Glue Brushes

[overanalyze]

What does everyone prefer? Specifically what do you use for glueup and the domino mortise? Right now I use plumbing flux brushes but know there has to be something better!

 

[Wooden Skye]

I have a bunch of the little chip brushes from HF, but I did order the silicone glue set from Rockler and that seems better, plus I can clean them.

 

[xtrememtnbiker]

I just got the silicone Rockler brush on Amazon. It's pretty sweet that you don't have to clean them out cause of the silicone. It washes out wet or dry. So far I've only used the domino for alignment not strength so I haven't bothered with spreading it in the mortise. I just flick it on to the side of the mortise and let it run down in.

 

[BBuild]

I have a few of the silicone brushes from Rockler. I like that they are easy to clean when the glue dries but I find that they don't get the even coverage a bristle brush gives.

 

[tjbnwi]

Rockler brushes/spreaders also.

Tom

 

[Theshipstore]

I guess based on the current responses I will have to try Rockler Silicone brushes, damn just bought another hundred flux brushes

 

[Zacharytanner]

Rockler brushes work great -

 

[Stone Message]

I have a bunch of bits of plastic offcuts from some job. They are about 2 x 6 mm and about 150 mm long. Dry glue breaks off leaving them clean as a whistle. They are perfect for domino slot gluing. I do not put glue on the dominos.

My glue brush, for other tasks, is a small round bristle paint brush about 10 mm in diameter with 25 mm long bristles. It is very quick and easy to clean and will last for at least my lifetime.

Peter

 

[waho6o9]

I use the dominoes that are going into

the slot to spread the glue. 

 

[dltflt]

I was using the flux brushes until Rockler came out with the silicone brushes.  They clean up easily.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

I never use a brush for applying glue. It is the #1 leading cause for people to have problems with too short of an open time on their glue-ups. The brush spreads the glue to thin and uneven (between bristles). The glue will dry faster when it is thinner, and this causes problems with short open times. Just the bristle strokes alone are enough to cause thin stripes of glue that dry too quickly and prevent the joint from going together tightly.

Instead, if I do need to spread the glue, I will either use my finger, or for larger/wider joints, use a plastic spreader. These are cheap, cleanable, and available at any home center. They spread out the glue without thinning it too much.

 

[mouppe]

I use chopsticks in domino mortises.

 

[#Tee]

wished the rockler kit came in green  [tongue]

 

[overanalyze]

I never use a brush for applying glue. It is the #1 leading cause for people to have problems with too short of an open time on their glue-ups. The brush spreads the glue to thin and uneven (between bristles). The glue will dry faster when it is thinner, and this causes problems with short open times. Just the bristle strokes alone are enough to cause thin stripes of glue that dry too quickly and prevent the joint from going together tightly.

Instead, if I do need to spread the glue, I will either use my finger, or for larger/wider joints, use a plastic spreader. These are cheap, cleanable, and available at any home center. They spread out the glue without thinning it too much.

Interesting comment. It makes sense. So on edge glue ups do you still glue both sides? Does having the glue thicker lead to more ooze out?

 

[tjbnwi]

On edge to edge I do glue both edges, alternate sides. Anything up to 1-1/2" gets a bead from the TB tip.

The Rockler set does have a glue trowel.

Tom

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Interesting comment. It makes sense. So on edge glue ups do you still glue both sides? Does having the glue thicker lead to more ooze out?

No, I never apply glue to both sides for the same reason I don't use a brush--it means making the application too thin. Unless you are the fastest mouse in all of me'ico (Speedy Gonzales) there is plenty of time between touching the parts together and firmly tightening the clamps for the glue to spread to both pieces, and even cover where you didn't spread it well.

No matter how you apply it, if you are not getting glue squeeze-out, you're not applying enough glue. If I'm gluing up panels, I just let the glue drip on the table and scrape it off later. If it's on my MFT, then I put a plastic sheet down to protect the surface. I have several PVC sheets laying around, but you could also pick up one of those roll-up plastic pastry sheets at the grocery store or Bed Bath and Beyond.

If it's an intricate glue up or corners, I wipe the glue with a wet rag before it dries. Otherwise I scrape the corners with a sharp chisel.

 

[land_kel]

Rockler brushes/spreader and tray.

 

[jbasen]

I used to spread glue on the inside of the mortise and then slide in the domino tenon.  In fact, a while back I had a thread in the wish list area asking for a glue bottle designed for spreading the glue this way.  I've now totally changed my technique. 

The problem I ran into was that periodically if would have a bit too much glue in the hole.  When I inserted the domino tenon it would wipe excess glue to the bottom of the hole. With the tight seal between the tenon and the walls of the mortise the glue would block the tenon from going all the way to the bottom of the hole and cause a gap between the workpieces I was gluing [eek]

Now I use a glue brush to apply glue to the tenon.  Any excess ends up as squeeze out that I clean up with a card scraper. At least for me, it works perfectly every time

 

[Sparktrician]

I've been using glue spreaders from Woodcraft.  They seem to do a pretty good job. 

 

[gkaiseril]

Rockler has a number of glue applicators and bottles available.

Glue Application Master Set
3 Piece Paddle Set