ungluing elmer's glue all

Nov 20, 2010 7 Replies

Need to join several small joints less than permanently to facilitate repairs (wood encased homebrew guitar pickups). Elmer's glue all seems right, i.e. just weak enough for the job. How to take apart without damaging the joined wood too severely?


Temporary glue joints can be obtained by placing paper between the pieces to be glued. Brown paper bags work well.

You may also want to check out some liquid hide glue (Titebond 5012). It can be unactivated with heat and/or steam

Just make sure you buy it where you can check the expiration date. The bottles on the shelf at the local hardware store expired two years ago. And with liquid hide glue it _does_ matter. I haven't looked on the ones at Woodcraft.

Urea is added to make it liquid when cold. Unfortunately, this also cuts the shelf life to 6 months. Old fashioned, dry hide glue has a shelf life of hundreds of years.

Trick for mounting work on a faceplate, so that it can be split off with a knife blade.

Have the Elmer's, still waiting for payday.

I'm wondering what happens if the glue is diluted.

----------------- Double backed tape, about 50% coverage.

Lew

Your statement made me get up from watching the Aggies take on Nebraska and walk out to the garashop to check my bottle of liquid hide glue, which is a little shy of half full. It is Tightbond brand, made by Franklin, and has an expiration date of July 98. Cleaned my glasses and made sure I read it right.

I knew I'd had it a while, but I sure didn't think it was anywhere near 12 years. Still liquid, still works fine. I last used it a month or so ago on an antique dresser I repaired.

All I can say is that it has been kept tightly capped, cool and in the dark since the day I brought it home. Maybe after the game I'll go out and glue a couple scrap boards together with it, then see how easy it is to break the joint.

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