Q:

Your readers create furniture that they hope will last for generations. Have any studies been done on the life span of modern glues?

Ken Wilcox, Sydney, None

A:

Modern glues might lack the history of hide glues, but they are almost certainly more durable. Dale Zimmerman of Franklin International said the company introduced the first aliphatic resin (poly-vinyl acetate, or PVA) interior glue in 1951. The company has been monitoring its performance ever since and has yet to see any general failure. Polyurethane glues such as Gorilla Glue and Type I waterproof PVA glues such as Titebond III are thermosetting and cross-linked, which means they are even stronger, forming irreversible bonds when cured. Similarly, when a urea formaldehyde glue like Unibond is mixed together, it starts a chemical reaction that cannot be reversed. Hide glues, by contrast, can be readily re-liquified with warm water.

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Jorgensen 6 inch Bar Clamp Set, 4 Pack

Small light-duty clamps are best bought in quantity. These clamps are a great balance of affordability and quality—so stock up!

Buy at Amazon

Bessey K-Body Parallel-Jaw Clamp

The 3 3/4" deep parallel jaws allow for all types of clamping, from thin panels to joinery.

Buy at Amazon

Festool Rotex FEQ-Plus Random Orbital Sander

The Festool Rotex is a top-of-the-line choice. On its coarse setting, it removed stock nearly twice as quickly as the second-fastest model. But that speed doesn’t mean you’ll have to wrestle with it. It’s no huge task to control it with two hands, and its long body gives you plenty of room to find a sweet spot while holding it.

Buy at Amazon