Salting your glue-ups

[transatlantic]

I'm sure you've all heard of this trick to stop things slipping around when clamping up. However, my initial thoughts were it sounds like a bad idea to be mixing chemicals like that.

Anyway, I tried it out and can confirm it does work. But can also confirm it reacts with the glue in what looks to be a negative way.

What would you call it? Premature congealing?

Think I'll give this top tip a miss for now.

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[Trevanion]

Very fine sand, why the hell would you use something soluble?

 

[DBT85]

It's only there to stop things moving during the initial glue up and it's also not normally sitting in a pool of glue like that.

A better test would be to actually glue some things up and see if the bond is still stronger than the wood it's gluing.

 

[AJB Temple]

Something I have used in the past - rarely needed - for critical alignments is to knock in a small brass panel pin half way, then snip the head off with wire cutters to leave a point. Then apply glue and assemble. Holds position and does not interfere with mating services like salt or fine sand.

 

[Inspector]

I find a mechanical means of keeping things aligned myself. A 1/8"/3mm dowel at each end of a recent glue up worked nicely and the 2 dowels were removed in the scrap when the piece was trimmed to length. I'm not convinced seasoning wood in this manner is a good idea. Would sugar serve instead?

Pete

 

[transatlantic]

Very fine sand, why the hell would you use something soluble?

Don't shoot the messenger

I find a mechanical means of keeping things aligned myself. A 1/8"/3mm dowel at each end of a recent glue up worked nicely and the 2 dowels were removed in the scrap when the piece was trimmed to length. I'm not convinced seasoning wood in this manner is a good idea. Would sugar serve instead?

Pete

I think I'll stick with mechanicl means

 

[Orraloon]

Something I have used in the past - rarely needed - for critical alignments is to knock in a small brass panel pin half way, then snip the head off with wire cutters to leave a point. Then apply glue and assemble. Holds position and does not interfere with mating services like salt or fine sand.

Yes we were shown that in school woodworking but with normal steel panel pins. It works well and is quick and easy.
Regards
John

 

[DamoF]

I hadn't heard of this til now. I suppose it depends what you're gluing up. Where possible I tend to use biscuits or clamps across the join to keep things in line. I quite like finding a way to use all of my clamps at once :lol:

 

[DamoF]

Also, maybe you only need a wee bit of salt, enough for a few grains to provide friction?

 

[AJB Temple]

The reason I don't use steel panel pins is that they can be very reactive. It will make no difference if the material is thick though.

In my experience, salt rarely dissolves well. I have never used it in glue ups, as I think the panel pin method with two pins allows accurate locating, but I do dissolve salt in warm water when I am adding it after the autolyse when making sourdough. It's never fully dissolved.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Something I have used in the past - rarely needed - for critical alignments is to knock in a small brass panel pin half way, then snip the head off with wire cutters to leave a point. Then apply glue and assemble. Holds position and does not interfere with mating services like salt or fine sand.

Yes we were shown that in school woodworking but with normal steel panel pins. It works well and is quick and easy.
Regards
John

Yes, so was I. The thing with using brass is that you don't damage your edge tools if you happen to cut through them afterwards.

 

[Steve lewis]

A few grains of rock salt at each end of the work has always been ok for me , but as has the panel pin option.