To Glue or not to Glue

[Monsieur Abeille]

Can I ask what glue people use, if any, for putting together flat pack wooden hives. Was at a talk on the weekend which touched on the subject, and I was quite impressed to see one hive contructed apparently without nails or screws. PVC Type 7(?) I think

 

[oliver90owner]

Monsiuer Abielle,

I usually just use screws - long ones into end grain - and possibly any old glue to fill the gaps/keep them water-tight.

Good accurate mortice or dovetail joints should need nothing other than glue if assembled properly. The glue joint should be stronger than the wood. But I still screw them securely, as well. No need to leave cramps on that way.

Regards, RAB

 

[Tom Bick]

Polyurethane Glue I say is the beast glue to use

It can be a sticky messy glue to work with but hay so can the end result of beekeeping be a sticky messy process so why not one of the first

 

[BKF Admin]

propolis

 

[SimonB]

I used Titebond III for mine, mainly because I had a big pot of it and also it has a level of waterproofness.

If I were to build another one I would certainly go with screws over nails like RAB, I ended up with a workbench full of various clamped pieces which meant I could do little else.

 

[rae]

Titebond Ultimate. (probably the same stuff as titebond III). I used to use stainless screws, but I don't bother any more. The glue is waterproof and more than strong enough. Yes, clamping is a problem, but I have a lot of clamps and just stack up the drying parts overnight.

 

[lazybee]

I use PVA wood clue and nails. Clamp single boxes with ratchet straps. No problems yet.

 

[drex]

Same as lazybee, waterproof PVA, and nails
Dont see the need for clamps, If I have made sure they are tight in the joints and square when stacked

 

[cheshirehives]

Waterproof PVA

 

[Brian Bush]

Glue and screw

Always use a good quality external pva wood glue. Drill pilot holes and screw. I paid attention to my woodwork teacher, 'Pop Ousley', when at school 50 years ago. (of course we did not have PVA in those days. It was cascamite!! )
Always measure twice and cut once!!!
Always use sharp tools!!!

i could go on.
Definition of a pessimist a man who wears braces as well as a belt.
Definition of an optimist, a man who wears neither and has his flies undone!!!

 

[blackbrood]

I use wood glue, cant remember the make off the top of my head.

A similar thread a while back some mentioned they used resintite powder glue. When I run out of wood glue I might just give it a go.

tool station site here sells it

 

[hedgerow pete]

Resintite Powdered Wood Glue 3 kg


thats the stuff i always recomend and use every time evan for the frames i use it to.

mix it up with water like cream and slap it every where, very easy to work with and very very strong in use.

you can get better glues but i dought if you can beat this stuff for value and strengh

 

[Hombre]

Hi Pete, how much do you make up at one time max and how long will it remain workable?

I remember my old man having a discussion with a painter circa 1960 about cascamite being water proof even though it's made up with water. The painter found it unbelievable until he was asked about the exterior emulsion that he was slapping on the house at the time . . . oh, yes! Penny dropped, chemical reaction, not drying.

 

[BKF Admin]

tool station site here sells it

I did my first order with toolstation last week.
Ordered at 2pm and it arrived 7.30AM next morning and free shipping to boot for a £12 order.

I will be using then again thats for sure.

 

[hedgerow pete]

the guy who used to own screwfix from the begining sold out to B&Q many years ago , strangly enough his son started a company called tool station the same week, many people go to tool station now because they are cheaper the screwfix

as for the glue mix i use old yoghurt pots as its so easy to mix up .

water , powder, stir, use

we have an old table spoon in the bucket to help serve it up so we use three table spoons and a splash of water and thats a pot full, and i would proberly get two supers out of that , but because my wood work is so rough we use it as a gap filler as well if you mix it up very thick, workability is several hours on a warm day

 

[Hombre]

Thanks for that Pete. Much as I remember it, but my father obviously used a lot less, in a saucer. He was making a four foot motor launch at the time.

Interesting information about Tool station, with a b ranch in Tipton/Great Bar I believe.

 

[sawdstmakr]

I use Titebond II and nails. 2 on the top and bottom of each corner to lock them in place until the glue dries. Then I can remove the clamps and work on the next box. I also like to smear the excess glue in the corner to seal it. Monday night My neighbor and I were able to glue up 10 medium boxex in less than 2 hours.
Jim

 

[blackbrood]

toolstation are great for diy stuff. I find "most of the time" they are cheaper than screwfix but I still always check screwfix. Screwfix also has a much larger range but size isnt everything ;-)

 

[hedgerow pete]

dont get me wrong screw fix are still great and have a massive range but for what i want which is only fixings as the tools i use are brought on spec not costs and i buy them from axminster power tools or some one else, tool staion is brilliant for painting tools but i dont buy there paints, and the hand tools and fixings are either cheap and nasty but are great for me when i only want to do one job with it and then throw it away or you like dewat or bosh tools nether of which i use at work

 

[Madge]

Always use a good quality external pva wood glue. Drill pilot holes and screw. I paid attention to my woodwork teacher, 'Pop Ousley', when at school 50 years ago. (of course we did not have PVA in those days. It was cascamite!! )
Always measure twice and cut once!!!
Always use sharp tools!!!

On a course a couple of months ago I asked how to make feeders (Miller type) watertight, and somebody answered, "Use cascamite." Is PVA better than cascamite, or are they the same and the latter just more fiddly?