Author Topic: Stainable glue  (Read 4296 times)

Offline stoneke

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Stainable glue
« on: January 10, 2010, 08:42:23 PM »
I am wondering what any of you builders use for glue when mixing with wood dust to create a paste/putty to fill a chip or void. I have searched the Woodcraft website, but have not located a glue that is of a stainable nature.

Offline Pete G.

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Re: Stainable glue
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2010, 08:50:41 PM »
I got some stuff at Lowe's that is listed as "satinable". It is a Borden's product. I used it to anchor some wire inlay and it seemed to work fine, but I was very careful to not glop on too much.
You might want to get some and test it with the wood you are using.

Offline Brian

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Re: Stainable glue
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2010, 10:57:29 PM »
Just a personal experience, but based on furniture building I don't know if there is such a thing as "real" glue that is stainable.  If the glue is of a nature that really "bites" into the wood (which is what give you holding power) then it also fills some of the pores in the wood.  That's how it bites.  You might be able to "stain" it to some extent, but I don't know how you will ever get it to look like surrounding wood that has not been exposed to the glue.

Just my two cents worth - and worth only that.
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Offline John Archer

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Re: Stainable glue
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2010, 11:03:13 PM »
I'm with Brian on this....I've experimented with The so-called stainable glues..Probond and Elmer's and I find they don't stain any better than regular glues. Some of the woodworking sites recommend the old horsehide glues as staining better than anything else but no glues will truly match the surrounding wood after staining.

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shooter93

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Re: Stainable glue
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2010, 03:47:43 AM »
If you're filling small dings,dents, or holes mix your sanding dust with the finish you're going to apply rather than glue. I often do this when filling pin holes in some exotic woods used in cabinets. many of these woods the right color filler isn't readily available.

Birddog6

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Re: Stainable glue
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2010, 04:35:12 PM »
I use  Elmers Stainable wood glue & mix it with filing dust from the piece I am working on. I save the dust in a 35mm film container & put it with the rifle parts as I build it, just in  case I make a boo boo.  ::)

fix

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Re: Stainable glue
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2010, 06:59:51 PM »
I've never found a stainable glue, but in working with musical instruments I can say that the hide glue is as good as it gets.

For small cracks, I put a tiny amount in the crack to seal the open wood pores (these will absorb too much stain if not sealed). If more gluing is needed, I do it after staining so the stain goes under the glue.

For chips, I try to replace the wood. On new projects I save shavings and removed bits of wood particularly for this. With restoration projects, I would try to get the wood from someplace unnoticeable in the finished product (Under butt plates, or from inside patch boxes).  This works for pin holes as well, just cut a sliver that you can shape and tap into the hole and smooth off (glueing only the very bottom of the hole, as the glue will get pushed up and out)

It seems that the trick is to use less glue than you think you need, and not not get any on the stainable surface if you can help it. Hide glue is good for this, because it is very strong, and you can apply it to only the inside of cracks, and mating surfaces of chips. True hide glue, the kind that has to go on hot, is also nice because it can be completely removed from wood pores with hot water and a little effort. This allows the repair to be undone on old collectibles at a later date if needed.

Anything small enough to be invisibly filled with dust and glue mixed, will likely disappear by simply adding some paste wax. 

I've done very little repair work on guns, but this method has worked on several violins that I have repaired.

Offline Pete G.

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Re: Stainable glue
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2010, 02:01:14 AM »
I've seen something called hide glue for sale in a bottle. Anyone know how it compares to the real stuff?

fix

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Re: Stainable glue
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2010, 02:13:29 AM »
I've seen that as well, but never used it. I'm not sure how it would work. I think Titebond makes some.

I use Behlen ground hide glue. Costs about fifteen bucks for a pound. A pound will last  a very long time. You do need a hot pot for it though. I use a modified electric perk coffee pot as my hot pot.