There are so many products to choose from. Did you know there's a glue made from blood and casein. Here's some of the most common and a few unique ones as well.
Adhesive is a general term that refers to the ability of a substance to adhere to a surface. Glues are a subset of adhesives. Glues are sticky substances that harden when they dry, creating a strong and permanent bond. Strong and permanent being relative terms. A glues chemical composition can vary, but it typically includes natural or synthetic polymers, solvents, and other additives. My resource lists 41 different adhesive and glue types. Each one of them with several different manufacturers and as many different forms.
Aliphatic Resin Glue (Yellow Glue)
Your typical wood glue, "Titebond", we all love. But polyurethane "Gorilla" glue and polyvinyl acetate "Elmer's" glue (PVA) are part of the yellow glue family. The biggest differences are polyurethane glues are waterproof and the other two are water resistant. The polyurethane glues are recommended for furniture repairs. Aliphatic resin and PVA glues don't work well over existing glue. Titebond Glue Gorilla Glue Elmer's Glue
Anaerobic Adhesives
These adhesives are for joining metals. You've probably seen the brand name "Loctite" around. They make several industrial products but for around the home the most prevalent is their thread locking group. If you have a nut, bolt, setscrew, or machine screw you don't want to come loose blue Loctite is the answer. There is also a purple version for small thread sizes and a "mostly permanent" red version that requires heat to break the fastener loose. Loctite
Contact Cement
Contact cement comes in two forms, water based and solvent based. Both will bond nearly everything but the water based version will not bond to metal or glass. Neither version will bond masonry. Contact cement creates a flexible bond and is considered permanent. It has very little open time so placement of your parts is critical. While capable of bonding multiple materials it mostly used for laminating counter tops. I've also seen it used to bond Masonite to the top of a workbench. Weldwood
Natural Glues
Hide glue was the most common woodworking glue for thousands of years until the advent of synthetic glues, such as PVA and other resin glues, in the 20th century. Today it is used primarily in specialty applications, such as violin, piano repairs, and antique restoration. Hide glue is made by rendering animal bone and tissue. It comes as a granule that you soak in water and then heat before applying. Titebond now makes a liquid hide glue that makes its use much easier. It has a long open time and dissolves, even after drying, with water. That makes it an excellent glue for furniture builds and repairs. Titebond hide glue
Blood Glue
Blood glue is made from a component of blood, serum albumen. It's chiefly used in producing plywood's. They are also used in food packaging because the bonds they create are odorless and tasteless.
Fish Glue
A natural protein-based glue made from the jelly separated from fish oil or skins. The best fish glue comes from Russian sturgeon.
Secrets to a good glue up
I know some folks don't want to hear it but follow the manufacturer's instructions. Adhesives of any kind can be very picky when it comes to the condition of the surfaces being bonded. Yes, there are some that are more forgiving when it comes to surface preparation but most need specific conditions to preform correctly. Clean, dry, no loose or flaky surfaces, well-fitting like the edges of jointed boards, correct temperature for use, adequate clamping force, etc.
Sweat the details!
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