Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

When starting a new build. How much GG do you buy. A 18oz bottle is cheaper...but will I need that much ?..More ? or just buy smaller bottles ? I've read that GG will go bad in about a year ( after opening). I sure can't afford to waste money buying to much GG, then to have it dry up.
Or is a guy better off using great stuff to glue the XPS foam together ?

If you live in a humid climate you might be better off with the smaller bottles, but it will be more expensive that way. Don't just buy one. You will go thru it and then have to make another trip, which ends up being a hidden expense.

I bought the big bottle and just made sure to seal the top every time that I wasn't actively dispensing (i.e. every single time that I put the bottle down). Ended up using the better part of two bottles, and yes, I did have some waste/jelling at the end of each bottle, usually after long periods of not using it. Keep in mind that my build is not as budget minded as others.

I'm not sure what the current cost difference is on GG, but I can tell you that when I buy epoxy the combined cost of the gallon size of resin plus hardener is only two and a half times as much as for the quart size. I'd rather waste a large portion of the gallon and have it on hand than pay exponentially for the quarts and have to run to the store more often.

What size bottles of GG were you buying ?

I went through two of the smaller 4 oz bottles and finally broke down and bought a 22? oz bottle. however I used TBII for nearly every wood on wood connection, and have gone through half a gallon of that.

I don't recall specifically, but they were about quart sized, or maybe liter sized, probably the 36oz bottle. I used it for foam wall blank butt joints, and most everywhere wood was joined to foam (except for skinning). That included wall sill and door surround frame to wall foam, door foam to door frames, and all of my wall blocking that went into routed out pockets).

When you go through your second gallon of TB2 you will know that you are in to your build for the long haul!

Let's see: (2) large bottles of GG; cracked the seal on a third gallon of TB2 (but probably won't use it now that I'm not doing canvas for the outer skin); at least two caulk gun sized tubes of PLP (for the wall to floor joints... I have wood sills, but if you are gluing foam walls directly to your wooden floor then maybe use GG instead); probably 6-8 tubes (or more) of PL300 for laminating foam (lots more details of how that went in my build thread); at least 6 cans of GS; and now that I am skinning with FG I'm onto my 3rd gallon of epoxy (plus a quart here or there). There was also a gallon of 3M green contact adhesive (which I would not do again) and several tubs of light weight vinyl spackle.

While you're shopping, buy the big bulk size packages of sand paper; don't even waste your time with the little 4 sheet packs or multi-grit packs.

Okay, YMMV, but I'm just saying, these things are a major project no matter how you look at it, so you have to be prepared to spend more money than you probably would think on the "consumables".

KCStudly wrote:I don't recall specifically, but they were about quart sized, or maybe liter sized, probably the 36oz bottle. I used it for foam wall blank butt joints, and most everywhere wood was joined to foam (except for skinning). That included wall sill and door surround frame to wall foam, door foam to door frames, and all of my wall blocking that went into routed out pockets).

When you go through your second gallon of TB2 you will know that you are in to your build for the long haul!

Let's see: (2) large bottles of GG; cracked the seal on a third gallon of TB2 (but probably won't use it now that I'm not doing canvas for the outer skin); at least two caulk gun sized tubes of PLP (for the wall to floor joints... I have wood sills, but if you are gluing foam walls directly to your wooden floor then maybe use GG instead); probably 6-8 tubes (or more) of PL300 for laminating foam (lots more details of how that went in my build thread); at least 6 cans of GS; and now that I am skinning with FG I'm onto my 3rd gallon of epoxy (plus a quart here or there). There was also a gallon of 3M green contact adhesive (which I would not do again) and several tubs of light weight vinyl spackle.

While you're shopping, buy the big bulk size packages of sand paper; don't even waste your time with the little 4 sheet packs or multi-grit packs.

Okay, YMMV, but I'm just saying, these things are a major project no matter how you look at it, so you have to be prepared to spend more money than you probably would think on the "consumables".

Oh yeah, I forgot about the 6 tube I used of PL premium for wall attachment and skinning. And the Gallon of 3M fastbond water based contact cement (also green, also something I would skip next time) . Not to mention the gallon and a half of epoxy (I only glassed the corners, the field I just epoxy over the wood) and the hundreds of kreg pocket screws. . I don't know what my expenses on consumables are, but they are easily adding up to the several hundred dollar range.

With all that material , what did you build ? a 30ft two level tear drop with a balcony overlooking the pool ?

Well I guess some of the stuff hit the floor as spillage and sanding dust.

No, it's a 64 wide x 9'-8" long Benroy-esque TD. There is a lot more wood in a hybrid than in a pure foamie, so I guess that accounts for some of it.

How much Gorilla Glue to buy?

None. Hate the stuff.

VijayGupta wrote:How much Gorilla Glue to buy?

None. Hate the stuff.

so what are you using ?

In my renovation I am into the 2nd gallon of TBII. I have used 2 1.5 4oz bottles of GG. 2 cans of GStuff and 2 tubs of spackle. I am halfway through 6 tubes of adhesive. Paint is "guessed" at quarts sizes, but that may have been wishing instead of reality.


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rustytoolss wrote:

VijayGupta wrote:How much Gorilla Glue to buy?

None. Hate the stuff.

so what are you using ?

Let's see the pros and cons of Gorilla (polyurethane) Glue vs. a Type-II PVA like Titebond III
Cons:
* Short shelf life
* Expensive (even more expensive if it cures in the bottle and you throw half of it away)
* Foams
* Extremely weak in thicker glue lines (need to have a very well-fitting joint)
* Stains the skin
* Repeated exposure can lead to sensitivity
* Longer clamp time
Pros
* Water resistant
* Longer open working time

------

Franklin International, who also make their own polyurethane glue, says this in their FAQ section of their web site:

How does Titebond III compare to polyurethane glues?

While polyurethane glues bond well to a variety of materials, Titebond III is superior in many ways. In addition to excellent water-resistance, it provides a stronger bond on wood-to-wood applications, doesn't foam and requires less clamp time. Titebond III has no health issues, doesn't require the use of gloves and cleans up with water. It is significantly less expensive than polyurethane glues and offers similar coverage rates.

VijayGupta wrote:

rustytoolss wrote:

VijayGupta wrote:How much Gorilla Glue to buy?

None. Hate the stuff.

so what are you using ?

Let's see the pros and cons of Gorilla (polyurethane) Glue vs. a Type-II PVA like Titebond III
Cons:
* Short shelf life
* Expensive (even more expensive if it cures in the bottle and you throw half of it away)
* Foams
* Extremely weak in thicker glue lines (need to have a very well-fitting joint)
* Stains the skin
* Repeated exposure can lead to sensitivity
* Longer clamp time
Pros
* Water resistant
* Longer open working time

------

Franklin International, who also make their own polyurethane glue, says this in their FAQ section of their web site:

How does Titebond III compare to polyurethane glues?

While polyurethane glues bond well to a variety of materials, Titebond III is superior in many ways. In addition to excellent water-resistance, it provides a stronger bond on wood-to-wood applications, doesn't foam and requires less clamp time. Titebond III has no health issues, doesn't require the use of gloves and cleans up with water. It is significantly less expensive than polyurethane glues and offers similar coverage rates.

So does Titebond III glue foam to foam ?

rustytoolss wrote:

VijayGupta wrote:

rustytoolss wrote:

VijayGupta wrote:How much Gorilla Glue to buy?

None. Hate the stuff.

so what are you using ?

Let's see the pros and cons of Gorilla (polyurethane) Glue vs. a Type-II PVA like Titebond III
Cons:
* Short shelf life
* Expensive (even more expensive if it cures in the bottle and you throw half of it away)
* Foams
* Extremely weak in thicker glue lines (need to have a very well-fitting joint)
* Stains the skin
* Repeated exposure can lead to sensitivity
* Longer clamp time
Pros
* Water resistant
* Longer open working time

------

Franklin International, who also make their own polyurethane glue, says this in their FAQ section of their web site:

How does Titebond III compare to polyurethane glues?

While polyurethane glues bond well to a variety of materials, Titebond III is superior in many ways. In addition to excellent water-resistance, it provides a stronger bond on wood-to-wood applications, doesn't foam and requires less clamp time. Titebond III has no health issues, doesn't require the use of gloves and cleans up with water. It is significantly less expensive than polyurethane glues and offers similar coverage rates.

So does Titebond III glue foam to foam ?

Haha. Touché.

Really though. There is not a perfect silver bullet glue. Use the right glue for the right materials. It will save you time, money, and headaches.

rustytoolss wrote:So does Titebond III glue foam to foam ?

The answer is, sort of.

The PVA wood glues are all water based and must air dry to cure, so for a small piece (such as a test piece) or narrow pieces using a very thin rolled on application you can probably get away with it because there is enough exposure to air and not too much glue. But for larger areas, such as laminating panels, and/or if laid on heavy (even just the heavy lines that form along the edges of brush strokes can be too wet) it just won't dry out and cure. The only success I had was with wood to foam with a very thin rolled on application such that the wood could take all of the moisture before it started to seal up. The foam won't absorb enough or any moisture to help in the drying process.

I had similar issues when I spread PL300 (blue) using a notched trowel. I ended up adding shallow 1/4 inch kerfs every inch or so, not necessary for the bend radii I was dealing with, but simply to add air passages. It worked.

Edit: I should have said that I have used TB2, not TB3, and assume that the issues/performance would be similar.