# How/When To Remove Excess Glue from Glue-ups



## todd1962 (Oct 23, 2013)

I've already done a few projects but I always wonder: how and when should I remove excess glue from glue-ups? I usually wipe off as much excess glue as I can with a damp sponge immediately after I clamp. What I'm wondering is does this force glue into the grain enough to affect staining? I know on some projects it is obvious glue has affected the ability of the wood to absorb the stain in certain places but I'm not sure if it is from me being careless or my technique.

Any opinions would be appreciated because I just bought a huge pile of beautiful Cherry to make a bedside table!


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Lately ive been using a putty knife to clean off the squeeze out about 5 minutes after I tighten up all the clamps. Once its good and dry I use a card scraper to clean off the rest. Good luck with the cherry tables.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I don't wet wipe glue unless the work is going to be planed
or painted. It definitely causes finishing problems.

Part of the trick is learning not to use too much glue and
make a mess. Squeeze out is still inevitable and starved
joints are bad too.

One approach I've tried a little is waxing the surfaces,
especially inside corners where it is hard to scrape glue
off. Another is to pre-finish parts with shellac (tape
off the parts where you need to have bare wood 
for glue adhesion). The glue won't stick to the
shellac. Pre-finishing before assembly is my preferred 
approach with furniture but it doesn't suit all situations.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

Todd, I've experienced the same effect using the 'wipe it with a damp something or other' approach and have changed my ways. Ideally it's a scraper when the glue is no longer a liquid but still not rock solid. Later than that works too. Bottom line, I resist the urge to mess with fresh glue on otherwise-finished surfaces…


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I use a paint scraper right after the clamps come off, the squeeze out is still a little rubbery at that point and comes right off. I tried the damp rag, and quickly give up on that.


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## teejk (Jan 19, 2011)

I think it depends on your glue and your wood. I've found that softer woods (e.g. pine/poplar) tend to absorb the glue and make it almost impossible to stain properly. There I remove as much as I can immediately. Harder woods don't seem to have the problem and there I don't touch it until it is dry. I have moved almost exclusively to Titebond II glue and find that it is much more forgiving in staining than the old yellow glues. It tends to form "dots" on the surface rather than a solid line of glue squeezout.


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## lepelerin (Jan 13, 2012)

I use a scraper to remove excess glue after a few minutes when the glue is getting more solid, works fine for me.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I like to pre finish were I can and when I can then wiping off wet glue is not a problem. If it's not possible to pre finish then you can either place low tack masking tape(make sure to remove it before the glue is totally dry) were you will have glue squeeze out or you can wait for the glue to get to a rubbery and use ether a plastic putty knife or use a stick cut to a very sharp edge and scrape corners out (I use a stick 1/4"x1/4" by aprox 8" long). As Loren said after a whileyou will learn to use the right amount of glue to minimise squeeze out.


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## 111 (Sep 2, 2013)

I've been wet wiping for 20 years without stain problems. I wipe, rinse and wipe again until all the residue is gone.
Can't vouch for anyone else experiences but it has worked for me.
Also, As with anything it depends what it is. Better if you can give it a good sand job afterwards.


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## marcuscraft (Nov 14, 2012)

I wait about 20 minutes or so and the glue is all but set and it kind of chips/scrapes off without leaving residue. I'll follow up with a no. 4 plane when the clamps are off.


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## todd1962 (Oct 23, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies! I use TBII glue so I think I'll glue up a couple of scrap cherry boards and experiment with some techniques before I start gluing up my tables. Like someone said, it probably depends on the glue and the type of wood. I guess that's where experience comes in.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

A plastic flimsy straw with the end cut like a quill pen can
be used to scrape gelled glue out of inside corners. I 
usually use a stick though. Then I might use razor
blades, esp. with real fine work like guitars.

I also use super-lame 1/2" chisel from China I bent it
in a vise (easily, that's how lame it is) and use it as
a glue chisel. The handle is bent out of the way. 
I use fine crank-neck chisels too and sometimes invert
a skew paring chisel to get dried glue out of corners.


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

I also like to get it at its "gel state" too. That is always a moving target based on temp and amount of glue. But when it is just right you will know it, because it will come off easily and entirely. Could be 5 minutes, could be 30…usually use a beater chisel. Once it is dried, it is way too labor heavy to compared to getting it early enough.


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## cabmaker (Sep 16, 2010)

Lol, wow! Like Kevin said ,twenty years and no adverse results.

40 yrs here with no adverse results.

Again, wow ! Just wipe with wet rag and move on., whatever is left will plane, scrape, sand, etc.

JB


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

More often these days I prefinish or if that isn't practical then I'll tape the seams.


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

I was taught to wash it off as soon as possible. Of course glues have change half a dozen times since I was in school. When I let it get firm on the surface I still have a gummy residue under it. Washing with a rag and lots of water doesn't seem to hurt anything and it cleans off well. I have seen people with giant home made double edged razor (that is what they looked like - 4 inch wide blades) and they would fight with hardened glue for hours. I do use a steel blade putty knife inside a wet rag to get the inside corners. Much like Loren described except I do it wet. I think this can go about like a radial arm saw vs. a compound sliding miter saw. To each his own and use what works best for you.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

I typically finish as much as I can and the glue doesn't stick to the varnish. In other cases I have used painters tape from 3M.

Have not used Frog Tape as I don't have any broken frogs (chuckle) and I am concerned about the reaction it has with paint may extend to glue too.


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## Tony_S (Dec 16, 2009)

*"Again, wow ! Just wipe with wet rag and move on., whatever is left will plane, scrape, sand, etc."*

cabmaker
I think Todds question is pretty valid given his experience level. Not everyone is a master craftsman.
I assume Todd is referring more to pre-fitted, pre-profiled, pre-sanded joinery.
Things like inside corners, profiles on rail and stile doors, etc. Places where it's a complete pain in the ass to "plane, scrape, sand, etc." after assembly.

I've glued a few things here and there, and I've never been a fan of the wet rag technique in these situations(or any for that matter). pre-sanding a piece to 180/220 and then slopping water on it seems a little crazy…don't you think?
When Ive tried it in the past, It often times made the situation worse with the glue (particularly with open grain woods) and always raised the grain.
What am I doing wrong?


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## MacB (Nov 28, 2013)

Being a professional cabinet maker and maker of many raised panel cabinet doors and table tops, I use to keep a small rag and a bucket of water at hand. Every seam would always have a small amount of squeeze out which indicated that there was enough glue. We would simply wipe of excess squeeze out in a matter of seconds with the wet rag. Of course we would like to have the boards at the same height when clamped, in reality though, frequently there would be a 1/32" or even a 1/16" difference in the height of the boards during glue ups, especially large wood tops. The planar would take care of this offset and the knifes of the planar would be saved bc we had already wiped the glue off, so only minimal residue was left. The glue residue, not once, was ever an issue when finishing. To recap: wipe excess off when glue is wet bc scraping it off when dry is hard and time consuming and scraping 100 rasied panel cabinet doors would be really hard, pass through planar, and sand with sander. Simple and fast.

...one more thing….plan out your project so that almost all gluing is completed prior to assembly. If you can presand then you should be able to prefinish which would protect you from end grand glue absorption. Hope some of this helps.


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## 111 (Sep 2, 2013)

Tony S "I assume Todd is referring more to pre-fitted, pre-profiled, pre-sanded joinery."

I don't know why you would assume this, he spoke twice about making a table. 
I guess your just upset with how cabmaker responded.

You can word things to sound worse than they are. For instance, you don't *slop water* all over the project. 
A simple slightly wet/damp rag is all you use. 
And yes it does raise the grain. 
It's easy enough to take a folded pc of sand paper to go over the area you wipe and bring the grain back. 
In fact, after I get the whole project assembled, I go back over everything by hand anyway.


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## Tony_S (Dec 16, 2009)

My bad Kevin. I guess I just assumed once again, that a bedside table might entail a slight bit more joinery than a slab of wood for the top.

It's all good. Thanks.


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## 111 (Sep 2, 2013)

More sarcasm, cool.


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## ClintSearl (Dec 8, 2011)

1. You're using too much glue. If the dry-fit is decent, little glue is needed. Shoot for no squeeze-out, and don't over clamp. It ain't gonna come apart.
2. Wipe down any squeeze-out with wet paper toweling. Wipe down again.
3. Lightly sand the cured joint with 220 drywall screen.


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## Windowman (Sep 16, 2013)

If you are going to be working with Cherry you will probably not be staining it. 
I wipe the inside corners and wait for the glue to set up a little then scrape it off with a scraper. If I can't get to it until it is hrd I use a block Plane.


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## wncguy (Jan 26, 2012)

glue… GLUE… I don't need no stinkin glue!
Sorry - couldn't resist.


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## richardwootton (Jan 17, 2013)

I just use a bit of paste wax where the squeeze out will likely occur, clamp it up, wait for the glue to be in between gelatinous and hard and use a beater chisel to pop off the squeeze out. Then plane down the excess/ flatten the panel or what have you and continue with my finishing. Worked like a charm so far. In tighter joints you can use a little denatured alcohol to clean up the residual wax prior to finishing.


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## todd1962 (Oct 23, 2013)

Hey I didn't mean to start any fights! LOL! I will have some raised-panels in the project. The table top will be planed after gluing up so I'm not too worried about that one.

Thanks for all the answers!


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## BinghamtonEd (Nov 30, 2011)

I have a card scraper that I've reserved for scraping off squeeze out. Doesn't have to be super sharp, looks like junk, but it does the job fast. I just wait 15 or so minutes after glue up, then hit it with the scraper. For getting in tight spots, like Loren, I use a cheap chisel or exacto knife.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Maybe I have been doing it wrong but I usually wipe off the squeeze out as soon as possible. Then when I pull the panel out of the clamps in 30-45 minutes, I knock off the rest with a scraper. Then it is off to the planer or sander for final thicknessing.


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