I squirt glue in when I'm brushing it on.

DonkeyHody "Even an old blind hog finds an acorn every now and then."

Reply to
DonkeyHody

I just glued up 5 cutting boards. They are made from glue up of 7 strip about 36" long, then cut to 24 pieces that are 11 x 1.25 and glued up. I tried a couple of other methods, but my finer worked faster and neater than anything else. That is about 320 inches of glue surface per unit.

Working with dowels, plugs, biscuits, the acid brush works better.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

I like to use a flux or old toothbrush, depending on the area. A roller is the way to go for a large flat area. You can use paint brushes. Not all wood glues are water soluble.

Reply to
Phisherman

Usually, for pva/aliphatic I use a very stiff 1/2" artist's brush, esp. when doing bisquits.

For premix UF or resorcinol glue I make myself a few spreaders by cutting very thin wedges off some hardwood scraps on the bandsaw.

For contact cement (which I use very occasionally, mostly when leather or felt is involved) I use a plastic spreader because the glue comes off easily once it's dry and you can reuse it. Been known to use my spray gun for that stuff, too.

-P.

Reply to
Peter Huebner

Okay, good time to ask a dumb question I have always wondered about: what are these acid brushes really designed for? I use them just for glue spreading as well. Should I be buying some acid to spread with them? I hate to under utilize a perfectly good acid brush!

Reply to
alexy

The are used to apply soldering flux to pipe when sweating joints. The flux was originally acid based, hence the name.

Reply to
Nova

Everything everyone else mentioned, plus my fingers.

Reply to
B A R R Y

Reply to
peter.slamp

For the water based glues the finger is quick and easy if doing a small quick job. Wipes off easily and it will rub off after a few seconds. I typically keep a brush in a cup of water but if it is hot and the water dries the brush is toast. Rather than use a new brush for a quickie job my finger works great.

Forget this for polyurethane glues.

Reply to
Leon

"Morris Dovey" wrote in news:457c5aba$0$91106$815e3792 @news.qwest.net:

*snip*

Get them in the mail from time to time, do you? If Chase wants to waste its money, the least they can do is "direct mail market" me with some plastic glue spreaders!

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

| "Morris Dovey" wrote in | news:457c5aba$0$91106$815e3792 @news.qwest.net: | || a stack of plastic cards (look like credit cards but aren't), | | *snip* | | Get them in the mail from time to time, do you? If Chase wants to | waste its money, the least they can do is "direct mail market" me | with some plastic glue spreaders!

My homemate is a nurse/contact lens tech - she had an outdated stack of plastic lens care instruction cards.

The /best/ of my collection are ersatz Discover cards (thinner and more flexible). Get yourself on their mailing list and your problems are solved.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

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Reply to
Morris Dovey

Wow ... talk about timing! CitiBank just sent me a FREE glue-spreader! ;-)

Beats what I got from the Home Handyman CLub.

Bill

Reply to
Bill in Detroit

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