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Tip
#36
Gluing Up
(continued)
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Clamping
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Figure
4 . A cabinet scraper can be used to knock off glue
beads.
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Some glues
require immediate clamping after application. Yellow (aliphatic
resin) and white (polyvinyl resin) woodworking glues should
be clamped within minutes of application -- liquid hide glues
are left to get tacky before clamping -- and contact cement,
cyanoacrylates and quick-set epoxies require no clamping at
all.
Clamping,
like glue application, must be done correctly. Too much pressure
on hard, closed-grain woods like maple and cherry can force
the glue out of the joint causing a “starved joint” that’s
weak. Too little pressure can leave unsightly glue lines showing
between your pieces. Always clamp down just enough to make
your pieces fit together snugly without “starving” the joint.
Before
you apply any glue to your project, dry clamp the pieces together
to be sure all the joints fit properly . . .poor-fitting joints
will be weak, regardless of how much glue you use. Weak joints
will also be the result when you use glue that has become
“jellied”, before or after clamping...or if the glue dries
without bonding to both surfaces. To prevent this, follow
the manufacturer’s directions carefully.
What to
do with squeeze-out -- It is almost inevitable that glue will
get into places where it’s not welcome. Whether it’s squeezed
from a joint or accidentally dribbled from the bottle or applicator,
an unwanted, sticky bead of glue will challenge your patience.
Don’t give in to your first impulse to grab a dry or damp
rag and wipe it up immediately. This approach merely spreads
the glue around into an even larger area where it will have
to be sanded out later. The best approach is to allow the
glue to dry completely, then scrape it off cleanly with a
Cabinet Scraper (See Figure 4).
Continue
to Clamping & Curing Times
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