# biscuit jointers and gorilla glue



## ship (Feb 6, 2007)

So how well would a biscit joint work were gorilla glue substituted for wood glue?


----------



## cutlunch (Feb 6, 2007)

Hi Ship. For us Antipodeans could you explain what gorilla glue is?


----------



## ship (Feb 6, 2007)

www.gorillaglue.com 

Interesting stuff. Sort of a combination between synthetic glue and foam adhesive. Works well in for instance sealing up or re-adhering stripped screw holes in rubber or plastic materials such as a stage pin plug (given you don't go with a slightly larger plastic materials screw aka... McMaster Carr,) or in some rubber molded Socapex Twofers at work which constantly have the Socapex plug mounting screws popping free from the rubber cast splice assembly. Also works well on wood joints that open up, on steel to steel, steel to plastic etc. Different type of glue - good to have around. Note also the gel base super glue elsewhere posted about that's also useful. Beyond that, while very expensive, I love my epoxy gun at work - sweet...


----------



## Footer (Feb 7, 2007)

Odds are the expanding nature of the glue would push the biscuit apart, also it would probably not set up properly.


----------



## Van (Feb 7, 2007)

If the wood surfaces are properly dampened before application of the Gorrilla glue it will have no problem setting up inside the biscuit joint. The peices will need to be clamped together to prevent the joint from being forced apart by the foaming action of the gorilla glue setting up. After setup a knife or other scraping device will need to be used to remove what glue is forced from the joint.
Cutlunch, Gorrilla glue is a brand name for a polyurethane based glue which has made a big hit on the woodworking market here in the US. It' is real useful and it unique nature of expanding when it sets up makes a must for repairing furniture filling joints that have lots of voids or extremely rough surfaces. It is water activated. Normally atmospheric humidity is more than sufficient to begin the chemical reaction that causes the glue to setup. In cases where it's being used on plastics metals, rocks or any "anhydrous" material you can spray a light mist of water over the surface prior to clamping the pieces together. 

Hope that helps. Cutlunch, thanks for the new word. It's not often I get to say it but I don't thinkI've ever heard that word before. < antipodean >


----------



## Sparkie (Feb 7, 2007)

And one of the reasons that biscuits form such a good joint is that PVA actually soaks into the biscuit causing it to swell slightly. I don't think you will achive a joint any stronger by using 'Gorilla Glue'.
As I'm also an antipodean though I can't rush out and get any to have a try!


----------



## tenor_singer (Feb 7, 2007)

I've only seen gorilla glue used once... quite some time ago... and I seem to remember it as being brittle when it set. It sticks in my mind because I remember thinking... "wow... for something touted as the new 'super glue' it certainly cracks easily when stress is put on it.".

Was this just a fluke?


----------



## Van (Feb 7, 2007)

tenor_singer said:


> I've only seen gorilla glue used once... quite some time ago... and I seem to remember it as being brittle when it set. It sticks in my mind because I remember thinking... "wow... for something touted as the new 'super glue' it certainly cracks easily when stress is put on it.".
> 
> Was this just a fluke?


 
Yeah I think it probably was a fluke, most likely a symptom of overly dry conditions. The real strength of Gorrilla Glue comes from its foaming as it sets up, this creates a intricate lattice work of tiny Polyurethane bubbles which then acts, not unlike, the bones in your body. Sure calcium is brittle when it's in chalk but bubble it up build some trusses and I-beams out of it and you've got bone.


----------



## jwl868 (Feb 9, 2007)

I think "Elmers" now markets an identical procuct. (The glue has a brown color, but is not to be mistaken for "hide glue".)

Joe


----------



## Van (Feb 9, 2007)

jwl868 said:


> I think "Elmers" now markets an identical procuct. (The glue has a brown color, but is not to be mistaken for "hide glue".)
> 
> Joe


 
I believe the Elmers product is called "Ultimate" glue. it's a good product as well slightly different properties than Gorilla but essentially the same.


----------



## SweetBennyFenton (Feb 12, 2007)

Oh, and let's not forget Van: Gorilla glue has a cumulative toxic effect. The more times you let it touch your skin, the more toxic it becomes. So, wear gloves if you are using the stuff.

*remembers the last time Van used gorilla glue*

It's a great glue in my experience, but I don't think it will cause the biscuit to swell like wood glue does... and that is one of the major ideas behind a biscuit joint.

Great for repair... but I would leave it out of most standard woodwork.


----------



## jwl868 (Feb 14, 2007)

I really need to pay more attention to warning labels.

The material safety data sheet for Gorilla Glue:

www.gorillaglue.com/pdfs/msds.pdf 



Joe


----------



## Kelite (Feb 16, 2007)

Joe, my favorite is this-

<Special hazards in fire-
In case of fire, formation of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide,
isocyanate vapor, and traces of hydrogen cyanide is possible.>

That's some great stuff! 

*cough *cough


----------



## tenor_singer (Feb 20, 2007)

Ok... I'm going to drag this one up out of the moth balls.

I am currently sitting in my seventh period algebra class and a student just came up to me, upset, because he and his father were using gorilla glue this weekend and he can't get it washed off of his hands. We're not talking about a small amount of glue, here... his ENTIRE hands are covered in this brown, crusty gunk that will not wash off with... here's the list he tried...

Gas
Diesel
Finger Nail polish remover
Water and soap (I'm thinking they were desperate by this time)
The solvent mentioned on the glue itself.

Anybody else have any ideas? Mine include a list of chemicals that I know will remove not only the glue... but the skin as well.

Thanks!

Tenor


----------



## Kelite (Feb 20, 2007)

I'm thinking wear and tear, as it is a little late to nip it in the bud- as it were.....

Dad should have read the directions FIRST.

Ugh


----------



## SweetBennyFenton (Feb 20, 2007)

Nothing I know of will get that stuff off your skin. The only way to get it off is to leave it untill that layer of skin falls off.

Luckaly, it won't take long for the skin to fall off as the glue kills it pretty well.


----------



## bdesmond (Feb 21, 2007)

tenor_singer said:


> I am currently sitting in my seventh period algebra class and a student just came up to me, upset, because he and his father were using gorilla glue this weekend and he can't get it washed off of his hands. We're not talking about a small amount of glue, here... his ENTIRE hands are covered in this brown, crusty gunk that will not wash off with... here's the list he tried...



So was it the kid or dad that wasn't smart enough to get some disposable gloves. I don't think much to be done here beyond some common sense for dad. I don't even want to know what in the world they were doing that required this much of the gorilla glue stuff with that much spill. I've gotten glue on my hands before many a time working in the shop putting something together, but not covered. If I know i'm going to risk spilling something toxic on my hands, that's what gloves are for.


----------



## tenor_singer (Feb 21, 2007)

bdesmond said:


> So was it the kid or dad that wasn't smart enough to get some disposable gloves. I don't think much to be done here beyond some common sense for dad. I don't even want to know what in the world they were doing that required this much of the gorilla glue stuff with that much spill. I've gotten glue on my hands before many a time working in the shop putting something together, but not covered. If I know i'm going to risk spilling something toxic on my hands, that's what gloves are for.



I told the student that he should have worn gloves because of the toxicity of the glue.

I'm really not sure why he didn't... or worse... why his father didn't make him.

One of my favorite morning radio show personalities says it best...

"Sometimes the worst thing to happen to a child is their parents."

After fifteen years of teaching... I couldn't agree more.


----------

