Woodworking Glues

Good glue techniques

Yellow, white, and water-resistant glues: the old standbys
You probably use one or more of these three similar glues more often than any other type with good reason. They are versatile, easy-to-use, and affordable, and they provide strong bonds. The next time you reach for one of these glues, consider trying the following tips:

• For the strongest bond, make sure your pieces fit together well. Then cover both joining surfaces with a thin layer of glue. You can spread it with a brush, a paint roller, or Jim's favorite the plastic core of a disposable foam paintbrush as shown.
• Clamp with even pressure all along the joint, but not too hard or you'll squeeze all the glue out and make a weak joint.
• For small areas, mask the wood adjacent to the joint with masking tape to prevent the squeeze-out from getting on your work. For longer joints, remove the squeeze-out with a damp cloth while it's still wet, "rolling" the cloth as you go to keep from smearing the excess glue on the adjacent surfaces.

• To minimize squeeze-out on the face side of your projects, Chuck suggests you bring the two pieces together at a slight angle, joining the face edges first, as shown at left. As you lay the pieces flat to clamp them, most of the squeeze-out will be on the back side.

Here are a couple of tips that apply only to water-resistant glue:

• It tends to separate, so mix it well before each use.
• Wear your shop apron when using water-resistant glue it doesn't wash out of clothing.