That old timer at the shop gave me bad advice about glue-ups

Last year a retired cabinetmaker told me to skip clamping time on my miters because 'the glue does the work.' Ruined a $400 custom frame job for a client in Portland. Has anyone else gotten weird advice from old guys that just doesn't hold up?

2 comments

2 Comments

morgan_ramirez27d ago

Did you find out what kind of glue the guy himself was using, or did he just give you that advice without any context?

morgan_ramirez28d ago

Dang, that's a rough one. I read somewhere that old school woodworkers used hide glue which actually works different than modern PVA. With hide glue you can get away with less clamping since it grabs fast and stays put. But with yellow or white glue you really gotta clamp it tight or the joint just won't bond right. Sounds like that guy was still thinking about his old hot glue pot instead of what you were actually using.