| Review by Derek Lyons | posted 408 days ago | 1671 views | 0 times favorited | 6 comments |  |
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- Rockler 45624 Rockler Silicone Glue Brush
- Brand: Rockler | Category: Gluing and Finishing Supplies
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I picked up one of these over the weekend, and am pretty much pleased with it. The current price ($3.99) is introductory, so grab ‘em while they’re cheap.
Pros:- Currently dirt cheap for what they do.
- They pretty much do what they’re advertised to do.
- While waiting for it to dry, it does drip. Easily solved with a bit of scrap or blue tape to catch the drips, but forewarned is forearmed.
- Cleanup is not quite as easy as advertised. After the glue dried on the brush, it mostly came out easily, but there was a lot of dust and nubbins that had to flicked or rinsed out. The glue formed a film on the paddle, but once I gently picked up a corner with the end of utility knife, it peeled right off.
- Because of the size and spacing of the bristles, it does not form a thin even film, but forms a pattern like the worlds smallest notched trowel. This almost certainly won’t effect bond strength, but I go back over the glue at an angle to ensure all the surface gets at least some glue.
- It’s another tool to keep cleaned and maintained. Cleaning and maintenance isn’t hard or very time consuming, but the straw that broke the camel’s back and all that.
Conclusion: They work tolerably well, but buy two or three while they’re cheap in case you lose one or start a glue up and haven’t cleaned it from the last time.
-- Derek, Bremerton WA --
6 comments so far
Howie
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2449 posts in 1093 days
#1 posted 408 days ago
I use spatulas from the dollar store. 5 for a buck. They work pretty good and all I do is wipe them off with a papertowel.
-- Don't rollerskate in a buffalo herd
mrpedal
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28 posts in 708 days
#2 posted 408 days ago
Spatulas… Now you’re on to something.
FWIW, I left my rockler wondergluebrushofawesome covered in glue couple weeks back, and found it today. It fully dried and looked trashable. Started pulling at the glue. After a little wiggle the entire dried block came out of the bristles (even at the base of the brush), and they were clean and soft as the day I bought it. Kinda neat, looked like mini-bee honeycomb.
I think it’s easier to clean dry or wet than partially wet. The combo of partially dry chucks and sticky glue sucks. It encourages negligent cleaning intervals. Think of it at the yin to an HLVP gun.
StumpyNubs
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5040 posts in 970 days
#3 posted 408 days ago
I just did a video review on this last night as part of the latest episode of Blue Collar Woodworking! Small world!
I like mine, but the $3.99 price tag had a lot to do with it. If it had been much more I would have passed. I also use rubber spatulas like Howie. They work great. But the benefit of this tool is the brush end. You can dip it in glue and spread it on the wood. I like to do that sometimes.
There is some video of it in action at the six minute mark of the episode (for those who don’t want to watch the whole thing)
Great review- I like your “pros/cons” list… Very helpful!
-- It's the best woodworking show since the invention of wood... New episodes Wednesdays at: http://www.stumpynubs.com
Cato
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642 posts in 1482 days
#4 posted 408 days ago
Had not heard of these Rockler brushes so thanks for the review.
I got some mini glue spatulas from one of the wwking supply stores and they work pretty well for spreading glue, and like a bigger spatula you can just wipe it off or if it dries it just pops off.
I was always irritated with the bristles coming off and into my glue ups using those little acid brushes.
ssnvet
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1568 posts in 498 days
#5 posted 408 days ago
just got one myself…
plastic knives and acid brushes wasn’t cutting it
-- Matt, Pine is fine, but Oak's no joke!
waywardbills
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4 posts in 401 days
#6 posted 401 days ago
This looks remarkably like a BBQ brush I bought on clearance at the end of last summer. I wonder, I will let ya know ;)
-- Bill, West Virginia, http://thefrugalcraftsman.blogspot.com/
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