Gorilla glue....

[Dynaflow]

 
 I had the opportunity to use some Gorilla glue here today and it did something I didn't expect, not a issue but I was wondering what the heck this stuff is. I wanted to glue on a faceplate on a chassis that had like a bunch of extra holes today (I know some will go glue it on, oh man...but with 2 inputs and six knobs it'll handle a variety of projects if this one doesn't cut it for me). I normally would use just some white glue as I'm just trying to get it glued on so I can drill it without it splitting and such. I used thin 3/32 or less hobby wood which looks good when you put a little stain on it (its actually basswood).
 Realizing I was out of white glue my step son had a bottle of gorilla glue so I painted a thin coat on both sides, pressed it together and taped it to stay in place until dry. I was surprised when it dried the next day and I looked it over the stuff had expanded out the pot holes on the chassis to the inside. What was interesting to me is the stuff looked like almost a expanding foam and when I cut it off the backside it was similar but harder.
 What the heck is that stuff, it darn sure seems like its on there for sure no problem, just never used the stuff before. I'm assuming some sort of plastic glue that I assumed infiltrates the pores and locks things together? Just was wondering if anyone else noticed how this stuff looks when it dries..

Regards,

Dyna

[sluckey]

Yes, it expands to fill voids. Unlike white or yellow woodworkers' glue, I think you're supposed to put gorilla glue on only one surface, then put a light coat of water on the other surface. Damp sponge or rag is usually sufficient.

[Dynaflow]

 Heh, cool thanks, heaven forbid I read a direction...   

Regards,

Dyna

[DummyLoad]

Heh, cool thanks, heaven forbid I read a direction...   

Regards,

Dyna

99% of us will #^!@ it up first, then read the directions... you're not alone. 

[G._Hoffman]

Gorilla glue has no valid use on this planet.  Awful stuff.

Well, that's my opinion, at least.  But nothing is going to do a great job bonding metal and wood.  For what you are doing, I would have gone with contact cement. 


Gabriel

[tablewine]

I've had success using Gorilla Glue where nothing else would work:

Pressure treated lumber, outside. Decks, fence ornaments, and my favorite place, gate hardware. Put the screw in, extract it, put a shot in the hole and screw it back. It stays. The vibration of the slamming gate no longer lets the screws back out.

[Dynaflow]

 Well it sure stuck that metal to the wood faceplate I give it that, you'd be prying small pieces if at all to get it off I think.

Regards,

Dyna

[Frankenamp]

Gorilla Glue is a Polyurethane glue. There are some PU glues that do not expand, but most do to some extent. If you just want to glue a faceplate- use clear Lexel sealer- it sticks to damn near anything, and dosent expand- and is immune to most unAmerican influences. Contact cement (as Gabe sez) will work too. For fine furnature and instruments traditional glues work very well. For speaker building, and to make a nearly indestructable joint PL is about as good as it gets.

[nastyoldtech]

That stuff is great but I only use it for certain stuff. I use it only when I have the luxury to be able to sand the surface, like what you're describing it expands out and needs sanding to remove the excess. I once repaired a very expensive Belgian whetstone that was dual sided, cut naturally that way. Years of sharpening stuff with it using water got into the seams and expanded to crack it right on its dual layer partition.
I used Gorilla glue and the next day I lapped the stone down to where it looks like it came out of nature like that. I'm still careful picking it up but i'm pretty confident it will never crack in half ever again (at least in my lifetime, )

[G._Hoffman]

Now, see, I would never want to use PU glues for a speaker cabinet - though I know many people like it - because it dries kind of soft and rubbery, which will rob a box of it's energy.  Being a guitar maker, this is why I hate the stuff - people think it's this wonder glue, but on guitar repair or building it's just damping down the sound of the guitar.  

I don't know that I could ever prove a difference (in fact, I'm pretty willing to bet I couldn't), but I DO know that every time we start using more hot hide glue on our acoustic guitars (which drys crystal hard), they seem to sound better.  There are enough other variables that I can't swear it is the glue that makes the difference, but it feels to me like that is the case.  The properties of Gorilla Glue are exactly the opposite of hot hide glue, so I can't imagine it would be good for anything to do with music making.  Take the time to get your joints right, and then use a traditional wood glue.  The way I see it, that has to be the best solution.


Gabriel

[jhadhar65]

I had to learn the hard way with respect to using Gorilla Glue on faceplates/nameplates/etc, too.  I stuck a nameplate straight to tolex with it.  I think the 'stuck' part is okay with it, but all the extra residue that grew out of the seams had me pretty worried for a while.  It gave it that "Hey, look what I built on my bathroom sink counter" look.   All in all, a very unprofessional appearance, which helped me decide to give it away instead of sell it.

I all but gave up on Gorilla after that... that is, until I found out they had DUCT TAPE... er, I mean, DUCK TAPE!

Here in the south, you gotta have at least one roll of duck tape within reach at all times.  It's the law, boy!

[sluckey]

I wish Red Greene would write a book on duct tape. The man was a genius!   

[jhadhar65]

You mean this guy?

I'd seen him once on TV a long time ago and I've been trying to find out what his name was ever since!  I didn't know who you were talking about, so I googled him and saw the clips!  Now I've got to go download them all...  :sign10:

[tablewine]

I miss the red green show. Used to watch it on PBS in Dallas. Gabriel is right of course when it comes to Gorilla glue and anything remotely music.

I suggest discussing the merits of JB Weld, the ultimate adhesive. My radiator is presently held together by it.

[RicharD]

I've used Gorilla glue to attach a wood strip to the underside of a granite counter top so I'd have something to attach my dishwasher to.  It worked great.  I've never used it on an amp.

[supro66]

I wish Red Greene would write a book on duct tape. The man was a genius!   

 And she can't run around on you

[Ritchie200]

Hmmm, that's gonna leave a mark on that drywall...

Yeah, G-glue has its moments, but I'm not a fan of it either.

Jim

[supro66]

Hmmm, that's gonna leave a mark on that drywall...

Yeah, G-glue has its moments, but I'm not a fan of it either.

Jim

I do a lot of wood working and I will not use that glue

I did a test on gluing two pieces together

Tightbond was the best the glue held the wood broke

I did a dry wall repair with the G-Glue works good

my last project

[G._Hoffman]

I do a lot of wood working and I will not use that glue

I did a test on gluing two pieces together

Tightbond was the best the glue held the wood broke

Tightbond is very good stuff, but for most indoor applications hot hide glue is better.  If you need moisture resistance it's not so good, but for just about anything else it is better.  Oh, and if you need open time for clamping it can be a problem, but on the whole it's amazing stuff.  Frank Ford's glue heat resistance test.


Gabriel

[supro66]

I do a lot of wood working and I will not use that glue

I did a test on gluing two pieces together

Tightbond was the best the glue held the wood broke

Tightbond is very good stuff, but for most indoor applications hot hide glue is better.  If you need moisture resistance it's not so good, but for just about anything else it is better.  Oh, and if you need open time for clamping it can be a problem, but on the whole it's amazing stuff.  Frank Ford's glue heat resistance test.


Gabriel

But we all agree Gorilla glue and Super Glue are not a wood workers choice

Hide Glue is used for musical instruments you want to repair some day
you can break the joint with steam

[G._Hoffman]

But we all agree Gorilla glue and Super Glue are not a wood workers choice

Hide Glue is used for musical instruments you want to repair some day
you can break the joint with steam

Well, cyanoacrylates (Super Glue) have their place, and I use them all the time.  Gorilla Glue, never.


Hide glue used to be used for everything, and while the repairability is nice, it's not at all the only reason to use it.  It is stronger than most other glues, it has better heat resistance, and it takes stains very similarly to wood, so glue lines are less visible than with alphetic (sp?) resin glues like Tightbond.  It really only has two downsides; it is not very water resistant (though better than you might think - it takes water, heat, AND stress to break a joint), and it has a very short open time that makes clamping a real pain in the behind.  Any other slight you ever hear about hide glue is coming out of the marketing department of one of the many man made glues.


Gabriel

[Frankenamp]

I will agree with Gabe regarding Polyurethane glues in instruments as regarding the energy conservation and transmission in that the function of the instrument is to create sound. (be pretty silly of me to dispute the knowlege and skill of a luthier's lifetime of experience)  A loudspeaker's function however, is to reproduce sound. Sound reproduction is almost completely opposite from sound production. Sound creation requires a very 'live' cabinet or instrument. A good speaker box, line, or horn requires a box that is completely 'dead' (or as dead as it can be made within limits). Guitar speakers are one case that can get away from box construction dogma in that one is trying to recreate the sound of a cheap '40's driver in a flimsy cabinet being driven to delirium. (not a perjorative- just historical fact- so the rules are pushed a bit in this special case)
So, If you want to hear the box as part of your 'tone' (spurious resonances and harmonics) I will agree that 'hard' glue is a better choice. It all depends on the outcome you desire.