# Gorilla Glue



## badwin (Apr 5, 2005)

Up until yesterday I had been using CA glue for gluing blanks.  Decided to try Gorilla glue.  Does anybody here use this stuff.  I glued a couple of blanks yesterday but today they were still lose.  How does everybody wet the blank and the tube before gluing.  
Thanks
Brian


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## DCBluesman (Apr 5, 2005)

I use Gorilla Glue for glueing tubes in everything except resins and have not had a failure in 6 months of using it.  I use to dampen the inside of the hold in the blank with a q-tip, but upon on of our Canadian member's (Doug, maybe?) suggestion I just breathe through them now.  I don't do anything other than scuff the tubes.


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## rtjw (Apr 5, 2005)

I have never used Gorilla Glue but I just aint to sure about it. I kinda looked at both CA and Gorilla Glue and some others before I decided CA would be best.


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## BogBean (Apr 5, 2005)

I always use Gorilla Glue. I never have had a problem with it...


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## mick (Apr 5, 2005)

I use Gorila Glue to glue all my blanks in .......never had a problem with loose blanks. Gorilla Glue should swell and hold the tubes in place. Reckon you got some bad glue?


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## wpenm (Apr 5, 2005)

I switched to Gorila Glue a couple months ago and I like it better than the CA. I use a q-tip to swab a very little water into the blank and use a q-tip to apply the glur to the tube. No problems so far.


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## PenWorks (Apr 5, 2005)

I Allway use this, but I use the Elmers brand at 1/3 the cost.


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## vick (Apr 5, 2005)

I like gorila glue better but use both at times.  I used to use the q-tip method but some woods will swell to where the tube will not insert well.  The temperature the glue is drying at might be a problem if it is not setting.


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## Gary (Apr 5, 2005)

I use Gorilla on all my blanks. It has worked great for me.


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## Rudy Vey (Apr 5, 2005)

I use both Gorilla and the cheaper Titebond PU glues for all my wooden blanks; on Acrylics and metal pen blanks I use CA and Epoxy.

Rudy

SE MI


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## woodpens (Apr 5, 2005)

I have used 2-part epoxy on my blanks since I started making pens in 1997. I tried Gorilla glue but was disappointed when I came back to my shop the next day and found half the tubes protruding from the wood. My only problem with the epoxy is there is a fair amount of waste involved. I do like the drying time though. I give the 5 minute epoxy 15 minutes, and it is good to go. 

What do you do to keep the tubes from sliding out of the blanks?


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## DCBluesman (Apr 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by woodpens_
> <br />What do you do to keep the tubes from sliding out of the blanks?


I'm either doing something wrong or I need to leave that four-leaf clover stuck up my...well, you get the idea.  I've never had a tube slide out of a blank. [8D]


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## JimGo (Apr 5, 2005)

Me either...I just keep the blanks horizontal, and the tubes don't slide out.


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## Gary (Apr 5, 2005)

Ditto...I've never had a tube slide out; just keep them horizontal.


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## darbytee (Apr 5, 2005)

Jim, I know what you're talking about with the tubes sliding out of the blanks. I wrap rubber bands around the blank halves to keep the tube in place until the poly dries.


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## woodpens (Apr 5, 2005)

I did keep the blanks horizontal. The glue managed to push them out as it expanded. I typically have about 1/8" of wood on each side of the tubes. I trim the excess wood and glue on the table saw. With Gorilla glue, it is hard to see the tubes well enough to trim without cutting into the brass. I guess I could trim more off before gluing in the tubes and just use the end mill. Rubber bands should solve my initial problem. I'll have to give it another try, probably with Elmer's version. []


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## Gary (Apr 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by woodpens_
> <br />I did keep the blanks horizontal. The glue managed to push them out as it expanded. I typically have about 1/8" of wood on each side of the tubes. I trim the excess wood and glue on the table saw. With Gorilla glue, it is hard to see the tubes well enough to trim without cutting into the brass. I guess I could trim more off before gluing in the tubes and just use the end mill. Rubber bands should solve my initial problem. I'll have to give it another try, probably with Elmer's version. []



Jim, I've used Gorilla, Elmer's and Titebond PU and found no difference in any of them...they all foam, that's the nature of the beast. I've made a few hundred pens and never had a tube pushed out. I say that not to be a smarty, but just to point out that it isn't a common problem. I put two small beads on opposite sides of the tube and running full length. Then I use a wooden sandwich pick to spread the glue evenly over the tube...then center it in the blank, and lay it flat to cure (pretty simple).

I wonder if maybe you didn't have it spread evenly. If you had significantly more glue on one end of the tube, would it tend to push the glue in one direction? I don't know...just a thought. Evenly distributed glue shouldn't exert directional pressure in one direction.

Give it another try. I find PU so simple, fast and easy to use. I sure don't want to mess around with mixing epoxy.


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## wayneis (Apr 5, 2005)

Jim why fix it if it ain't broke?  If the epoxy works so good why change?  I also use epoxy for most all of my blanks and have no problems.  The only problems that I have had in the past was when I used CA, it got inside the blanks without me knowing it and boom.

Wayne


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## wicook (Apr 5, 2005)

I've had problems with the tube coming loose while turning when I used CA glue. Since I switched to Gorrila Glue, I've not had any problems of that nature. I did have a tube push out on me with one of my first "gorilla" pens, but since then, I've used rubber bands or spring clamps to make sure they don't get out of the blank. Next time I need to buy some glue, though, I'm gonna look for the Elmers PU...Gorilla Glue is fairly pricey here in Canada.


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## dougle40 (Apr 5, 2005)

I don't use Gorilla glue persay but I do use Tightbond Polyurethane for ALL my glue-ups including the Cellular blanks .
Bill ,
Look for the Tightbond brand , it's a lot cheaper than Gorrilla glue here . Just make yourself a holder for the bottle that allows it to be stored upside down , it really prolongs the working life of it . I've been using the same bottle for <b>well</b> over a year now with no problems .


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## wee willie (Apr 5, 2005)

great idea on the holder Doug


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## wicook (Apr 5, 2005)

Not only a great idea on the holder, but also the tip about the Titebond. Thanks, Doug!


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## Rifleman1776 (Apr 6, 2005)

I started out using the Elmer's version of poly glues. It didn't always hold. Sometimes tubes were pushed out. Storage was a problem whether right-side up or up-side down. Switched to 5 min epoxy in the double-syringe tube set-up. Works fine for me. Poly has it's uses but with shelf life lasting about as long as my next trip to Wal-Mart, I'm not messing with it anymore.


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## Daniel (Apr 6, 2005)

Jim, I've had the tube get pushed out as well. i now stand them on end on a piece of plastic the weight of the balnk keeps the tube from pushing out the bottom and it comes out nice and flush. can still be trimmed enough for a nice fit, and I can choose which end will have the close fit for matching grain. has worked every time for me but I still check about 15 to 20 minutes into the set time. you can still adjsut the tube at that time and the glue is getting heavier so it doesn't expand as much.


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## Thumbs (Apr 6, 2005)

Thanks for asking the question Brian!  It helps us dummies that don't even know enough to ask the right questions to keep on learning, too!


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## vick (Apr 6, 2005)

can you post a detailed plan for your glue holder?  Just kidding


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## dougle40 (Apr 6, 2005)

> Poly has it's uses but with shelf life lasting about as long as my next trip to Wal-Mart, I'm not messing with it anymore.


Frank,
The picture of the bottle holder was an idea that was given to me by a Tightbond sales rep and as I said , I've been using that same bottle for WELL over a year now with no problems at all (bought it at a wood show in Oct. 2003) other than the tip getting plugged occasionally . Maybe this only works for Tightbond PU , I don't know .


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## badwin (Apr 6, 2005)

Wow have I learned a ton.  I don't think I was spreading enough glue on the tubes or using enough moisture in the blanks.  Will keep on trying.  Thanks everyone.
Brian


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## DCBluesman (Apr 6, 2005)

> _Originally posted by dougle40_
> I've been using that same bottle for WELL over a year now with no problems at all (bought it at a wood show in Oct. 2003) other than the tip getting plugged occasionally . Maybe this only works for Tightbond PU , I don't know .


I can't vouch for the "over a year" part, but I mistakenly bought an 8-ounce bottle of Gorilla Glue (it was on-sale for half-price) back in October.  I squeeze the air out after every use and this stuff's still got it's original viscosity and seems to work great.  Again, it may be that four-leaf clover!


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## jdavis (Apr 6, 2005)

WE are switching from CA to Gorilla for cost. Have tried it with no problems. We glue and turn the next day.


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## dougle40 (Apr 6, 2005)

Brian,
One word of caution re moisture in the blanks . On most woods DON'T use a cue tip to get moisture inside the hole (I say MOST because some woods won't absorb the water , Dymondwood for example and also other materials like Celluloid , I DO use a cue tip for these) , you could cause the wood to swell and the tube will no longer fit . Just "Breath" through the hole , this will get enough moisture from your breath to do the job .
This was learned from experience .


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