Wood Glue

[bluenose]

Basic question please.

Does wood glue have a shelf life, i.e. does it deteriorate with age?

I can't see anything referring to a 'use-by' date anywhere on any of the containers.

I know for sure that what I have in the cupboard is a few years old.

Many thanks.

 

[marcros]

yes, assuming that you mean pva. it is also sensitive to freezing/low temps. if it is a few years old, I would bin it. it is a false economy to risk it.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes. Yes. Some much quicker than others. Many now have the manufacturing date and an expected life expectancy on them. Decent PVAs for instance can bought for £5 a litre - it's not worth taking the chance of using stuff that's suspect.

 

[bluenose]

Thank you chaps. What i have is Titebond original Wood Glue and Evostik Extra Fast Resin.

Taking this matter a step further, Can I ask you if you would recommend a particular adhesive for general purpose use.

Many thanks again for the valued input.

 

[Mike Jordan]

Cascamite powdered resin, it's cheap, totally waterproof ,sets like rock, and doesn't slide out of place when jointing boards. Also has a long open time and a shelf life of years if kept dry.

 

[Trevanion]

Cascamite powdered resin, it's cheap, totally waterproof ,sets like rock, and doesn't slide out of place when jointing boards. Also has a long open time and a shelf life of years if kept dry.

I would tend to agree but it's an absolute pain in the behind for hobbyists who just want something to be quickish. Takes a little while and use just to get used to how to mix it right.

Personally, I would stick to the Titebond 2 if it's just general little projects and occasional use, if kept sealed and out of sunlight it will last many years. I think with most PVAs so long as it hasn't become gelified and it still flows like it normally would out of the bottle it should be ok.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Everbuild 502 or D4 if you need something completely waterproof.

 

[Cordy]

A decent resin based PVA glue is this 502

….cheap enough too

edit;
…..can be found cheaper than T/Station on the internet

 

[Steve Maskery]

Cascamite is fantastic, but I'm not sure I agree about its shelf-life being years. OK, a couple, maybe, if kept in perfect conditions, but I have a big tub of the stuff, several years old, kept adequately warm and properly dry, and the last time I used it it didn't look good and failed good and proper the next day.
I think in future I shall buy it in smaller pots. Yes, it is more expensive, but not as expensive as throwing 75% of the big tub away.
BTW, I've just bought a bottle of D4 stuff from Toolstation for not very much money. Not used it yet.

 

[basssound]

I can't knock this stuff...

https://www.screwfix.com/p/evo-stik-woo ... 1ltr/81882

 

[yetloh]

Cascamite is fantastic, but I'm not sure I agree about its shelf-life being years. OK, a couple, maybe, if kept in perfect conditions, but I have a big tub of the stuff, several years old, kept adequately warm and properly dry, and the last time I used it it didn't look good and failed good and proper the next day.
I think in future I shall buy it in smaller pots. Yes, it is more expensive, but not as expensive as throwing 75% of the big tub away.

That's the problem with big tubs, air gets inside when it is open and atmospheric moisture is absorbed so it goes off. The secret is to separate it into several full airtight containers, that way it will keep for ages. Also, spoon out what you need and reseal immediately.

Jim

 

[marcros]

Personally, I like the titebond liquid hide glue for furniture and box making. I don't use a lot, so whether it is expensive or lacks other features that volume glue users need I don't know.

 

[AndyT]

Personally, I like the titebond liquid hide glue for furniture and box making. I don't use a lot, so whether it is expensive or lacks other features that volume glue users need I don't know.

Agreed. Features that are advantages in a commercial setting - fast setting, waterproofness - can be a disadvantage to an amateur. I really like the liquid hide glue. It's perfectly strong enough for furniture, stays open long enough for glue-ups not to be rushed and cleans up really easily with a damp cloth. If you ever need to correct a mistake, it's reversible with enough heat. It also keeps in the bottle for several years.

 

[profchris]

Titebond Original has a limited life, from memory about 2 years from manufacture. There is a code on it which can give the date but I always have to look up how to decode it. This is aliphatic resin BTW, not PVA.

 

[sunnybob]

I use D4 for simple stuff. In my hot summers though (high 30's c.) it sets faster than superglue.
In those circumstances or if its a multiple piece glue up I use titebond 3 (111) which lets me play around getting pieces perfectly aligned for several minutes after attaching.
But the downside to titebond 3 is that it dries brown, so not good on light woods with highly visible joins.

 

[Rorschach]

Titebond 2 is what I have used up until now. When my current bottle runs out (several years old) I will probably use 502 or D4. I like the titebond nozzle though, so I will re-use that.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Depending on the type of glue, ingress of moisture (or oxygen, diffusing into the glue through the plastic bottle) or as a result of repeated opening of the lid - combined with extremes of temperature (frost, or above 25C) - is what kills them in as little as a year. You can usually tell that something's not right from the colour/texture.

I have a bottle of prost-proofer which says on the label "protect from frost"!

+1 for the Everbuild D4 as a general purpose wood glue - it's cheap and convenient and gives reliable and repeatable results (but with limited "open" time may not suit a complex glue-up). I like Titebond 3 as it's food safe, but more expensive.

Cheers, W2S

 

[Bm101]

Titebond Original has a limited life, from memory about 2 years from manufacture. There is a code on it which can give the date but I always have to look up how to decode it. This is aliphatic resin BTW, not PVA.

You just need the first 5 numbers. Disregard the other letters and numbers in the code.
Year (1) month (2/3) day (4/5).
So if the first 5 numbers (after the a) are 90421. It's 21st of April 2019 in English.

Just used cascamite for the first time last week and wondered if people have any tips. I seemed to find it easy to mix but I'm now wondering if I'm just thinking that because I was doing it wrong. Not the first time I've seen cautionany advice about beginners mixing it.
Only small amounts mixed too so that helped I guess.
I followed the tin on joints but went a little thinner as well to experiment with mixing with fine sawdust as a filler.
Am I missing something obvious?
Cheers
Chris

 

[custard]

If you're even half way serious about woodworking you shouldn't think in terms of either PVA or Cascamite, you absolutely need both (indeed I wouldn't be without a scotch glue, a quick set epoxy, and a contact adhesive as well).

PVA is terrific for quick and easy glue-ups where the job can come out of cramps after just 20 or 30 minutes. But Cascamite (or an alternative UF glue) offers zero creep, higher levels of water resistance, very long open times for tricky glue-ups, and gap filling. In other words, all the things that PVA does badly Cascamite does well.

To Bm101's question, I always mix Cascamite in two separate operation, add half the water and mix to a really thick paste (like a stiff cake mix), then add the remainder of the water and mix to a smooth, double cream consistency. That way you minimise the risk of the fatal flaw when mixing Cascamite...a lumpy consistency!

 

[Cordy]

Cascamite
Custard wrote on page 3 HERE the secret is to decant
I split mine up into small plastic bags -- tied up with string -- it's still good
The 6 ft book-case got finished btw; now resides in Aigburth, Liverpool