Glue?

This is all pretty incredible info, I never thought a question about glue would yield a three page discussion! You guys are the best!
 
It's worth noting that pretty much all the builders here use a variety of glues for different applications.

That said, if you want to use only one type of glue the two which work for almost everything are HHG and Titebond Original. But each has advantages and disadvantages, depending on what you are doing. No glue is "the best", even if there are some who seem to think that the more "modern" the glue, the "better" it must be (for everything!). I clicked JerryC41's link to "HG" glue (some kind of CA I think) and was amused to read that it's perfect for almost everything (97% of uses, I wonder how they got that number).

Just as an example, I recently re-attached the top braces to an 1897 flat top mandolin. I was working through the sound hole, which is *much* smaller than a uke sound hole. I chose HHG glue for this because:

1. The braces would originally have been glued with HHG, so I wouldn't need to remove absolutely all traces of the old glue from the underside of the top.

2. I could position the braces by hand and allow the glue to gel enough to hold them in place (60 seconds or so). Then I could apply clamps, gently heat the top to reactivate the glue, and tighten the clamps - job done!

Any other glue would have been much harder to use here.

OTOH, I've given up trying to glue plastic bindings with HHG, CA seems to work best for me. But NOT necessarily for other people - I don't get on with DUCO for example, but others swear by it.

For any application there is usually a choice of possible glues, and only experimentation will tell you which of those choices works best for you.
 
Has anyone here had any luck with Superglue in an application where you want something to never come apart? I've heard it can be worked like wood and has almost the same tonal qualities???
 
Yep, RC model airplanes. John Calkin reminded me of this.
 
Has anyone here had any luck with Superglue in an application where you want something to never come apart? I've heard it can be worked like wood and has almost the same tonal qualities???

Superglue (CA) can be useful, but has disadvantages too:

1. You have only a second or two to position the parts correctly.

2. You can dismantle a CA joint (it's just plastic, so heat softens it), but then to re-glue you have remove all the old glue, which is not easy! Repairers don't like CA glue joints.

3. If you get CA glue outside the joint it's hard to clean up, and can stain some woods (spruce is well-known).

4. Don't believe it will never come apart unintentionally! CA glue joints are quite brittle, so a knock can release the joint where another glue would have survived it.

5. I don't think anyone knows if CA glue degrades with time, whereas HHG and Titebond original are know to still be good after decades (centuries in the case of HHG).
 
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