Gluing material together

[JerryP]

Hi everyone.

I need to turn a box with external dimensions c. 6" diameter and 7" height. Unfortunately, it cannot have any features - i.e. cracks, fissures, so I am currently favouring the gluing together of four pieces of spindle stock to create the starting point. My go-to wood glue is Titebond (blue), does anyone have any thoughts/experience of whether this is the most suitable? Ideally, I wouldn't want to be able to see the glue once set, but I can use stain if necessary.

Thanks!

 

[Sussex cabinet maker]

For large turnings we alway use Titebond or WP PVA. for the best chance of not seeing the joint its more down to how well its milled, rather than the glue in my experience.

Adam

 

[JerryP]

For large turnings we alway use Titebond or WP PVA. for the best chance of not seeing the joint its more down to how well its milled, rather than the glue in my experience.

Adam

Thanks Adam. Ultimately, I can live with some joint visbility - as long as it doesn't dominate the appearance. The most critical thing is bond stength.

 

[Richard_C]

Titebond should be fine. If you have time clamp it up and leave it for a few days, especially if your workshop is as cold as my garage.

Take care as you hollow it. As the walls get thinner the joint area is much less than when you started. Light cuts and don't spin it too fast. I still haven't found part of a bowl that fell apart a few months back, I think its behind the racking at the far end of the garage. Final hollowing finish cut, nice and fast, big bang. By happy chance I was standing at the end as you do when hollowing.

 

[Doug B]

Be aware you can get creep with PVA’s & over time the joins in the finished piece can be felt, when gluing up for turning I now only use a Urea resin glue such as Aerolite one shot, it doesn’t suffer from creep & has a much longer open time which is handy with complicated segmented glue ups.

 

[Sussex cabinet maker]

Be aware you can get creep with PVA’s & over time the joins in the finished piece can be felt, when gluing up for turning I now only use a Urea resin glue such as Aerolite one shot, it doesn’t suffer from creep & has a much longer open time which is handy with complicated segmented glue ups.

Sorry I didn't mention this, absolutely leave the glue to dry for at least over night, but in the cold a few days as Richard says.

 

[Katomi woodsmith]

Ask me again next week, I am working on a 10 and half inch bowl
It’s made up from 4 pieces of sapele glued together. It was and old window frame
I glued it together about a week before Christmas left it clamped up to tues this week, when I cut the square to a near round on the band saw
Today wens, I mounted it on a 4inch face plate and turned the back, even turning a recess for my
Axminster A plus jaws set at 4 inches
I had a few joints showing, in the face side these I have filled with a mix of pva and the very fine shavings and dust from turning the piece.
Tomorrow
I will turn the face….. will see how it goes

 

[Doug B]

Sorry I didn't mention this, absolutely leave the glue to dry for at least over night, but in the cold a few days as Richard says.

PVA creep can happen weeks & months after glue up, it can be caused by stresses in the timber & changes in humidity, in segmented turned work the amount of joint movement tends to be minimal but it’s enough to be felt when handling, definitely not something you want in a decorative piece.
PVA glues contain polyvinyl acetate, a rubbery polymer which means even when cured the glue line can move slightly, Urea resin gives a rigid glue line.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

^^^ What he said. CHJ ex of this parish did loads of build up turnery and always used Cascamite. Aerolite would be an excellent choice as well.

 

[JerryP]

Titebond should be fine. If you have time clamp it up and leave it for a few days, especially if your workshop is as cold as my garage.

Take care as you hollow it. As the walls get thinner the joint area is much less than when you started. Light cuts and don't spin it too fast. I still haven't found part of a bowl that fell apart a few months back, I think its behind the racking at the far end of the garage. Final hollowing finish cut, nice and fast, big bang. By happy chance I was standing at the end as you do when hollowing.

Ouch! That could have been nasty!

I’m hoping not to need walls that are particularly thin, but I’ll certainly keep the speeds down a bit.

 

[JerryP]

^^^ What he said. CHJ ex of this parish did loads of build up turnery and always used Cascamite. Aerolite would be an excellent choice as well.

Never heard of either of those adhesives, I’m kind of assuming they are urea glues re: the previous post. Time to go hunting on Google…

 

[JerryP]

Aerolite seems to be liked by boat builders, if I believe the advertising. Feels like it would be a good choice. I’ve got quite a bit of time to make the piece, so once the wood species has been settled on, I should have plenty of time to let the glue cure.

 

[JerryP]

Ask me again next week, I am working on a 10 and half inch bowl
It’s made up from 4 pieces of sapele glued together. It was and old window frame
I glued it together about a week before Christmas left it clamped up to tues this week, when I cut the square to a near round on the band saw
Today wens, I mounted it on a 4inch face plate and turned the back, even turning a recess for my
Axminster A plus jaws set at 4 inches
I had a few joints showing, in the face side these I have filled with a mix of pva and the very fine shavings and dust from turning the piece.
Tomorrow
I will turn the face….. will see how it goes

Good luck! Let me know how it goes

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I remember a furniture maker being interviewed for a woodworking mag. about forty years ago. When asked what adhesive he used he answered Aerolite, and when asked why he said it was good enough to stick the planes he flew through WW2 together so it was good enough for a piece of furniture. It was developed for gluing Mosquitos together, hence the name.