Glue for mdf panels?

Jean Kelly · 04-14-2005, 02:26 PM

My friend (Steve, the carpenter) has a question about the type of glue to use to attach the cradles to the back of my MDF panels. Can anyone help with this? He wants these to last for a hundred years! I got my first large one yesterday and it's beautiful. Now he has concerns about the glue deteriorating.

Jean

Ngaire Winwood · 04-15-2005, 06:47 AM

Jean, I can't help you with the glue, but I was wondering if you can put a photo of your support and cradle design on here.

Kimberly Dow · 04-15-2005, 11:29 AM

Jean -

My husband recommends Guerilla Glue and I may be wrong - but I could have sworn Max at Realgesso uses it also.

That stuff is the bomb - we used some in parts of the crate for a big painting - that crate will be around forever.

Jean Kelly · 04-15-2005, 12:57 PM

Thanks Kim, I'll suggest it to Steve. In the meantime, he bought a book on glue (yes they write books on "glue"). Now he knows way more than he will ever need to know in ten lifetimes! I told him that he was getting a little OCD, and he read me the listing and composition of the six (or ten) different classes of glue. I don't remember much as I got bored.

Ngaire, I'll take a photo of it a little later and post it.

Jean

Sharon Knettell · 04-18-2005, 07:51 PM

An experienced woodworker/cabinet maker would be the best person to query.

I have had one use Liquid Nails, there are several varieties of that product.

Some of the first ones I had to reclamp and squeeze in glue because of a slight seperation, but mine are huge. The most recent cabinet maker has done a better job and I have not had that problem.

Jean Kelly · 04-18-2005, 11:45 PM

My husband is an architect and part of his job is recommending certain products for construction. One of those products is glue, and he has decided to go right to the top for the answer to this sticky problem. Forrest Products is the ultimate authority on glue (they set the standards for the industry). He happens to know someone there, so I should have the definative answer on archival glue for wood products soon. I guess I should have asked him to begin with.

Here is the back of the panel, all the mitred joints have little "footballs" inside (don't ask, I don't know). We looked at many different types of bracing, and I consulted books and websites. Everyone has an opinion about how to do this, and they are all different. So we are trying this, it is solid as a rock and smooth on the edges, so if I decide to, I can paint the edge and not use a frame.

When I get the answer back on glue I'll post it.

Jean

Sharon Knettell · 04-19-2005, 12:16 PM

They are called biscuits, I believe.

How big is this panel , what is it braced with , how thick are the sides, the MDF and how much does it weigh?

Be sure to lightly sand the MDF before gessoing it , to ensure proper bonding of the grounds.

Jean Kelly · 04-19-2005, 01:12 PM

The panel is 30x40, braces are pine (untreated) 1 5/8" wide, the sides are 1'" thick, and the mdf is 1/4". I'll be sealing the whole back side of the panel with gesso. The panel weighs 13lbs.

Steve is building a press to help put even pressure on the panel while the glue is drying.

I'm already roughing up the surface of the mdf, It just made sense.

Another question for you, if I use this panel for my tatto guy, I will have a 9 1/5" head. Of course this will make him larger than life! Do you think this is too over the top, or appropriate for a bodybuilder?

Jean

Sharon Knettell · 04-19-2005, 01:22 PM

Drop the 1/5". The standard male head is 9" high. Are you using a 71/2 head or an 8 head classical measurement.?The topic "Head size " discusses this at length.

Jean Kelly · 04-19-2005, 02:04 PM

Oops! That was supposed to be 1/2" not 1/5". I shoot for the 8 head model. Jux needs to be massive, at this scale his right upper arm will measure 5 3/4". I can easily go for a 9" head. Thank you!

Jean