Change in Elmer's carpenter(wood) glue

**Jim Triggs** · Apr-14-2010, 3:02pm

I've noticed in the past 6-8 months a slight change in the consistency of the Elmer's glue that I've been using for over 30 years. It seems to be a little thicker which causes it to set up a bit faster than it used to. Has anyone else noticed this?

**pops1** · Apr-14-2010, 7:28pm

could it be older? i think you can thin it out, if i remember it even says it on the bottle. i'll have to look

**John Arnold** · Apr-14-2010, 7:55pm

I bought a bottle in January that was that way. I hope it is not a permanent change.

**Paul Hostetter** · Apr-14-2010, 8:47pm

Hadn't noticed—I don't use PVA glue all that much and usually end up keeping small bottles of Original Titebond, in the interests of having fresh glue. Is it possible you have expired glue there? If you put a drop between your thumb and your middle fingertip and pull them apart, does it make strings? If so, you have superannuated glue.

**Steevarino** · Apr-14-2010, 9:47pm

I used to be an LMI Instrument glue Nazi until I had an amazing amount of joint failures earlier this year. So, now, like Paul, I just buy smaller bottles ( 8 or 16 oz.) of Titebond Original (red label) and no more joint problems. Except for my right knee, usually just before it rains, but that's a different story altogether....

Anyone want a half-gallon of ###### LMI glue...?

Steve

**Steevarino** · Apr-14-2010, 9:48pm

Guess you can't say c-r-a-p-p-y here....

**Paul Hostetter** · Apr-14-2010, 10:28pm

Originally Posted by Steevarino

Guess you can't say c-r-a-p-p-y here....

Isn't that a game fish of some sort?

**8ch(pl)** · Apr-15-2010, 5:40am

That's a biggggggggggggg crappie.

**Mario Proulx** · Apr-15-2010, 9:53pm

Is the Elmer's that you find thicker the "ProBond" one, and is it for interior use? If so, it's fine, and is thicker than the older Elmer's yellow glue. It's no thicker than Titebond. But if it's thicker than this, it may be bad, or you may have grabbed the wrong bottle and have one of the glues formulated for exterior use, which isn't good for our use.

And if you suspect the glue has been frozen, either in shipment or storage, toss it and get some fresh glue.

Yet another reason to love hot hide glue; always fresh, always sure of what you have.

Sorry to hear of the issues, Steve! Something similar happened to me about 11-12 years ago, and nearly killed my career before I was completely out of the gate!; I learned as much about glues as I could after that, and won't trust anything that's repackaged(I highly doubt LMI make their own glue, after all). Ever.

**Jim Triggs** · Apr-16-2010, 8:41am

It seems like the last several years they had been using a blue and orange bottle and last fall they switched to a regular plastic bottle with a stick on label. We only buy 8-16 oz. bottle so I don't think it was old glue or a bad batch because I've noticed this in several different bottles recently.

I called customer service a few months ago and spoke to a gentleman by the name of Brian in Cleveland. I explained the situation and he told me that they, "may have changed the formula." I asked if he thought it could have been a bad batch and suggested that the glue was now made in China and he didn't seem to happy with that comment but didn't deny it either.

The Elmer's bottles used to say Made in the USA on them, then they said Made in Mexico, and now it doesn't even tell where it's being made so who knows what's going on. I have enough of the old stuff to last me through the end of the year as I went around town and stockpiled it. This is more of an informative post so people can be on the lookout for bad glue as it could create problems down the road.

**Mario Proulx** · Apr-16-2010, 10:10am

Stockpiling glue is a bad idea, as it should be used within a year of manufacture...

EDIT: we can use the barcodes to determine country of origin of goods. I checked our groceries this way some time back, and was surprised at what comes from where!

See here for the codes(or google for more refined charts, though the one below will cover most of 'em)

http://www.rense.com/general84/codes.htm

**Fretbear** · Apr-16-2010, 11:59am

This is an excellent PVA glue:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...110,42965&ap=1

**mandolinlee** · Apr-16-2010, 12:55pm

I spent half my working career in the glue applicator business. My last boss came from a known national glue and hot melt adhesive manufacturer. His last glue job being general manager of a manufacturing plant in Canada. He always refered to glue manufacturing as "bathtub science". His opinion was, there are hundreds of raw materials to use in making glue. The manufacturer buys whatever is lowest cost at the time they need it and the true formula will vary from batch to batch on a daily basis. Just for what its worth.
Lee