Glue Clean Up - Inside Corners

[BKHam]

there are a few things about this craft that I hate and cleaning up glue or even if i do a good job cleaning up the glue, water stains or just a darkening about joints in hard to deal with.
-Yes pre-finishing would help but not always an option and plus its annoying.

i had an idea. i was going to take a metal spatula to block one side of the joint while I sand the other. My wife heard this plan and suggested a product from her paper crafts. here it is:

i used my ROS and it was bumping the thin metal plate but not damaging the connecting piece. here is the result:
-yes, in theory there is a little unsanded area, maybe 3/64 wide but its hardly detectable

 

[mkepke]

I have never tried that method. My go-to has been to leave the glue-squeeze out alone until it is firm, then scrape it off, or worst case, carefully chisel it off once dried.

Like you, I've never head much success wiping wet glue with a damp rag.

-Mark

 

[Tarhead]

Masking tape is your friend. Mask off before you apply glue.

 

[BKHam]

Masking tape is your friend. Mask off before you apply glue.

I've never seen a tape that doesn't allow bleeding. probably fine for PVA glue, totally ineffective for thinner glues and epoxies.

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

My method is to dry fit the corners and apply paste wax with a Q tip on the inside seam. Glue normally. After the glue drys completely, chip off the hardened squeeze out. Final step is to swab out the seam with a white rag or Q tip soaked in mineral spirits. This removes the wax so any finish you put on will not be affected.

Re Marks comment: Wiping off fresh glue with a wet rag always forces some glue deeper into the wood. It becomes a sealer and can't be seen and will wreck a stain finish.

 

[Tarhead]

I've never seen a tape that doesn't allow bleeding. probably fine for PVA glue, totally ineffective for thinner glues and epoxies.

In your example which glue did you use? I've never had a problem with good ole paper masking tape blocking AR/PVA or Epoxy. No need to wipe anything because it ends up on the tape if you apply the tape up to your line before you apply the glue.

 

[cyclopentadiene]

System 3 Epoxy works well as you can clean up with a chisel and fine sandpaper. Any very little amount finishes fine and you never see it

 

[creasman]

I've switched to using Old Brown Glue or mixing my own hot hide glue. If I do miss some spots on cleanup, it doesn't affect the finish.

 

[Rwe2156]

Try using a toothbrush to clean off the wet glue.

Tape doesn't always work. You don't want to use hard tools to remove dried glue.

+ on OBG -- If you haven't used it, try it!! Better yet, make your own.

 

[SabertoothBunny]

For wet blue you can use one of those big, flexible plastic straws. Pushing it through the corner forces the straw into that shape and all of the glue slides up into the straw leaving behind minimal glue.

 

[BKHam]

okay thanks for the input. Just giving you ideas in cases where you get some staining. I was using west system epoxy. I've taped off and used a million implements of sizes and shapes to clean up glue, i always get a little area that needs clean up.

 

[mkepke]

okay thanks for the input. Just giving you ideas in cases where you get some staining. I was using west system epoxy. I've taped off and used a million implements of sizes and shapes to clean up glue, i always get a little area that needs clean up.

Totally legit. I think everyone identifies with trying different approaches to combat this universal problem.

So what are you making? Outdoor furniture, maybe?

-Mark

 

[Willw21]

Very helpful idea. Thank you for sharing!

~Will

 

[BKHam]

Yes this is an outdoor table where I had 10 total mortise / tenon connections. The leg assemblies shown below.

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

I've used plastic straws to scoop out wet glue on projects (like shop fixtures and jigs) where I wouldn't be putting on any finish. I found the most rigid straw, cut at a 45 degree angle on the tip gives the cleanest scoops. The point gets right down to the inside edges of the joint angle. As the glue fills up the straw, snip off that section at a 45 degree angle.

 

[BKHam]

I've used plastic straws to scoop out wet glue on projects (like shop fixtures and jigs) where I wouldn't be putting on any finish. I found the most rigid straw, cut at a 45 degree angle on the tip gives the cleanest scoops. The point gets right down to the inside edges of the joint angle. As the glue fills up the straw, snip off that section at a 45 degree angle.

I've used similar approaches and it works especially well wtih PVA glue that cleans up nicely with water. Epoxy, in my experience gets into the pores and won't come out. Even with your approach followed by acetone.

 

[MikeMen]

I find that if I put a thin film of glue on the tenon faces, a bit more in the mortise and none on the tenon shoulders, I can avoid squeezeout. There is virtually no added strength contributed by the glue on the tenon shoulders.