Gorilla glue use

[APH]

As a newcomer to pen turning I've been reading as much as I can on the subject and have just started to try making pens. As a reasonably experienced turner most things seems pretty straight forward, but I haven't found an answer to this yet;

From what I've read Gorilla glue is widely recommended as the best glue for sticking barrels in blanks. Reading the glue's instructions it recommends wetting one surface to be bonded with water, do people find this is necessary with pen barrels ?
If you do this, just how wet do you make the blank ? hint of moisture or obviously damp ?
Using a small paint brush would seem the obvious thing to use, but then how long do leave the blank to cure/set/dry before turning ?

Thanks for your experiences.

 

[Phil Dart]

Hi Paul - welcome to the forum.

Unless you live in the middle of the Gobi Dessert, normal atmospheric moisture and the moisture content of the wood itself is more than sufficient to cure Gorilla glue. You don't need to apply extra moisture. If you're using acrylic blanks, ie a blank without a moisture content of its own, a quick harr down the drilled hole is enough. (some people dunk the acrylic blank in a pool of water, but I've never found the need)

You need to leave the glue to set for a few hours. I tend to leave mine overnight, so I plan ahead. I'll be making today what I glued up yesterday, and I'll be making tomorrow what I glue up today, but in reality, a lot will depend on the amount of moisture present and the ambient temperature. It's quicker to cure on a humid summers day for instance, than it is on a frosty winters day, which is not only cold, but also makes the air drier.

There's a "how to" for Gorilla Glue on the Beaufort Ink blog pages.
Preventing pen tubes from moving with Gorilla Glue | Beaufort Ink

 

[yorkshireman]

I use gorilla glue all the time and as Phil says it’s best left overnight. The only thing to be wary of is it expands as it sets and sometimes can push the tube part way out of the blank although this has only happened to me once just be aware of it.

 

[Graham_C]

I tend to use Gorilla epoxy - not keen on the other Gorilla adhesive after a bad experience, which was my fault. The tube moved as the glue cured

Welcome to the forum Paul!

 

[Lons]

I use it as well but only on wood, ( epoxy on other materials ). I glued up 12 sets of blanks yesterday and always leave at least overnight to set, have not so far had any problems with it pushing out the tubes.

I do however wet the inside of each blank with water immediately before gluing in the tube, using a small artists paintbrush. When I first started I wet the inside of several at a time but found the wood swelled slightly and the tubes were then a bit too tight. I always take them into the house to dry, much to my wifes' frustration,

Bob

PS: Other brands are available :wink: I use those as well with the same results and usually much cheaper.

 

[Penpal]

Been using Gorilla and similar glue. I bought a heap of elastic bands and always tight wrap around the ends. Two reasons I unwrap after an hour or so it helps clear the swollen glue later,the other reason I always use generous amounts of glue, the other is its cheap insurance against movement,yes it does happen .Enjoy the forum Paul.

Peter.

 

[KevinMc]

Ha ha.

Well as someone who knows not much...

I use gorilla “super glue” not gorilla glue so mine does not expand... in the same way... for instance I used the normal glue on a box I built around an outside tap only to find I needed a chair and a whip to keep the expansion under control..

It’s interesting though I have found on pens.. some stick instantly and some I need a coffee before it works.. interesting to see the guys who know what they are talking about leave them overnight...

Kevin

 

[APH]

Thanks to all those who have replied so far. Acrylics don't interest me, I'm only concerned with wood.

Phil; I had found your article on the problems of using Gorilla glue earlier. Despite a dry year, Hertfordshire isn't yet a desert, but some bits of wood inside here can get to just below 10% hence my question.

The conclusion so far seems to be that some added moisture might be useful in some situations, but allowing a good curing time for all glues seems prudent.

I've glued up a few blanks this afternoon and so far, so good with no signs of slippage. Hopefully I'll get a chance to get some turning on them done in a couple of days.

 

[KevinMc]

Thanks to all those who have replied so far. Acrylics don't interest me, I'm only concerned with wood.

Phil; I had found your article on the problems of using Gorilla glue earlier. Despite a dry year, Hertfordshire isn't yet a desert, but some bits of wood inside here can get to just below 10% hence my question.

The conclusion so far seems to be that some added moisture might be useful in some situations, but allowing a good curing time for all glues seems prudent.

I've glued up a few blanks this afternoon and so far, so good with no signs of slippage. Hopefully I'll get a chance to get some turning on them done in a couple of days.

Looking forward to seeing the photos of the end results

Kevin

 

[Lons]

Just as an aside to that Paul what I do after they've cured is as follows. Just my preferred methods, everybody has their own ways.

I used to plug the ends of the tubes with plasticene but don't bother these days so I "skim" the ends of the blanks against the side of the bandsaw blade to remove excess glue and saves the sanding disk a bit, then run the point of a scalpel blade around the inside edge of the tube to remove any glue that got in there and check the tubes are clear, if any left in I use a special bristle brush in the drill to clean but could use a fine round file, ( chainsaw sharpening files are ideal ) then I square the edges of the blanks on the jig against the sanding disk, plenty of posts about this on the forum.

Sounds complicated but in practice it takes only minutes, i.e. the 12 sets / 24 blanks so 48 ends took me on average around a minute per blank this afternoon to prepare for turning.

 

[Penpal]

A most ewffective stiff brush is sold at firearm distributers in various sizes. I use the Electronic Store long taper reamer as well.
Peter.

 

[Lons]

i have a kit like this Burrs Stones Grinding Wheels and Wheel Dressers
but also a few individual brushes I picked up at the Harrogate 2016 show. used in a cordless drill they work a treat.
I've seen them from other suppliers including on ebay.

 

[21William]

I always have several glues in stock for a variety of DIY purposes. Polyurethane Gorilla glue isn’t one I ever use for pen making not least because it can be very messy. I use Epoxy for pen making and leave Polyurethanes for their gap filling properties on things like rough wood joints. On good wood joints I generally use Titebond 3.

 

[Penpal]

Glued with Gorilla Glue as a sample, I know you cannot see it but for me I choose it as this process takes real time.

Peter.

 

[wm460]

Hi Paul - welcome to the forum.

Unless you live in the middle of the Gobi Dessert, normal atmospheric moisture and the moisture content of the wood itself is more than sufficient to cure Gorilla glue.

Well I will be buggered, I just found out that I live in the middle of the Gobi Desert.

 

[Phil Dart]

Well I will be buggered, I just found out that I live in the middle of the Gobi Desert.

Yep, I think you probably will be buggered in that case. Tricky to get hold of a descent beer there I believe. Welcome to your new home anyway

 

[wm460]

Yep, I think you probably will be buggered in that case. Tricky to get hold of a descent beer there I believe. Welcome to your new home anyway

Fermented yak juice.

 

[Lons]

YEP, I've had a few of those Ozzie beers Mark.

 

[bigbob]

Thanks for the tip re bandsaw Bob never thought of doing that and am going through my sanding discs quicker than I would like too and they are a pain lower than the neck to get off even with a hotair gun. I have a beal tap the same size as my lathes spindle and am going to make a block with velcro on it so you can use 2 inch bowl sanding discs with transfer punch and jacobs chuck to clean up the ends of pen blanks but will try your method first.

 

[21William]

The best sanding discs I’ve used have a plastic backing and come off the disc cleanly, not sure of the make though as I got them on eBay.