Elmer's Glue Any Good?

[Joe Barringer]

We sometimes recommend the use of Elmer's Glue for installing ferrules. Some people look at us as if we have 4 heads. It works for us.

We just finished sealing about 600 ivory ferrules and two of them stuck together. Now, bear in mind that this is a watered down version of Elmer's glue (about 50/50) and I cannot break the bond with my hands no matter how hard I try. They are stuck together!

I thought it was interesting. Hope you do too. And, yes I tried holding them every imaginable way to break them apart. No luck.

Elmer's works pretty good. :grin:

 

[billiardbum]

Maybe your are just weak Joe

 

[Mcues]

Elmer's

Don't know about ferrules but I use Elmer's to seal Ivory after I'm done with every cut.

Mario

 

[Russell Cues]

Try thinning down Elmers and sealing a cue with it. Moisture will never get into the wood. Its a lot stronger than you would think.

 

[measureman]

I have used Elmers white glue for years. Not for cues but other wood to wood applications and it has never failed.

 

[danieldakota53]

wouldn't the elmers leave the wood whitish looking, or does it dry clear?

 

[Joe Barringer]

Maybe your are just weak Joe

That thought did cross my mind for a nano second but with my superior physique, strenuous daily workouts, exceptional diet and overall greatness, I quickly dismissed any possibility of what you are suggesting. Now, where's my cigar. :thumbup:

 

[jockey]

used elmers carpenter glue, after awhile the glue became amber in color, shrank and brittled.
footnote: awhile=5years

 

[cueman]

The question should be "is it strong enough?" Maybe for a threaded ferrule.
But I have glued wooden stools together with wood glue in the leg cross bars with the tenon going into the hole and over time the wood glue fails. On the other hand epoxy almost never fails in the same operation. So my thought is why not just go the safe route in the first place.

 

[Joe Barringer]

Wood glue or Elmer's?

With stools, they are not conditioned as we condition shaft wood with all the sealing nor is the exposed surface area as great. And, the fit on a stool is not up to the specifications and standards we as cue makers utilize on a ferrule installation. Stool wood is basically lumber turned round in mass production to crank out stool legs. Sort of like sanded poles for broom stick handles. Same crap wood dried to meet the quantities for the masses and not specifically dried for a quality audience such as shaft wood.

If the ferrule is on properly then the Elmer's will not fail or at least I never had one fail. The key to using Elmer's is a good fit. Not loose and sloppy. And yes of course threaded.

But as you said, epoxy is best. I still haven't broken the two ferrules apart. :grin:

 

[Lexicologist71]

A reputable cuemaker installed a micarta ferrule on my cue around 8 years ago using Titebond wood glue. It hasn't moved at all.

 

[bdcues]

A reputable cuemaker installed a micarta ferrule on my cue around 8 years ago using Titebond wood glue. It hasn't moved at all.

Been using white wood glue to make my laminated shafts since the beginning.. over 16 years now... and no laminations coming apart yet. Don't use Elmers but I suppose the water content could be manipulated to get the correct ratio and it would work the same.