Laminating Wood

[SmallJawz]

I want to laminate pieces of wood to get the size I need and to make the grain run in my favor at different points in the carving.

What type of glue should I use? (so as not to damage my tools)

Thanks,
Brian

[squbrigg]

I use just yellow carpenters glue to glue up. Great secure bond, never failed yet. If I am attaching something later, I use white glue, it doesn't stain, is invisible, and is easier to hide. Yellow glue will stain, but is a stronger glue.

Bob

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Squbrigg is right. Plain old yellow glue is the best.......except.....if you paint wet, as I do, yellow glue has a tendency of softening when you wet it. To get around this problem I've been using waterproof carpenters glue which doesn't create this problem for the brief moment I have it under the faucet. Holds just as strong. I also peg the pieces together with a 1/8" dowel just to hold them in place during clamping otherwise they have a tendency of sliding around in the wet glue. Also, remember when glueing one grain direction to another, i.e., end to straight, the join will not be near as strong as when glueing up two pieces where the grain is running in the same direction. This is where a peg helps out quite a bit, especially if you use a larger peg. Of course that depends on what your carving.

In all the years carving and doing glueups I have NEVER had a glue join come apart. Just make sure that you have a nice flat surface area on each piece so they mate perfect.

[SmallJawz]

Thanks guys, I have both types and I think I will also get some of the water proof kind as well.

Brian

[Myron Compton]

This was a good question to ask. I think I'm going to try the water proof glue also....myron