Experience With Gorilla Glue?

[cherokee6]

There's been plenty of discussion on glues and the consensus seems to be Titebond original or Elmer's yellow. I searched the forum and couldn't find any discussion on Gorilla Glue. Any experience or opinion out there?

[Hedley]

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...rilla+wood+glue

[Woodenspoke]

Gorilla glue is now many different glues. If it is a yellow glue and it says waterproof or water resistant than stay far away. If it us the polyurethane glue it is even worse.

I know titebod and gorilla glue are in the same store isle so why bother with anything else.

[Woodenspoke]

read this

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=42613

[Tim37]

another reason to use titebond over gorilla glue is, its cheaper.

[billm90]

I picked some up for some other wood projects I was working on, fish tank canopy and stand, as well as a subwoofer/amp box for my car. I dont know what type was, if I saw a bottle of it I could identify it. Just saw it at home depot and picked it up.

I would not put that stuff anywhere near a guitar.

The stuff I had would expand a bit and try to push apart what ever I was glueing. If it could not push it apart, it would seep out the seams and leave a mess.

If you have used expandable foam in a can, it is almost just like that. expands, super sticky and messy.

I have used titebond on a few guitars as recomended here, and that is all I buy now.

Edited May 19, 2010 by billm90

[MrValentine]

the gorilla wood glue is actually a very good guitar building wood in my expierences, and its all my local lutiers use.

[Narcissism]

Gorilla Glue is a polyurethane glue. When you use it, you have to clamp together whatever you're gluing. Otherwise, the pressure from it setting will push apart your project. As it expands, it leaves a residu which looks like an orange foam. At first, this foam is sticky and messy, but after a day or so, it sets, and it becomes as hard as a rock. You have to scrape it off. If you use it on wood, the foam that is produced stains the wood.

In woodworking magazine, it has the poorest adhesion rating for holding two marriage joined pieces of wood together in a stress test.

In short:

Its expensive new technology that makes a mess and doesn't hold guitars together.

[Southpa]

Damn, I think they should stop using gorillas and go back to horses.

[westhemann]

You know,I used that stuff quite a bit on neck joints when I was learning and my fits were poor,thinking that it had good gap filling strength.

I had no idea it was so weak.I did find out very quickly how messy it was.I have been using 2 part epoxy for damn near everything the last couple of years,just because it sets up so quickly( I use the 15 minute stuff)

[cherokee6]

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...rilla+wood+glue

Thanks, I knew it had to be a topic! I figured this had to have been discussed ad nauseum in the past. When I did a search, for some odd reason, the topic didn't come up. I guess I have to work on my search skills!

However, it looks as though Titebond is still the favorite. I will try the Goriila glue at some as some people have had good luck with it. Hate to have a bottle of it wasting away! Thanks!

[MiKro]

G Glue has it's applications. Guitars are not one of them. If you have gaps ( not something you want in guitars, then use it) Otherwise it's crap. It's messy, stains your hands and you need to learn to do better wood working.

MK

So Am I opinionated enough on G Glue being Crap?

Really, it is not what you want for guitar building.

[Hedley]

the gorilla wood glue will be no more messy than titebond nor stain like regular/original gorilla glue, but best to stick to titebond for your guitars

[Mattia]

If you have gaps, use epoxy. I use West Systems, slower setting stuff, and Z-Poxy 30 minute for the things I want to work on sooner. Both are better quality (harder set, easier to sand after the fact) than home depot dual-tube syringe type jobbies. The foamed up stuff filling the gaps doesn't provide any strength.

I do use polyurethane glues for certain parts of guitarmaking, but use it where it's appropriate. Poly glues foam up, so you need to clamp well to minimize the odds of a glue line. They work best in the presence of a bit of water, so a moist sponge run along the gluing surface helps as well. Where do I use it? Joints that are tight, and that I never, ever want to allow to delaminate. Examples include laminating headblocks and tailblocks for acoustics, laminating headstock veneers (front and back), and it can work well for 'difficult' woods, for example gluing up plates in oily rosewoods. It also works reasonably well for gluing carbon fiber to other wood - I've used it for laminating braces, although I'll be using epoxy for that in future, now that I'm more comfortable working with it - epoxy has a learning curve.

Having said that, often as not I use Titebond original for most of these applications, without reservations. Easy to clean up, no mixing required, and for almost everything 30 minutes of clamp time and 24 hours of 'don't stress the joint' is more than good enough.

[verhoevenc]

Only things I use it for are gluing lignum vitae and verawood... and for nomex (well... gunna start after a lecture I just heard). As for epoxy, I agree, anywhere you may have ANY gap, use epoxy. Also, keep in mind that west systems will begin to get slightly "gummy" at 140 degrees. Not really an issue with guitars, but it's also something I heard in a lecture this past weekend from Ken Parker that I found interesting.

Chris

[aesache]

Its funny you mentioned this because in my area you can not find and titebond i have looked hi and low. So i decided to do a test i took a 3 foot piece of ash scrap 1 inch thick by 4 inches wide. Then i cut it in half and then glued it back together (end grain to end grain) with gorilla glue (wood glue) and i can not break that piece or wood and it will suport all my weight and i weigh 260lbs!!!!

i think this stuff is amazing this is the best glue i have availiable in my area by far.

[MrValentine]

Its funny you mentioned this because in my area you can not find and titebond i have looked hi and low. So i decided to do a test i took a 3 foot piece of ash scrap 1 inch thick by 4 inches wide. Then i cut it in half and then glued it back together (end grain to end grain) with gorilla glue (wood glue) and i can not break that piece or wood and it will suport all my weight and i weigh 260lbs!!!!

i think this stuff is amazing this is the best glue i have availiable in my area by far.

+1

[Mors Phagist]

I was considering using some of the stuff for adhering the fretboard, but after reading this, Ill see what else we have. Ill try to find some titebond somewhere.

What about superglue for Fretboard to Neck? What would you guys suggest?

[westhemann]

I have used both titebond and epoxy for the fretboard with good results from both.I prefer epoxy these days because it does not make the fretboard want to cup like titebond can.

[billm90]

I liked the titebond

I also removed the same fret board 3 times. Had Led issues.

If locking it down for good, epoxy would work fine as well.

[soapbarstrat]

Super-glue would win the prize for really making you haul ass to get the glue spread and clamped before it's too late. Even the slower setting gel could kick off too fast when reacting to moisture in the wood.

[Woodenspoke]

Seems like if the label says wood glue it's appropriate for the task, right. I mean I have tried almost every glue ever made and they certainly do hold two pieces of wood together. But we are not carpeters we are luthiers. It does require a bit of thought about what products we use and how they affect the results of our hard work. In this case it is the interaction with finishing products we use not the ability to hold two pieces of wood together, any wood glue can do that. I feel like I am beeting a dead horse here. Right SouthPa.

I tried to get onto the Gorilla glue web site today and its a sticky mess.I guess they cant keep the server together.....

Here is what I found in an amazon ad.

Gorilla Wood Glue bonds stronger, faster for wood to wood applications. It is specifically formulated for a variety of wood surfaces, is water resistant and ideal for indoor and outdoor projects.

or

http://blogs.popularwoodworking.com/editor...la+Glue+Co.aspx

That in itself is the answer you seek. No its not appropriate for guitar construction since it is water resistant just like titebond II is. How hard is it to read a label or search online... PVA Type II and III=Bad Type I = good.

Elmer's makes an indoor only wood glue called carpenters wood glue. A standard yellow type I PVA glue just like original titebond. They also make another wood glue suitable for outdoor use. Again water resistant or Type II PVA.

Here are some shopping clues for you.

Indoor use only= good

Indoor / outdoor = bad

So you now have a better understanding of what you are looking for no matter what the brand. Since these are not food products you will not get the answer directly off the bottle (not that I have looked). Use your brain and its really easy to find a yellow PVA type I glue under different brand names. Type I is usually cheaper as well.

[soapbarstrat]

Elmer's makes an indoor only wood glue called carpenters wood glue. A standard yellow type I PVA glue just like original titebond.

Hell of a shelf life in my own experience. My small or medium (?) bottle is a couple years old and still passes the "test" (which is , put a dab between finger and thumb, rub together and pull thumb and finger apart. If there are strings, the glue is bad or questionable. Mine doesn't have strings)

[Southpa]

I still have some yellow carpenter's glue laying around from 8 yrs or so ago. I wouldn't hesitate to use it again. Goes by the name weld-bond or some such. As far as I'm concerned all the yellow stuff comes out of the same vat. But recently I've become stuck on (pun intented ) West System 2 part epoxy with a wee bit of thickener added. Sure its permanent. What if I need to take the joint apart and start over? Well, I shouldn't have to...

[Mattia]

Titebond is simply reliable, easy enough to find (online if need be), cheap, easy to clean, easy to use, good compromise in terms of stability, resistance to creep, strength and repairability.

Like Wes (and many others) I glue my fretboards with epoxy to minimize additional moisture. Contrary to popular belief, epoxy is easy to release; just add heat and use a spatula of some form. Works a charm.