Thread: Glue - in cold temperatures

The solution is not all that difficult... Move to Queensland

Nah to many Queenslanders up there!

BUT it should be in a glue forum!

I've been waiting for you artme.........

Ok got an anwser... and a good one!

That temperature we list on our tech data sheets as the chalk temperature, is the temperture below which you cannot achieve a bond. The bond doesn’t just take longer to form – it doesn’t form at all.

Reducing the temperature of the wood, glue or room adversely affects most wood glues. Setting speed is usually slowed. In some cases strength is decreased, or in severe cases, nonexistent, if the glue is colder than the critical chalking temperature. Below the chalking temperature, the glue does not coalesce (form a continuous film) on drying. This is evidenced by a dried film, which is whiter than normal. Where the bond is formed at all, the resultant strength of a chalked glue joint is lower than
normal and will always remain weak. Although most polyvinyl acetates normally chalk at temperatures of 55° to 60° F., there are glues such as aliphatic resin glues and catalyzed polyvinyl acetates, developed to have a lower chalk temperature, which may be used in lower temperatures, some as low as 35°F. Since the mass of glue in a joint is small compared to the mass of the substrates, the temperature of the substrates being glued is usually a critical factor when controlling the environment is critical. Acclimating the substrates and keeping them above the chalking temperature is critical. The temperature of the air is important in that it usually affects the
temperature of the substrates being glued. It also influences the temperature of the glue squeezed out of the joint, which may be the temperature of the glue in the joint,
minus the lowering of temperature due to evaporation of water from the surface, since evaporation is a cooling process. Therefore, it can be seen that as the critical chalking temperature is approached, chalking may occur in the squeeze-out but not in the joint.

Thanks from Australia too Franklin International for replying(and quickly too!)

Thanks Harry72,
It's a great answer, and thanks to the manufacturer too.
I hate to tell them, that the older woodies in our area call it "TittyBond".....makes me giggle

[quote=RufflyRustic;759836]Epoxy! Of course!
What sort of epoxy do you use Carry?


Techniglue available from Lumberbunker and (Carbatec).
In colder weather you have longer before it goes off and you can clean up a bit better.

Graham

Just off the temperature side of things for a second I did a string of destruction test on glue a year or more ago when I was glueing up a $5000 bookcase and from a string of standard PVA's, polyurethanes and epoxies I found twice that tritons's pva destroyed more timber than all the others put together. Not sure what temps it cures at though.

It was cold in Canberra this week and I had lots of gluing to do. Would not have bothered me much except I had read this thread last week. I was using PVA and when faced with a maximum of 11 degrees the thread put the wind up me. Solution - two of those work lamps from bunnings. Put out a thousand watts a set. Warmed the work nicely and the glue set beautifully - I could even see better to clean up the squeeze out!

Thanks all.

A solution to being concerned that I used was above my workbench I built a frame about 2.4 long by 1.2 wide out ot 70 x 35 crapiata and to it I fixed 8 x 275 watt heater globes like in a bathroom heater lamp and mounted th whole thing on rope and pully so it can be raised or lowered to increase or decrease the heat. Should have no problem raising the timber to 20. 30 or even 40 degrees C if you wanted to. Mind you glue up can get a bit sweaty if you leave them on.
Also the whole thing only pulls 9.2 amps so you can plug it anywhere.

Ross

Just an idea!

Many years ago my grandfather used a homemade incubator to raise chickens.
This was a simple upturned drum with a lightglobe fitted through the base (now the top).
The temperature was controlled by using different wattage globes.

Could this idea be adapted on a bigger scale
i.e. 4 gallon (20ltr) or 44 gallon drum (200ltr) and the items put inside for a given period?

Originally Posted by Linden Hardy

Just an idea!

Many years ago my grandfather used a homemade incubator to raise chickens.
This was a simple upturned drum with a lightglobe fitted through the base (now the top).
The temperature was controlled by using different wattage globes.

Could this idea be adapted on a bigger scale
i.e. 4 gallon (20ltr) or 44 gallon drum (200ltr) and the items put inside for a given period?

Mine is better It takes up no room coz it sits up against the roof when not in use
You can heat a whole cabinet or table in 1 go and keep it warm after glueup
It doubles as a light
It keeps your Mellon warm in winter
Also warms work for finishing.

Ross

Both good ideas though.
I've put a ceramic heater in the Caravan on a timer. Goes for ten minutes every hour and keeps the temperature at bench height at 18ºc all day. Temperature at the roof varies between 10º and 24º. Floor temperature varies from 10º to 15º.
I've got to get a meaningful life!!

G'day everyone.
In my workshop when I lived in England I managed to freeze solid a 4 Litre container of PVA . After it was thawed out, it never seemed to glue a joint as strongly as before. I ended up ditching it.