Titebond Translucent wood glue....new to me!

[Lonnie B]

I know Kevin. I'm with you. Personally you couldn't pay me to use the stuff. No doubt it works. But I like my Titebond. Like I said I made three instruments in 1990. By my count that's 24 yrs ago. They're still holding together. But I don't think they're stored outside either. But the older luthiers swear by it.

[ken cierp]

Here's the clarity test

Elmer's -- TB Translucent -- Original TB Yep! -- you can hardly see the Elmer's, seems it has fewer solids and really shrunk down after the water evaporated.

[Dave Bagwill]

Good visual comparison Ken, thanks.

[Lonnie B]

I like the comparison. So is that saying good old Elmer's is the way to go? Personally I've never found anything wrong with it. Ken,of the three would you say that each has it's purpose?

[ken cierp]

Elmer's is used if there is a slight oversize (channel) condition when installing rosettes the water will tend to puff up the wood and fill the tiny gap, I usually use Duco.

Original Titebond is used for most everything else-- the is no need for TB 2 I don't like it since it has a rubbery component to make it more water resistant, I am not an expert but I doubt that is a good feature in regard to musical instrument assemble. I even use Original TB for joining sound boards most that have seen them will tell you that those joints are invisible.

I am looking at the use of the "Translucent" TB for joining the heel block on some of our neck styles but have yet to do an experiment. Not so sure that a glue joint that gets sanded to a curvature can ever be invisible no matter what glue is used? Plan are to publish a little neck finishing tutor -- tint is spray on the neck so joint can actually be concealed.

[Lonnie B]

Thanks Ken. It all helps me

[Kevin in California]

Thus far I've seen that the TB Translucent tacks up really fast. Of course it is 90 degrees in my shop, but still is much faster then my LMI white glue.
I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not, you have to work fast. I don't think I want to use it when gluing top and back on