Subject: All Wood Glue (too thick)
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003

Hi,
I recently purchased several items from you for a boat restoration. Among the products I purchased was the All Wood Glue two part kit # 518. I tried to use a small bit yesterday and was unable. I don't know if I am doing something wrong or if I received a bad batch. The part B the darker of the two is so thick I could hardly get in to squeeze out of the plastic bottle and when mixing it got really thick and rubbery. It was so thick I could not brush it on a piece of wood and when I tried it globed up rather than spread around. It was kind of expensive so I would like to know if it is bad or I am doing something wrong. Is it normally hard to get part B out of the container? I was working in a heated shop at about 68 Deg. Please help.

Thanks
Rex H.

Part B is quite thick. Especially with the All Wood Glue. One of the typical problems when gluing wood with epoxies, especially when gluing end grain wood, is that the wood absorbs much of the glue, leaving the actual glue joint "starved" and weak. The All Wood Glue is designed to be thicker that most normal glues for this reason.

When you first mix it, it does have a rubber-like consistency. The All Wood Glue, like all our epoxy products, has a very long pot life. If you mix it well, and mixing well is very important, then let it sit for 10-15 minutes, it should thin down from its initial rubbery consistency to something that is a little more workable.

The All Wood Glue is designed for jobs such as gluing mortise and tenon joints where you have end grain wood, and possibly small gaps that you want the glue to fill and not ooze out as it is drying. When working with it I am always reminded of mucus, which is both adhesive and cohesive at the same time. If you are doing large laminations where good spreadability is desired, we have other adhesives such as our Layup & Laminating Resin, or our Tropical Hardwood Epoxy Adhesive that would be more suitable.

Hopefully this answers your questions, but please get back to me if it doesn't, or you have more.

Doc