Polyurethane Glues Expand Y'all

[ebarr]

Man I feel like an idiot.

I am making a rolling cabinet for my benchtop drill press. It's a pretty simple three drawer cabinet. Well yesterday I glued and screwed the carcass together. I needed to run to Lowes so I left the carcass on the assembly table (on it's side). When I returned several hours later the glue had expanded and it was now firmly glued to the table:BangHead::BangHead:.

A good whack with a hammer freed it, after I stopped laughing.

So this is a simple reminder that poly glue will expand.:rotflm::rotflm:

 

[WoodWrangler]

Funny thing about that is last night I had to poly-glue some stuff for my wife ... well, as always I put too much and the stuff expanded everywhere virtually encapsulating the clamp I was using with the foam.

Personally, I dislike that stuff that that very reason.

 

[Bas]

Polyurethane glue will also stick to fingers, tools, hair, floors and pets. Best option (besides not using uit): Waxilit. Just slather that stuff on everything within 3ft of the application, to ensure easy release.

But a hammer also works :rolf:

 

[Travis Porter]

I am with you. I am not a fan of it at all. Scott Phillips seems to love it on American Woodworker, but I expect that is because they have sponsored him.

 

[JOAT]

Tried it. Once. Besides no advantqage over my usual Titebond II, it's more expensive. Got the bottle out a bit later, going to try gluing some scrap together for whatever reason, and the bottle was rock hard. I'll pass on it.

 

[Travis Porter]

Tried it. Once. Besides no advantqage over my usual Titebond II, it's more expensive. Got the bottle out a bit later, going to try gluing some scrap together for whatever reason, and the bottle was rock hard. I'll pass on it.

Yep, you have to get all the air out or it hardens. I have had that happen as well.

 

[Bas]

The only advantage I see over regular PVA glue is the longer setup time. I had to glue 45 dowels once, didn't feel comfortable getting it all done in one pass. That was before I discovered plastic resin glue.

There may be some woods for which poly glue works better, but it better make a significant difference, it's definitely not fun stuff to work with. A cross between expanding foam and super glue.

 

[DavidF]

Never tried it, don't want to - plastic resin or TB II for me

 

[gordonmt]

The poly glue has it's use as an outdoor adhesive. It Will make a permanent near waterproof bond that is much superior to titebond and is great for all outdoor bonding requirements. It also will give the wood worker a little more open time.
I have never used it for any indoor applications due to it's cost vrs PVA and the ever so mentioned foam expansion. It also has very a very short pot life once opened due the ever present moisture content of our good old southern air. I always thought it was neat how you have to wet the bonding surfaces with water prior to glueing. It is really different stuff.

 

[JOAT]

The poly glue has it's use as an outdoor adhesive. It Will make a permanent near waterproof bond that is much superior to titebond and is great for all outdoor bonding requirements.

I don't see it. If Titebond won't do it for me, I'd probably use epoxy.

 

[Glennbear]

I add my vote to the consensus that it has too many drawbacks for wood to wood use but it is great for "mixed media" applications. I was sistering some 2by10's to an existing floor beam at my last house and needed to secure some pretty hefty carriage bolts from spinning while I cranked on the nuts. The poly glue did well for that purpose :wsmile: