July 25. 1918 



I inrdwood Rtnord — Veneer & 



Section 



23 



Glue Problem Is Discussed 



A Correspondent Argues That Glue Is Often Blamed for the Glue Room's Faults 



INCE opinions diHer, it may be of interest to read- 

 ers of Hardwood [Record if a few exceptions 

 are taken to certain points mentioned in an arti- 

 cle that appeared in a recent issue under the title. 

 Don't Overlook the Glue." The article contained per- 

 tinent sussestions and criticisms for manufacturers of ani- 

 mal glue, and its users in laminated work. and. on the 

 wjiole. this writer agrees with its substance, even if he 

 is presumptive in differing on some items. 



In the opening paragraph of the cited article it is 

 stated that a piece of built-up work is no stronger than 

 the material that holds it together. The job of making 

 good is largely up to the glue, which supplies the union, 

 and if there isn't a good glue joint, then the manufacturer 

 has failed to produce a good article. 



It is agreed that, if there is not a good glue joint the 

 article is poor, but it is not agreed that, the job of making 

 good is largely up to the glue. The job of making good 

 is largely up to the glue room crew, and the conditions 

 in the plant. By conditions, reference is made to the 

 state the stock to be glued up is in. as well as to equip- 

 ment used and general working conditions. TTie manu- 

 facturer who installs proper drying facilities, in place 

 of none, or poor ones, will soon learn that he can make 

 as good a glue joint with a lower grade of glue as he has 

 been in the habit of using for the same results, providing 

 his men are educated in the art of conditioning material 

 and the proper use of glue according to the condition of 

 the material to be glued up. 



The foregoing must not be interpreted as a statement 

 that a low grade of glue will make as good a joint as 

 a higher grade if both grades are applied under the proper 

 conditions. At the same time cases have been known 

 where there was a difference of three cents a pound in 

 the price of glues used by different manufacturers mak- 

 ing practically the same kind of laminated products, and 

 the man paying the lower price was getting the best 

 results. The difference in price was on account of the 

 grade of glue and not because any partiality was being 

 shown by the salesman. The best results were obtained 

 by the simple process of knowing how. 



Space will not permit an elaboration of many specific 

 problems, but a few may be considered. Animal glue 

 is applied hot, and hot cauls are used together with warm 

 stock. If the stock is too dry it absorbs moisture quickly, 

 an extra amount of glue must be used to get a good glue 

 line. On the other hand, if the stock contains too much 

 moisture it will not readily absorb the excess moisture 

 in the glue mixture and, as a result, unless the stock is 

 left under pressure for a longer period, the glue joint 

 will not be good. Also if tlie stock is too moist when 

 the pressure is applied, about all the glue will be squeezed 



out aloHL: the edges and poor work will be the result. 



Another feature has to do with the surface of the 

 stock. Most, if not all, modern veneer manufacturers 

 use veneer driers, either of the roll or textile type. This 

 writer believes that each has its place in the veneer field, 

 but men behind the proper glue joint, who know, prefer 

 textile dried stock, especially on birch, maple and such 

 hard woods. They claim that the hot rolls on the roll 

 type of drier, press the surface of the stock down so 

 hard and glossy that the pores are closed and it is diffi- 

 cult to get sufficient glue penetration to make a good 

 joint. 



I cannot well take issue with the statements that ap- 

 peared in the mentioned article to the effect that there 

 is too much glue bought "at a price." It is well known 

 by those manufacturers who know their costs that, when 

 the figures are all in. the glue line made by the use of 

 cheap glue costs practically as much as one made from 

 a much higher priced product. That is when the same 

 good glue joint is made. When traced back, it is fre- 

 quently found that the buyer, be he proprietor, man- 

 ager, or plain buyer, tries to slip one over by buying 

 a cheaper glue and not telling the glue room foreman, 

 who goes ahead with the cheaper lot according to cus- 

 tom and soon trouble begins. But it is not the fault of 

 the glue, which was not given a fair chance to make good. 

 Tlie writer of the former article wonders why glue 

 houses have not done more to educate users away from 

 price buying, and established brands which would stand 

 for the best, etc. Far be it from this critic to say that 

 he knows exactly why, but he ventures the opinion that 

 the glue maker finds it practicable to sell his low grades 

 somewhere and, up to a comparatively recent time, veneer 

 manufacturers have consumed most of the low grades of 

 animal glue. Still, some glue houses, aided by practical 

 and well meaning salesmen, have tried to educate glue 

 users. In some cases they have been successful, but gen- 

 erally they have found their suggestions about as wel- 

 come as a late frost in a Michigan peach orchard. The 

 educator usually has a tough time. 



If an example is wanted, briefly consider the use of 



"table glue. As the article referred to practically say . 

 that manufacturers of this product went into the problems 

 of the users and showed them that a bad joint vfas not 

 largely the fault of the glue. But it took upwards of ten 

 years of hard work to educate makers of laminated wood 

 products up to the knowledge that the vegetable glue 

 would make a quality veneer joint. Here issue must be 

 taken with the statement, "Of course, the majority of 

 consumers still use the old-fashioned variety." If one 

 considers consumers in point of numbers regardless of 

 size, let the statement stand as written, but I believe that 



