Glue: Chisel or wipe with sponge?

Hi Shane,

I wipe when there is minimal squeeze out, and use a scraper if there is alot of squeeze out. If I wipe, I wipe RIGHT AWAY. If I scrape, I wait about an hour…with normal yellow glue, that is. Using glues with longer setup times, I might wait a couple of hours. If there is a lot of squeeze out, waiting until the next morning really sucks the life out of you having to scrape that hard mess off. Just how I do it.

Cheers!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

I used to wipe with a sponge (Norm told me to), but it didn’t remove all the glue, just thinned and smeared it. I always had a patch where the stain would be a little lighter because the glue had blocked it a bit. Now I let the glue get gummy (about an hour or so like Tom(mot) says) and use a glass scraper to trim it off. Glass scrapers are really cheap and use a disposable razor for the scraper blade. I wouldn’t want to get gummy glue junk on my chisels.

-- Coffee is best with a fine layer of sawdust on top. -- http://www.north40custom.com

I’ve always used the chisel approach . I’ve never been able to stick around or remember to do it in an hour. It’s usually next day.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

I use a little of both but mostly chisel. I find that it takes about 20 minutes and I can start peeling it off pretty good. I finish out with a cabinet scraper before sending through the drum sander or it gums the sandpaper. If I do wipe with a wet rag, I can only get one side very good because of the clamps on the other side.

I glue up boards a little thick because I have a drum sander and then take it down to final thickness after glue up. Therefore, I do not have an issue with hold out on stain from the glue.

I don’t have nice chisels so I don’t worry about getting glue on them, they are very utilitarian.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

I didn’t mean to imply that my chisels are of the highest quality or in pristine condition! And I didn’t mean to imply that using a chisel for glue cleanup was sacreligious! I know a guy who lets his squeeze-out dry and then uses a hand plane to scrape it off. I’ve also heard the argument that a dry rag is better than a wet sponge. If that works for them, it’s okay with me. My comment was just meant to offer an option that works for me, not to imply that my way was “right”.

My chisels aren’t anything to write home about, but they work best when they are sharp and clean. I prefer to replace a five-cent razor blade when it gets all covered with glue than take the time to clean a chisel. Maybe that sounds lazy or wasteful, but from a economic standpoint, it would probably take at least 50 cents worth of my time to clean the chisel.

-- Coffee is best with a fine layer of sawdust on top. -- http://www.north40custom.com

I use a wet rag on joints and a scraper on wide glue ups. on a table top I prefer to let the glue squeeze up and dry before I take it off. I’ll usually do that the next day. I’ve not had any problem when I wipe off the glue then hand plane and sand the joint area.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

didn’t Marc and Matt discuss this and there was a prime time at 1/2 hour or something?

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

When I use a chisel I use a flat gouge carving chisel. It gets right to the glue line.

There’s less chance of damage from the corners of a flat chisel. That’s on a flat glue up.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

I dislike the wet sponge area because it pushes glue futher down into the pores and causes problems with stain and finish adhesion. Instead I let the glue harden and use a cabinet scraper to remove it.

-- Just another woodworker

wiping never gets all the glue..you always end up with some on the wood. It’s not a problem if you have a sander…I always let the glue set for a little while then it comes of nice with a sharp chisel…but i will have to try Peters razerblade technique.

-- Women love me.....trees fear me

I typically wait until it hardens and then scrape it off with a card scraper…that is for flat surfaces or areas that I can easily get to. For those areas that are harder to reach, I try hard to avoid the squeeze-out (i.e. apply only as much glue as absolutely necessary) but if there is some squeeze-out I will follow-up with a chisel after about 30 minutes.

-- Mark, Webster New York, Visit my website at http://thecraftsmanspath.com

I always wipe with a wet rag unless its where I cant sand later, like inside corners that are hard to get to and then use the chisel after some drying time.

-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3

I’d second Mot’s comments.

-- Jeff, South Carolina

My choice is a paint scraper. The kind that you can sharpen. Works great.

-- Bruce from Central New York

Norm says to wipe it off with a damp sponge. David Marks uses masking tape near the joint (The glue squeeze out gets on the tape, not the project). I use scrapers, chisles, knives, sandpaper, a wet sponge or rag, and tape…whatever gets the blob out off my project. The best thing I’ve found though, is to use an acid brush to spread the glue first, before joining the pieces together. Squeeze out is from excessive glue in any area, right? Spread it out first!

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

I guess I do a combination of methods muck like Dadoo. Brushing to minimize, sometimes taping in corners, scraping partially dry. I really only wipe wet on internal areas that will never be seen. The type of joint has some effect on how I go about this too.

I do a little both also.If you wipe it off and are going to stain you have to make sure that you really scrub or you will still get that glue discoloration.I usually just chisel especially if I remember to do it say 30- 60 min after the glue up it comes of real nice if it’s just starting to set up

-- Scott NM,http://www.shangrilawoodworks.com

The problem with the wiping approach is that many times you’ll have a bar clamp in the way that you want to leave in place a while. Chisel & scrape seems best with a few exceptions.

-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""

Hey – I mentioned a glass scraper before. Here it is …

I pick these up for a few bucks at the BORG in the paint department. The blades are just regular razor blades that cost a few cents a piece.

-- Coffee is best with a fine layer of sawdust on top. -- http://www.north40custom.com

Hmmm , What about putty knife water and 3m scouring pad, then lightly sand. I suppose, it depends on how much sanding I’m doing ‘how many levels’. For a bed or large projects I agree w karson I’ usually let glue sit and come back to it the next day, or later. Maybe a plastic sharp edge putty knife and sponge. I do like window razors and have used them on woodwork, but I have gouged or scratched the work . Then I’m sanding again anyway. Thin out the wood glue a bit, it will eventually break down w/ water.. Just thinking out loud here. All these tips and questions help me , cause I’ll remember seeing all the ideas when things come up now….later, trouble shooters.

-- PJM.`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸ ><((((º> why's there a light in fridge and not the freezer? , aka, the wood hunter.aka tigermaple5

I use a Scotch Brite sponge, frist I wipe the glue with the sponge side, when most of the glue is off I rinse the sponge and then wipe with Scotch Brite side, and it works great.

I usually try to tape before applying clamps. When I forget I use a card scraper if it’s flat, or a chisel if it’s a corner.

-- Maplewood, MN

All good points, but I still will add my 2 cents (and everone knows what 2 pennies are worth now). I NEVER do cleanup right away. I have an aversion to putting any water on wood before it has been sealed, and even partially dried glue will leave a residue that can get smeared. What has worked for me is a paint scraper after glue has hardened, then planer or sandpaper.

Be careful when wiping the wet adhesive when using red oak as it has a very porous grain and you may push the glue into the grain which may effect the staining process. I often tape off the area with painters tape before gluing. Just pull the tape off after wiping the squeeze out, let it tack up then scrape it off with a sharp cabinet scraper.

-- Jim, Alberta Canada