# Removing Excess Titebond Glue?



## TxDade (Dec 29, 2011)

I am new on here and new to woodworking. I did a glue up on soft cedar, for my outdoor patio. Making a small table. I used Titebond III glue and have a bit of excess that needs to be removed. I used a pipe clamp and a bit of the black from the pipe was left behind in the glue. Should I try chipping it off or will this glue come off with just sanding? I need to sand it some anyways but I didn't see anything on the Glue bottle about this glue being sandable. And what grit should I start with if I need to just sand it off? Thanks in advance for any comments or ideas. :icon_smile:

Dave


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

I would start by trying to remove the bulk of the excess with a scraper or chisel. You can sand the remaining. I'd start around 100 grit, no cross grain sanding.


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## TxDade (Dec 29, 2011)

*Thanks Mr. Sawdust...*

I will give that a try. I also just thought next time I might try placing a piece of wax paper between the pipe and the board, maybe that will help with the black transfer problem. Appreciate the help and comments. Glad I ran across this board, it's nice to be able to ask questions and get help from experienced woodworkers.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Was paper, or anything covering the pipe (I use blue tape on my pipe clamps) will help prevent the black, but most of that should come off with a little scraping/sanding.


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

Wipe those pipes down with mineral spirits or alcohol or somethng that will get the oil off of them. Then put packing tape on them. Keeps any squeeze out from sticking and nothing can transfer to the project.


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## 12penny (Nov 21, 2008)

Yeah...scraper or chisel for sure.

I find tape to be a pain.... try using thin strips of what ever scrap material you have, to elevate your assembly off of the pipes. 1/4" is plenty.

Cleaning them as has been mentioned is a good idea also.

Looks like you could use a little less glue, enough to thinly coat each peice is plenty.


And...you did reinforce that butt joint with something ...right?


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## racfurniture (Dec 28, 2010)

The black that is on the wood..is the metal of the clamp reacting with the glue and tanin of the wood..causing a surface stain..what I try and do is after I glue up boards..and get the clamps on them..elevating the clamps like they said is the best think to do..but I always wipe the excess glue off with a wet rag..it just makes it so much easier in the long run..


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

I elevate my clamps like was said, and I come back maybe 20 minutes later and scrape any squeezeout off with an old chisel. After it sets a little it comes right off leaving you that much less to sand.

Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum


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## TxDade (Dec 29, 2011)

*Thanks everyone...*

for all the replys, I really appreciate it. I am new and need all the help I can get. I did get to unclamp one side, I scraped off the large part of the glue and sanded the rest. It all came off just fine. 

Yes, I did use a #20 biscut on the joint. Seems to be holding fine. This is my first project. It is a small table for the back patio made from cedar. I used titebond III glue with biscut joints. I am attempting to build this without any screws at all. I will be using dowels also. I did find out 12 hours was not enough for the glue to dry, one joint came apart but I was able to reglue and clamp it back up. I will now wait at least 24 hours for the clamp time just to be sure. It is very humid here most of the time. I will post pictures of it when I get farther along (unless it falls apart :sad.

Thanks again for all the comments! Have a Happy New Year everyone!

Dave


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## gstanfield (Dec 23, 2011)

I use a tiny hand plane for cleaning up titebond, but a chisel will work just as good. A wet paper towel at the time of glue-up works best though 

The little guy in this picture is my preferrred method:


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

TxDade said:


> for all the replys, I really appreciate it. I am new and need all the help I can get. I did get to unclamp one side, I scraped off the large part of the glue and sanded the rest. It all came off just fine.
> 
> Yes, I did use a #20 biscut on the joint. Seems to be holding fine. This is my first project. It is a small table for the back patio made from cedar. I used titebond III glue with biscut joints. I am attempting to build this without any screws at all. I will be using dowels also. I did find out 12 hours was not enough for the glue to dry, one joint came apart but I was able to reglue and clamp it back up. I will now wait at least 24 hours for the clamp time just to be sure. It is very humid here most of the time. I will post pictures of it when I get farther along (unless it falls apart :sad.
> 
> ...


No pics. You didn't do it.
Oh sorry I see pics


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## Atgfurniture (Jan 1, 2012)

I would hand plane that away. Or maybe a scraper. Then I would sand with 120 through 320


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## 12penny (Nov 21, 2008)

TxDade said:


> for all the replys, I really appreciate it. I am new and need all the help I can get. I did get to unclamp one side, I scraped off the large part of the glue and sanded the rest. It all came off just fine.
> 
> Yes, I did use a #20 biscut on the joint. Seems to be holding fine. This is my first project. It is a small table for the back patio made from cedar. I used titebond III glue with biscut joints. I am attempting to build this without any screws at all. I will be using dowels also. I did find out 12 hours was not enough for the glue to dry, one joint came apart but I was able to reglue and clamp it back up. I will now wait at least 24 hours for the clamp time just to be sure. It is very humid here most of the time. I will post pictures of it when I get farther along (unless it falls apart :sad.
> 
> ...


 
The problem with cedar is its very soft. 12 hours was plenty of time for the glue to set, but you wont get a strong joint glueing end grain to long grain. 

Biscuits are okay for non structural applications, a cabinet face frame for instance, but IMHO wont hold a table together. Me thinks you'd have been better off using a joint like M and T or even a half lap. Pocket screws come to mind as well, but as I said cedar is very soft and the screws may not hold.

Finish it up, put it out and use it, cut it up for kindling next year.

Welcome to woodworking 101 and Happy New Year to you.


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## Wood4Brains (Jul 25, 2012)

> I would hand plane that away.


Question; Would using a hand plane to plane the glue away damage the blade or other part of the plane?


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Wood4Brains said:


> Question; Would using a hand plane to plane the glue away damage the blade or other part of the plane?


Not damage per se, but fully dried glue is hard and so will contribute to the blade becoming dull a little more than planing many wood species.

I try to remove my excess wood glue with a gasket scraper. I wait for the excess to skin over, then use the gasket scraper and finish with sponge.

If I wait too long, I will still try the scraper, but if too difficult, I prefer to use my crank neck chisel. This is easier to sharpen than the block hand plane.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Just sand it. The black part caused by the reaction between the pipe clamp and the glue may leave a stain if you don't want to sand to deep. Best way to not have that happen is to use the least amount of glue to get the job done without starving the joint. Takes practice to know how much you need, you'll get the hang of it after a while.

If you put masking tape on the pipe clamp where the glue will contact it you won't get the stain. Or wax paper.


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## del schisler (Nov 5, 2009)

TxDade said:


> I will give that a try. I also just thought next time I might try placing a piece of wax paper between the pipe and the board, maybe that will help with the black transfer problem. Appreciate the help and comments. Glad I ran across this board, it's nice to be able to ask questions and get help from experienced woodworkers.


just sand it off. If their is lot's of hard glue now? I alway's get as much glue off before it get's hard. But after the fact. use scraperor ect. Sound's like you are using black pipe. I don't use black pipe for that reason. it will sand of tho. It may fill up pours of the sanding belt i would start maybe 100 or so and work up I allway's go to 400 but that is me. I spray lacquer tho. Some stop at 220 or in that range? your choice


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

Glad you got it off. Next time attempt to remove the excess glue when it gets tacky, no hard. I use an old wood chisel or paint scraper . I usually do it about 45 minutes after clamping. It comes off easily and with little mess. The rest will sand off. 
Tom


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