Used to just wing it with wood glue, now I actually measure out clamping time

I used to grab whatever wood glue was on sale and just slap it on, then move stuff around after like 10 minutes because I was impatient. Then last summer I built a bookshelf for my sister in Austin and the whole thing came apart when she put her Harry Potter collection on it. Felt real bad. Now I always use Titebond II and actually set a timer for 30 minutes before I mess with the clamps. It adds like an extra 45 minutes to my night but I haven't had a joint fail since. Does anyone else get tempted to rush the glue cure time on late night builds? Like when you just want to see the finished thing before bed?

1 comments

1 Comment

brookep279h ago

One thing to keep in mind is that Titebond II only needs about 20-30 minutes in the clamps, not a full 30 before you can touch it. Rushing the cure is tempting for sure, but moisture and temperature in your shop can change how fast it sets. Maybe try checking the bottle for the exact open time next time before you walk away.