Thread: Need advice on a good wood glue

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I'd go for Titebond as well, I use Titebond original almost exclusively for guitar making and repair. I don't know about the waterproof version but the original grabs very quickly there's not a lot of alignment time so accurate positioning is essential.

When you laminate two different types of wood together using any sort of glue, you need to take into account that every species of wood expands and contracts differently. Also what needs to be taken into account is that any wood, glued end grain to end grain, using a standard wood glue will NEVER bond. That being said....

When I turn a shaving brush my end grain is always aligned at the ends of the shave brush. The reason I do this is to show off the beauty of the grain in the wood. If I laminate 2 pieces together for a brush handle, I have to use an epoxy. Reason is, I'm gluing end grain to end grain. Now for brushes, these things are seeing constant moisture, and constant drying. If the wood isn't sealed properly, the two pieces will move at different rates and eventually rip that glue joint apart. Dowls, holes for the epoxy to sink into, and roughing up the grain when gluing, are all ways to combat this problem.

Igigig

Thank you for your advice. The lucky part of this is I have not even tried to glue the woods together and turn them. I have learned with age that it is better to seek advice to avoid problems than run into the fire. My turning has been limited to solid woods.

What would you recomend for a coloring agent in your epoxy?

Hey Guys, I was thinking a fluted dowel would be the way to go, am I on the right track in this thinking? Also my thought was to keep the dowel 3/8" - 1/4" short of the finished end and boar hole.

I suppose the oil in the diffrent woods has been my main concern though.

Yup, a fluted dowel will work well. It will give lots of surface area for the epoxy to grab onto. Another trick I use, is to run a wood screw around inside of the bored hole for the dowels. Trying to cut mini grooves in the side walls of the hole for the epoxy to grab. Even when I dowel, I still drill smaller holes too. Around the dowel for the epoxy to sink into. Not in the dowel, in the wood faces itself. On both pieces to be laminated. Something around a 1/8 bit, and about 1/8 deep.

Anything you can do to make that epoxy grab better is going to make a stronger bond. I think your on the right track so far. I hope everything goes well for you! Let us know how it goes.

Originally Posted by hidestoart

Hey Guys, I was thinking a fluted dowel would be the way to go, am I on the right track in this thinking? Also my thought was to keep the dowel 3/8" - 1/4" short of the finished end and boar hole.

I suppose the oil in the diffrent woods has been my main concern though.

No Reason not to run the dowel all the way thru.

HARRYWALLY - The idea of the 1/8” holes on the face is super I would not have thought of them.

Pixelfixed - Thank you for the dowel thru pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words.

I would like to talk about glue up. Do you do the laminate glue up first and then bore and epoxy the dowel in OR bore the pieces to be laminated and stack them on the dowel as you are applying the epoxy between layers? I can see benefits and negatives to each method but more interested in what works the best.

One question remains at this point that I would like to ask, and that would be coloring the epoxy. This is a thought that is interesting to think about. Are there any ideas on this as far as where to get the color? It was mentioned not to use more than 10% that seems pretty straight forward as that leaves 90% straight epoxy for the bond. Any thought or input on this is welcome.

Sorry for asking so many questions but as I said earlier I am not into trial an error.

I always tell my guys that experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.
I have had enough experience to last me a life time and now ask questions so I can avoid any more of it.

I do all the glue up first,bore the dowel hole, fill it with epoxy,drive the dowel in,Than turn the blank true on the metal lathe.
Face off both ends to the lenth I want,bore the holes, than turn between centers on thewood lathe.