gluing wood together when building an enclosure

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

dont buy any plastic clamps if you do buy clamps. they are complete ****.

This, and they don't really allow for enough clamping force.

I have some laying around, but they are used for mock up of various things then anything.

 

[galacticmonkey 5,000+ posts]

Ive used both Gorilla Glue, Liquid Nails, and a bunch of different types of wood glue, such as Elmers and Tite Bond. The wood glues are definitely the way to go for wood.

If its something really small, like a single 10 sealed on low power, you can get away with Liquid Nails as long as you screw it together nice and tight, but its still better to use wood glue in any application.

Tite Bond II (maybe III, I dont remember, maybe someone else does) was the best glue IMO. All the wood glues stick the same from what Ive seen, but it was either the II or III that was thicker, so it wasnt as runny which was nice.

Either use a nail/staple gun and clamps or screw it together. When screwing it together, its still easier to use corner clamps just to make sure the corners come together and dont push apart when you screw it together. I bought a pair and just use them to hold it together when Im putting the screws in, then take them off and move to the next one since the screws hold it together to dry.

When youre all done, unless your cuts are absolutely perfect and assembly is absolutely flawless, its always good to take a little bead of some silicone or Liquid Nails and smear it in all the joints to make sure its sealed.

 

[thehardknoxlife 10+ year member]

If anyone does buy some clamps from HF, don't buy this kind. The price makes them appealing, sure. They are plastic and break very very easily. They don't have much clamping force either and will slowly slip. This kind is much better and more durable. Although the clamping force can be troublesome if you can't turn the handle enough. I suggest these. The jaws don't extend that far on the smaller version, but won't be a problem for box building. Clamping force isn't a concern either thanks to the handle desin. You could always buy a couple of pipe clamps as well. Which is the best choice if you plan on making multiple boxes. You can make them any length you want, just have to buy some threaded pipe.

 

[slim2fattycake 10+ year member]

Tite Bond III is just water resistant. Bond II is the best without the need of water resistant.

Also the tite bond glues are runny. This is better because it will seam through little spots to get good cohesion unlike liquid nail.

 

[THATpurpleKUSH 5,000+ posts]

Pipe clamps are the way to go, you can buy the end kits from Harbor Freight then goto Home Depot/Lowes to get 3/4 threaded pipe in 3-4ft lengths for $10-12 IIRC.

 

[thehardknoxlife 10+ year member]

Liquid nails won't hold anything. It's a construction adhesive. You can simply pry the wood apart and scrap the glue off. Wood glue will bond the two together. You can't pry the wood apart without damaging the wood. You can actually make a box using nothing but wood glue and clamps. Simple test. Make two crosses with some 2"x4"s 1' long. One with wood glue in the center about the size of a quarter, one with liquid nails in the center same amount. Clamp, wait 24hrs (liquid nails takes forever to fully cure). Take 2 center blocks place the cross on them so you can stand on it. See which one you can stand on without the glue failing.