Do I expect too much from wood glue?

[joed]

Flat smooth tight ftting joints. Wood glue brand of your choice and clamp tight. I have never had a problem squeezing too tight.

[Weege]

If you are gluing small parts, particularly parts at right angles, you are going to have issues with the joint not holding, especially if you are dealing with end grain glue-ups. End grain joints do not bond well. No amount of glue will help if you are just butting your stock together and one of the pieces is on end grain. To elaborate on your application, especially for small parts, you should consider the following joinery: Tongue and groove, half lap joint, rabbet joint or box corner joint. You can search the internet for an explanation of each if you are not familiar with any on of them.

Applying the right amount of glue is the key. If you get squeeze out you can feel confident that the glue has covered the surface area properly. I always use a damp rag to clean up the squeeze out. This will eliminate the amount of scraping and sanding I will have to do before the finishing stage. I recommend 120 grit sandpaper or 150 grit if you like a smoother piece but I would not sand smoother than 150 grit. A good tip before staining is to wipe your work with mineral spirits as it will reveal any glue that you may have missed.

Clamping is important. When you clamp your work, do not be afraid that you are going to displace all the glue in the joint. On the contrary, by clamping, you are creating a uniform layer of adhesive that although thin, will ensure an even surface tension. This is important whenever you glue wood. I try to keep the clamps on as long as I can. An hour is enough time for the glue to set if you are using yellow wood glue however it needs to cure overnight before you can work with it. Keep in mind that temperature will affect the amount of time it will take for the glue to fully cure so read the manufacturers recommendation for the ideal gluing temperature.

Good luck!

[Strumhead]

I got on here for another reason, but happen to be gluing at the moment....probably now getting glue on my keyboard! I've used Elmer's and Titebond and had excellent results with both. I don't think it matters. There is no question in my mind that the glue is superior holding over nails. I concur with the other reply that the wood must fit snug as the glue will not fill voids. But I think the key is to apply multiple coats of glue in succession. I apply a generous layer of glue to one surface and then mate it to the second surface. I immediately separate both parts. Then inspect the glue surface of each part and spread the glue with my finger so that it COMPLETELY covers the mating surface. (most times this will require adding glue...especially to the piece that did not originally have glue spread on it.) Now, let both pieces sit for about one or two minutes....until the glue is tacky. (If you let either piece dry too far you will have to repeat this process. If you don't let them get tacky, you will not have enough glue for a good bond.) Once the glue is good and tacky, apply a very small additional amount of glue to one of the pieces. Spread it around evenly. (The new glue should glide smoothly over the tacky glue. If the tacky glue is sticking to your finger, you did not apply enough new glue.) Now mate the pieces together. Some glue will squeeze out of the sides which you can clean up after clamping. DO NOT clamp excessively tight and squeeze too much glue out of the joint. The goal is to get a snug joint with no gaps, but keep as much of the glue in the joint as possible. Occasionally, when I don't have excellent, snug mating surfaces, I will follow this process, but add an extra coat of glue. This means applying two separate layers that are allowed to get tacky and then adding the third layer of "new" glue to one piece just prior to mating the joint. Also, when I am doing very light duty work--small pieces--I often don't clamp the work at all. I let gravity hold it for me if I can, or sometimes I hold it with my fingers for 3 minutes and then usually, it's enough to keep the joint together. After the joint has been clamped or set undisturbed for about twenty minutes, I've found it's difficult to take apart and almost impossible to realign. (If it's a large thing with a lot of glue it almost can't be done...except with a hammer!) However, I do not apply stress to a piece until the joint is 2 to 24 hours old, depending on what I need to do to it.