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Pro tip: Let your glue dry overnight before you clamp it
I was building a set of cabinets for a friend's garage in Tucson last week and got in a hurry trying to get the face frames glued up in one afternoon. I put the glue on, clamped it tight, and started sanding like 45 minutes later thinking it was good to go. When I unclamped it this morning two of the joints just popped apart like they were never even stuck. Turns out that fast-setting claim on the bottle doesn't mean much when it's 90 degrees out and the wood is soaking it all up. I learned the hard way that if you want a real bond you have to give it the full night and not rush it. Does anyone else have a time they ruined something by skipping the waiting period?
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logan70516d ago
Good lesson for more than just woodworking. I've noticed that with a lot of things, if you skip the set time, you end up doing the job twice. Like painting, letting primer dry all the way before the top coat saves you from having to sand and start over. Same with concrete, you rush it and it cracks. People underestimate how much time you lose by not waiting the first time.
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the_nina16d ago
My dad and I learned this the hard way when we stained our deck a few years back. We thought we could speed through the prep and put on the second coat after like an hour (the can said wait six). It turned into this sticky, blotchy mess that we had to power wash off and start from scratch. It took us an entire weekend to fix what would have been a one day job if we just waited. Same goes for grouting tile, I messed up my bathroom floor by not letting the thinset cure long enough before walking on it. Now I just set a timer and force myself to walk away.
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