new (to me) glue

[sunnybob]

I had a difficult glue up where I just did not have enough thickness of veneer to sand completely smooth, so i tried to buy some gorilla glue which apparently expands into joints.
Nope, no luck on that.
I found a tube of Evo Stik polyurethane wood glue (same tube as silicone, needs a gun to apply)
The label says and I quote " gap filling" and "dries clear". So it was worth a try.
I suppose 1 out of 2 isnt bad.
Certainly filled the gaps in the uneven surface, but the out squeezing once dry was like white construction foam.
What a clean up mess!

On the subject of silicone guns, has anyone ever come up with a way to stop the tube hardening off? Those screw on caps have never worked for me

 

[MikeG.]

.......On the subject of silicone guns, has anyone ever come up with a way to stop the tube hardening off? Those screw on caps have never worked for me

Duck tape. Seriously........

 

[cammy9r]

Hi, these polyurethane wood glues take a bit of getting used to. I always seem to apply to much and spend a while trimming all the expanded squeeze out. I use electrical insulation tape pulled tight around the nozzle tip. Works nearly all of the time. When it fails I just blow it out from the tip end into a bin with compressed air.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Silicone, PU etc. - I make sure the top is actually stuck back on rather than just put back one. It can make the top difficult to get off, but it works.

 

[hawkeyefxr]

Im surprised the gorilla glue didn't expand, i have never know that. You did wet one surface? I ask as a friend of mine did not do this and wondered why it never went off.

I have never found a way to keep tube adhesives for long periods but i normally remove and clean the nozzle then put a finger of a thin rubber glove over the end of the tube then screw the nozzle back on. This is good for about 8/9 months, after that it starts to get hard in the tube.

You can buy pressurised automotive silicon that last for quite a few years but it;s black and i am not sure how it would work on wood.
Wonder why they don't make wood adhesives in pressure cans?

 

[transatlantic]

When it says gap filling, I assume this means aesthetically, not structurely?

When ever I have used Polyurethane glue, I have always regreted it. The expanding foam is a royal PITA and not what I would call gap filling. Too soft

 

[Mark A]

I've used a fair bit of Everbuild 5min and 30min polyurethane adhesive gel recently (in a tube, not bottle). The foamy squeeze out and lumps I forgot to wipe up set quite solid, even to 6-8mm thickness. Not hard like mortar (here's a tiny amount of give when pressed with a thumbnail) but certainly enough to fill large gaps for non-structural use.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Im surprised the gorilla glue didn't expand, i have never know that.

I suspect the OP meant he couldn't get it, rather than it didn't expand.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I think it's gap filling in the sense that in exterior joinery if a gap is full of set PU it can't then fill with water. It certainly worked on mine.

 

[sunnybob]

Im surprised the gorilla glue didn't expand, i have never know that.

I suspect the OP meant he couldn't get it, rather than it didn't expand.

Phil, yes. My wording was not clear enough.

I am becoming quite impressed with this. It was very easy to smear across the surface to be glued. The excess did cut off with a knife after I did not follow the instructions and wipe off before it finally set.
It has definitely filled the imperfections between the two pieces of wood.
I sanded off the joint I glued yesterday and it has completely disappeared as far as looks go.

The only downside for me is the quick set up time. I normally make complicated glue ups that need a fair bit of adjustment before (and during) clamping, but as long as I can keep this from going solid in the tube I might well consider this a must have item.

 

[beechman]

Silicone guns are a pain. I've tried tape, matchstick, nail etc etc. Usually this has proved unsuccessful. The one weird way that has worked for me is to allow a small bead of silicone to protrude when you've finished the job and let it harden off. Leave it there until you re-use the gun. Pull the silicone bead out gently but smoothly. Job done. You have access to a working gun again.

 

[sunnybob]

Strange this thread should surface now.
I've been using more silicone and I've sussed why the caps dont work. i always used to cut a quite small tip off to save wasting the silicone. I've now realised that if you only cut the tip off the spout is still too long and the cap will not seat down far enough and therefore not seal. by cutting a quite large amount off the top (at least 3/4") I've managed to to keep two separate tubes usable over several weeks.