Why Glue Alone Won’t Make Strong Joints

[@asahearts1]

That is a lot of pure, concentrated information, presented in a concise, effective way.

[@jobobminer8843]

The straight dope of carprentry injected directly into our eyes/veins for 17 minutes and change

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks for saying.

[@samantha.907]

This was awesome! My jaw dropped when it took over 77kg to snap the horizontal grain one. Wonderfully made, reminiscent of old KZbin. Keep it up.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

We were surprised too. Notice that it actually actually lifted the workbench a few inches before it snapped. I had over 100 lbs. (45 kilos) of lead shot in the tray under the benchtop just to keep that from happening.

[@essi-]

​@@WorkshopCompanionholy cow!

[@indianftrtard7899]

Tons of good channels on KZbin. It's getting better not worse

[@karolskakes388]

I'm pushing 70 years now - Grand Parents on both sides of family worked wood, I have a BS degree - with a large emphasis in plastics, (most glues fall into what we call plastics). I saw two joints that I have never herd of or seen before. This video should be required watch material by every person world over who will attempt to glue two adjoining surfaces, or have attempted and failed! Well done - with great informative detail. Thanks to your whole team for creating and sharing!!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks for the kind words.

[@chrisb2443]

I often think my degree is a load of BS too 😉

[@jeremypeterson7479]

Banger video. I had initially dismissed it expecting I knew everything and then you went into the science and molecules of the glue and I realized you are a true master! These are wonderfully edited too.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks. Much of that was Travis' doing -- those were some of his first ventures into serious animation.

[@giorgiochiappini1931]

After 15 years of watching woodworking channels and half of them spent woodworking and practising, your channel is definetly the best. Pure, gold knowledge given from an lovely human being. Thank you!

[@jaytheist]

You're the best KZbin content creator for woodworking, by far.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks for the kind words.

[@j4yb0ne]

I'm a young guy who aspires to be a skilled woodworker one day. From day 1 with my circular saw and some construction lumber, your channel has been a constant resource for down-to-earth guidance on how to safely and smartly work with wood - you're the "wise craftsman grandpa" I never had. Just wanted to thank you Nick and let you know you're doing something great for a lot of folks out there learning the ropes of this craft in 2024 and beyond.

[@icecreamtruckog3667]

Remember there is only one you, but you can always buy new stuff, so safety is number 1, 2 and 3 and after that is money and time.

[@natelagrassa9337]

I second that one.

[@TheAstroflight]

Watch "1 Year Renovation of a 100 Year Old Silo | Start to Finish" here on youtube. The woodworking skills these "young guys" display will blow your mind. They are a bunch of brothers who did not allow their youth to interfere with their ambitions. I'm sure Nick would be impressed, particularly with the roof build, that was truly mind blowing. They are the Worzalla brothers; maybe they had a skilled grandfather who inspired them young. Sub to them, you won't regret it... and they acknowledge they are still learning.

[@LordoftheThings327]

I've had a lot of these principles explained to me before, but goes to show what an excellent communicator your are that your explanations are so much more succinct and understandable in a way that makes it easier to click with, both on the why it works and how to apply it practically

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks.

[@ChimeraActual]

Excellent video!! From a boat carpenter's perspective, it's glue and screw everything possible. Glue for the shear, screw for the tension, and only epoxy or Resorcinol on a boat.

[@Diphyidae]

My father has always gone on about a book called "understanding wood" by bruce hadley. This feels like a far more practical explanation than that book and it just makes so much more sense to me. I had never understood why my father made desks with floating breadboard ends but seeing this it makes so much more sense. Also absolutely astounding that end-to-end glue joints could even be that strong, in areas that arent subjected to much racking or any deformation forces, it looks like it could be viable joint?

[@WorkshopCompanion]

I have Bruce Hoadley's books, and he is an insightful although sometimes impenetrable writer. As for end-to-end glue joints, the chemists at Franklin Inc. (home of Titebond) showed me that trick when I interviewed them for my book "Gluing and Clamping." They had their salesmen glue two 2x4s together, lay the assembly across two cement blocks, and stand on it.

[@ArtHeld]

I grabbed a copy of your book - and its another winner, just like the videos. Thanks for making this much knowledge (400 pages?!) available for such a reasonable price. We are clearly benefiting from a lifetime of experience.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks for saying. I wrote "Woodworking Wisdom" immediately after finishing the Workshop Companion series -- the series was an encyclopedia, the book was its condensation. It wrapped up what I had found to be the core knowledge necessary to be a competent craftsman. We did some serious updating to include new info and sources that have appeared since it was first published. And now that it's in digital format, we'll continue with that updating as new developments arise.

[@angellas.1314]

@@WorkshopCompanionWould love to have all that in video format, as you’re such a joy to watch! And I’m not even working to be a craftsman!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

@@angellas.1314 We have been pulling stuff out of the book for years -- well over half the topics on this channel are covered in more detail in that book, and in even greater detail in the Workshop Companion series. And we'll continue to do so. You'll eventually get your wish, Lord willing and the creek don't rise.

[@jamiegibson1010]

Nick is without a doubt the best woodworking teacher on KZbin. His videos are so informative on a level that amateur woodworkers can understand. Love the dog too.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks for saying.

[@FormerlyKnownAsAndrew]

I came for woodworking. I stayed for penetrative adherence.

[@dcsdrive]

I was literally going to say something like this.😂

[@johnsrabe]

That’s what Xi said.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Is it safe to say you were stuck to your seat? (I'll show myself out...)

[@tonyrose2692]

That's hot

[@DagenSkagen]

I was glued to the screen. Hopefully I can adhere to the principles. Ok that’s enough goof off.

[@rhpsoregon]

I've watched at least a half-dozen glue-bond videos over the years, some including massive spreadsheets using several types and brands of glue. They all give short shrift to the grain alignment to focus on the different glues. None of them have explained the topic in as much concise detail as you did. Thank you. But I got to the end of the video and you left me hanging. You got all the way to talking about breadboard ends without ever mentioning them by name, and the fact that the best cross-grain joint doesn't require glue at all, just drawbored pins to hold it together. Well done.

[@skippylippy547]

Love the way Nick explains things. I always look forward to his videos.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks.

[@vegetarianhunterable]

The best, most informative, woodworking video I have seen in years. Nick is a true master

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks. We try.

[@RamaChandran-p7m]

A topic of vital importance not only for woodworking but also for adhesives and adhesion, in general, was presented efficiently. As a retired R&D scientist with 40 years of experience in the materials industry, I must say you did a splendid job of driving the salient points home

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks for your kind words.

[@Philip2-r7k]

i really liked this video and i normally don't watch woodworking videos so this one must be really good

[@sham_wow_guy]

When we built bridges out of popsicle sticks in engineering class in high school, after I assembled mine, I coated the whole thing in wood glue and it significantly made it stronger.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

I'll pass that on to the city engineers -- they're currently repairing a bridge over a nearby river...;-)

[@angellas.1314]

@@WorkshopCompanion😂😂😂❤. You are funny 😂❤😁

[@RickyVonPooper]

Thanks Nick and Travis!

[@DazDaz105]

The Einstein of wood is back 👍

[@johngardiner8847]

He stole his hairstyle, that’s for certain

[@lgconf]

I absolutely did not expect these two end to end joints at 12:10 to be as strong as they were. Fascinating tests, thanks a lot Nick! Incredible video as always!

[@Matasiete666]

I have learned more from watching three of your videos than from reading a book on cabinetmaking. You are a great professional. Excellent videos. Greetings from Spain.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thank you from Ohio.

[@clonecone]

I have notifications turned on for exactly one channel and this is it.

[@martylasher539]

i've had 'Woodworking Wisdom' in my shop for over 20 years. As a self-taught wood butcher, it has really saved me a lot of anguish. Of course there are many ways to tackle any woodworking problem, but the advice in that book will never be wrong and it is very clear and understandable. It was my first woodworking book and it's still the one I use the most.

[@Erelyes]

The wood whisperer in action. Thank you for the video Nick, immensely informative and paced really well too.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Most welcome.

[@mr702s]

This is one of the best basic carpentry videos I have ever seen!

[@mpbx3003]

I genuinely can't express how breathtaking this video is in terms of instruction. The video itself is fantastic technically, but the instruction is so good. Grounded in science, but not dismissive of traditional industrial knowledge. A great mix of theory and practical demonstration. Extremely information-rich, but written and presented with tremendous pacing and clarity so it never bogs down. Truly wonderful and effective teaching which could stand next to any woodworking video on KZbin, television, or whatever platform. Thank you so much!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Most welcome, and thank you for the kind words.

[@sp33dracer10]

Best woodworking teacher and channel on KZbin. I appreciated the testing, objective data analysis, and animation and visual models to explain the concepts in the video.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks for saying.

[@RazakelKairo1994]

This is probably the best thing the algorithm has passed to me in recent times. Everything here seems really simple and logical, but without the know-how it can lead to lots of frustration (wether it be you or client) that you only really eventually find out by trial and error. And here you are, explaining it in such an easy to grasp and convincing way that makes any aspiring watcher and woodworker instantly level up, without the need to gather up spreadsheets that might be impenetrable for some to grasp. I'm very eager to get your book whenever the chance arises for me to do so. In the meantime, I'll just be here, lurking and watching your teachings ;).

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks for the kind words.

[@Oxcart19-s8r]

Your channel is pure gold. I just ordered your book. I hope you sell a million copies. Thank you for including all the "background science" for WHY things are best done a certain way.

[@crowmaster9652]

So the best interface for effective gluing strength is to have the wood joints be perpendicular to the main force that would be acting upon it, put multiple coats of glue to fill in more gaps thus increasing bond, and consider a small amount of extra space in the joints for expansion and contraction The first one seems effective if the wood is going to have an acting force upon it The second one seems more effective if the wood is going to be exerting a force The third one seems more effective if the wood is going to be undergoing weather conditions Knowing what the wood will do can determine the appropriate technique

[@wootenbasset8631]

Concise and humorous. This video is a standard for KZbinrs.

[@lightaces]

Good info. Condensed for understand-ability without reducing anything to the point of inaccuracy. Very nice.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks.

[@Mango_Puffin]

Your videos are immensely helpful. You're the shop teacher I always wish I had, and look, here you are! Never too late to learn, and I've got a LOT of learning to do. Appreciate your knowledge, willingness to share, and amazing way of explaining everything so even I, can understand it.

[@RobSandstromDesigns]

This is the best summary video of glue joints while providing enough detail so information can be applied that I have seen. Thank you.

[@TomGarner99]

I just purchased your Woodworking Wisdom book. Wow! A lot of book for $20 and perhaps will be my most used woodworking “tool”. I do woodworking as a hobby and between that book and your videos I feel the learning curve is much smoother. Thanks! 😊

[@TomGarner99]

P.S. I am a chemist and appreciate your scientific approach to learning. I have heard some of what you discussed on joinery strength, but your experiments make it easier to understand and for my brain to retain.😊

[@Kebekwoodcraft7375]

You make me realize all the mistakes I made 😢 thanks 😊

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Most welcome. And sorry.

[@jaredrubi5291]

What an amazing video, I was expecting to know everything that could be explained here, but not only did I learn, I also stayed because of the amazing way to deliver information you have

[@jodytho]

I absolutely loved the thoroughness of this video, the way you present all of the information so clearly and concisely, and your sense of humor! Thank you!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Most welcome.

[@JesseRiley]

Love these videos! Adding your book to my Christmas list!

[@yohannsantos4901]

I’ve watched a few tens of videos of this same subject, this is by far the best one I’ve watched. Not as scientific as some other videos, however much more practical and useful. Thank you very much for the work!

[@neruneri]

As a regular young DIY-er, there were a lot of supremely useful points of knowledge shared here. I feel like I have a much more concrete understanding of what is going on now than I had before watching. I have certainly encountered and built up a little bit of intuition about what works and what doesn't, but now I'm better equipped to make more thoughtful decisions. Thanks!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks for sharing. Good luck.

[@nialstewart8263]

This is fantastic, I'm only 5 mins in and hadn't appreciated the need for force in a glued joint.

[@LyleAshbaugh]

Best glue joint video ever! And I’ve watched a ton.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks.

[@billm.8220]

Your knowledge knows no bounds. Your explanations are simple & to the point !! Keep up the good work !!

[@JamesRichards]

Excellent. Every new wood worker could save themselves a lot of time and confusion by watching this!

[@ChristopherRNeumann]

These are some of my favorite videos on this platform. They're informative, funny, and understandable. Thank you to your team for all you're doing and providing.

[@MCsCreations]

Fantastic, Nick! Thanks a bunch for the lesson!!! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@Mighty_Atheismo]

This couldnt come at a better time nick! I just finished gluing up my firat box and i am wondering if glue alone will get it to heirloom levels of durability. No sooner did you mention adhesion and cohesion than did i put the clamps back on my project. I had taken em off to clean squeezeout. Hopefully I havent undermined the joints.

[@raydriver7300]

19,000 views in 8 hours! Love your content and, as always, thank you for taking the time to share 🌞

[@doyalkrishna5656]

PHENOMENAL video. Best content on the internet for glueing

[@howler5000]

I love it when a video comes out from this channel!

[@nerknerk8834]

No matter how hard I try, I always learn something from your videos! Thanks Nick.

[@Dr.CandanEsin]

Besides your plethora of knowledge and experience, your presentation skills make me think that you have educated yourself on declamation. You have very clear and understandable speech for non-native speakers like me. Thank you. 🙏🙏

[@conspicuousman5162]

great video! kept me glued at the screen

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Somebody else seemed to be stuck to his seat. I'll need to post a warning...

[@sirseriously]

Your delivery of information is impeccable.

[@locustsun]

I’ve always been interested in woodworking. It’s content like this that I enjoy. It’s simple, it’s informative, and it has personal product placement without selling. I will come back to this over the over-done, over-hyped pieces that make cuts without explaining reasoning or have some catchy tune behind it. I’m more receptive to this because I’m exhausted by the sell. This is helpful to society and is a better sell overall. I’m really hoping things like this get me into the hobby (granted the cost can be great, but rewarding all the same).

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Many, many years ago, I was asked by Shopsmith to produce a one-advertiser magazine. I told them that I would do so only if there was a clear distinction between the ads and the editorial, and the editorial would focus on woodworking. My pitch was that people don't buy tools because they want tools -- they want the things that tools can make or do. Shopsmith agreed, and within three issues, "Hands On!" magazine was generating $1M/issue in sales.

[@ifiwooddesigns]

Wonderful and educational. Maybe a follow up would be amount of clamping force, how to distribute clamping force over area, and most importantly, how long of a time. Overnights seem too long, and I’ve heard others say that 1.5 hours is more than enough time. They’ve figured out stains to cure almost instantly with UV light, the only thing that delays projects are glue clamp ups and time. Could an instant adhesive (and I don’t mean CA glue) be in the near future???

[@WorkshopCompanion]

RF (for Radio Frequency) glues have been around since he 1940s, and are used by many production shops. A high frequency RF gun (operating between 2 and 30 MHZ) cures the glue in seconds.

[@blackdragoninnovations3563]

Thank you so much for all your teaching! I love your videos ❤

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks for your kind words.

[@Homanjer]

Very cool how well the theory works in practice here. I do still think it's quite amazing how strong wood and glue are. Even without a tenon, 20kg of force on such a tiny glue surface is pretty incredible!

[@lgerback34]

This is just brilliant education content, delivered free and so effectively. Thank you for sharing.

[@danheidel]

When you get down into the weeds of material strength, you quickly learn just how little a single value like adhesion strength actually matters when determining the strength of a joint. In addition to the many great complicating factors pointed out in the video, you also have to think about the joint geometry and how it affects the force on the glue. Think about tape bonded to a surface. Even a fairly small piece of tape can have surprisingly large force needed to pull it off it you are pulling perfectly perpendicular to the surface it's bonded to. E.g.: think of two pieces of metal that are bonded by a single piece of double sided tape. If you pull those pieces of metal apart with perfectly perpendicular force to the joint, it might take hundreds of pounds of force to pull the metal pieces apart. However, if you just have the tape stuck to one piece of metal and pick up the edge and peel it off, it might only be a pound or two or force needed to peel it. The huge difference is that when you peel the tape off, you are only breaking adhesion on a very tiny line at the exact place the tape is pulling off the surface. That way, you only need to break a tiny bit of the tapes adhesion strength at a time instead of all at once. Same thing happens in a butt joint in furniture. When you rack that joint, half of the bonding surface is in compression, which already doubles the force per area on the half of the glue joint that is in tension. Further, the wood bends slightly so edge of the far side of the joint that sees the highest stress will break first, like how the tape peels up. The breaking of the glue then zippers across the joint as it opens up. Since you are only breaking a small percentage of the joint at any given time, the racking strength is much lower. If you have a dowel or biscuit in the joint, that additional glue surface area is now parallel to the racking force so the entire bulk wood/biscuit joint feels the same amount of stress from the racking force because that part of the joint is in shear, not tension. There's no simple way for one small part of that joint to fail, it has to all go at once. Because of that, the racking strength is much higher.

[@svedalawoodcrafts]

This is one of the best and most informative video's I have viewed in the wood working category. THANK YOU for taking your time to put this together!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Most welcome.

[@mychalevenson7710]

The most important thing is using the right joint and right techniques for the right project. I've made hundreds of picture frames with a miter joint and no spline. Plenty of strength to house paintings, photographs, and other basic stuff. I would not hang a bowling ball from one of these.

[@vichenzadoorian7551]

You are a teacher sir, you make things incredibly easy to understand. Thank you for all your videos.

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Most welcome.

[@stevemanart]

That little "woah" when the plywood miter spline broke caught me off guard

[@WorkshopCompanion]

It's because the plywood glue joints -- the urea-formaldehyde the holds the veneers together -- let go before the Titebond. The plywood spline came apart!

[@GreenOne01]

This is great! Clear, concise data, & tests. Thank you for sharing this! 😁

[@ST-0311]

Nick, you always elevate my established knowledge base to another level. I didn't expect to learn much from this video. I was incorrect in that expectation. Thank you.

[@nothingtoseehere93]

Best channel on KZbin

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Aw shucks...(drags toe in sand)

[@erikleorga]

Masterful presentation.

[@pepebona1]

i am from the Philippines, i have been using your books gifted to me by my friend in the Manila office of Peace Corps...they made me a better cabinetmaker...(like your Making Built-in Cabinets)

[@TimpBizkit]

For end to end I'm a fan of the sawtooth joint. I've never cut one myself, but just seen it used in commercial products to lengthen a board when purchasing wood strips. The advantage is you get the full cross section of cellulose fibers running throughout the joint, unlike the "square tooth" or "top of a castle" joint, that cuts through half of the fiber area in one go, or the dowel or mortice joint that has only the cross section of them. The second is there is very little end to end grain gluing. The third is that if you make the sawtooth edges long enough, not only can you can get a huge gluing area, but reduced leverage on the glue in an end to end attempted bend. The ideal length is just strong enough that the board would break somewhere else if bent or pulled apart end to end, though there is no leverage advantage in the pull apart test.

[@krenwregget7667]

great video stuffed full of amazing info. Should be required viewing for anyone getting into woodworking.

[@weaselwolf]

This kind of nerdy yet accessible materials science is my jam

[@JaeohnEspheras]

Love your channel. This should be standard for all education channels.

[@Baykah]

This guys is better at this than anyone else is at anything.

[@1deerndingo]

A really good, well needed instructional video. Thank you

[@theoldfart6404]

Nick, thanks for the great information. The detail in your presentations always sticks with me! So much so that I have your complete book series - had to build a special shelf for those woodworking bibles in my shop!! Keep up the great work.

[@BeesyWoodCo.]

I'm so happy to have found your channel. You're an amazing teacher!

[@rickd1655]

Wow! That’s an excellent and effective demonstration. Lots of great info! Thank you!

[@CapeSIX]

17min Long vid!!! I’m gonna need to get home from work and make some popcorn for this one

[@jimadams6159]

Brilliant, well presented and clear information. Really glad to have found your channel. I am learning so much and find that I am retaining the knowledge I have picked up because of the way you explain everything. Thank you.

[@pazmaniaoh6341]

Always a pleasure. Thank you!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Most welcome.

[@jamescrowley1912]

I appreciate your videos, the information is always timely and practical. Please keep posting, the more often the better!

[@sisie211]

Very informative. I craft with a lot of mediums and this was very insightful.

[@Dandroid61]

Excellent teacher. Valuable content. Nick is awesome.

[@gsilcoful]

Thanks!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Most welcome.

[@timt5381]

Nick, you are the best youtuber out there for learning, I am so very grateful. :)

[@sapelesteve]

Interesting topic and great presentation Nick! Great to see you back posting again! 🔨🔨👍👍

[@cobberpete1]

Prof Nick, please do wear your "White Apron'. That has to be one of the best explanations that I have seen. And thank you also for the metric equivalents as most of the world uses Kg, and mm

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Thanks for saying. (I don't have a white apron.)

[@ailijic]

Best video on gluing wood

[@Incredulous-w7u]

I found out about this over 50 years ago in Highschool wood shop. My shop teacher made a laminated joint of two pieces of one by six planks joined edge to edge. Clamped them together to make aone by twelve, about three feet long. A couple days later, our teacher demonstrated how much stronger the joint was than the boards themselves. They split at the grain again and again and the joint never split. And the glue was just white Elmer's. Nothing special.

[@nothingtoseehere93]

I knew conceptually that grain direction matters but I never paid attention to it. Now I will

[@MrDfurlong]

Excellent explanation of wood and glue appplication

[@EdwardM919]

This man is a national treasure!

[@windfirewoodwork]

Great information and clear explanation, thank you!

[@Dutcharmytent]

I used to do these British Standard tests using an Instrom machine in the building Industry . Your tests were first class and made a fascinating video. My job was to engineer the test rigs for plaster board fixings.

[@johnpayne6196]

Check out who “sponsors” British Standards?

[@kaleoariola]

What a large wealth of information in these videos. I look forward watching your videos and just knowing that I'll learn something new to better my woodworking skills. Thank you!

[@WorkshopCompanion]

Most welcome, and thank you for the kind words.

[@davidjanis1997]

WOW what a concise book! How long did take to write it?

[@WorkshopCompanion]

If you're talking about Woodworking Wisdom, It took me about ten years. As I was writing the Workshop Companion encyclopedia, I came to realize there was certain things that I had to explain over and over again with each new book in the series. This was the "core" woodworking knowledge one needs to be a reasonably competent craftsman. So when I was finished with the encyclopedia, I boiled it down into "Woodworking Wisdom."

[@davidjanis1997]

@@WorkshopCompanion Did you get it printed?

[@WorkshopCompanion]

@@davidjanis1997 It was originally published by Rodale Press.