building cabs: you're gonna need glue!

bigboote · #1 08-26-2010, 10:22 AM

I just built a cab, 3/4 ply, mitered corners, and i ended up using whatever left-over glue i had around- gorilla, PL, some ancient yellow, barge cement..... mostly gorilla and yellow. i tried to use the gorilla on my sloppier joints for it's gap-filling properties. i think the gorilla was my fav because the work pieces don't slide around as much when you're clamping. what's you-all's preferred adhesive?

p.s. what's good for gluing in the batting?

rpsands · #2 08-26-2010, 10:26 AM

PL is what I use.

I use spray on adhesive (elmer's I think) to hold in batting.

ohskigod · #3 08-26-2010, 10:31 AM

never built a bass cabinet, but did build some sub cabinets for home theater. I used elmers glue which works well for MDF, though would probably use Gorilla for Plywood in a bass cab

definitely spray adhevsive for the batting

NoGraveConcern · #4 08-26-2010, 11:14 AM

Yellow (Titebond II) for tight joints that can be clamped. PL Premium for sloppy ones or joints that can't really be clamped.

I use staples for the batting/mattress topper.

mcapote · #5 08-26-2010, 11:43 AM

Ive always used titebond II for building cabinets including SPL cabs for cars never had a single issue. for the batting I use 3m super 77 spray adhesive

Bassmec · #6 08-26-2010, 11:48 AM

CASCOPHEN Resorcinol Resin Glue for joints.

Servisol Spray Adhesive 120 for batting.

mikell128 · #7 08-26-2010, 12:38 PM

I use PL, it fills any gaps great!

seamonkey · #8 08-26-2010, 05:47 PM

Titebond II or III

Poly glues are not very good.

Read the reviews:
http://www.titebond.com/Download/pdf...urGlue_FWW.pdf

Growly Lytes · #9 08-26-2010, 06:52 PM

Thats not a Joint man... Thats a TOOTPIK.

bigboote · #10 08-26-2010, 08:55 PM

Quote:

CASCOPHEN Resorcinol Resin Glue for joints.

that's funny, i used to use resin for pipes....

billfitzmaurice · #11 08-26-2010, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamonkey

Poly glues are not very good.

Read the reviews:
http://www.titebond.com/Download/pdf...urGlue_FWW.pdf

They didn't test PL Premium.
I've used only PL Premium for about seven years now. If there was anything better I'd use it, but IME there isn't. Thousands of my cabs have been built with it, with not a single joint failure, including cabs that fell off the back of a pickup truck at 65 MPH.

rbonner · #12 08-26-2010, 10:04 PM

PL Premium or PL 400 = GOD'S GLUE

Around our shop you'll hear, "Toss me god's glue..."

The reason? Cause god invented that stuff also it will take an act of god to take something apart built with it.

MY SHOP is glued and screwed. It "tain't never comin part". When the tornado takes out the building the office is going to be standing there laughing back... and I'll be huddled in the SW corner.

I'm putting the sheetrock up now and they turn the phones and Internet up tomorrow... Just add a furnace and air and it will be just like downtown.

BOB

synaesthesia · #13 08-27-2010, 01:45 AM

There is a reasonable limit to what you want to do with your gear, if you build a bass cab, you want it to be subject to normal stresses for the job, you are not going to drop it off a plane at 3000 ft in freefall and expect it to survive a glue joint test. If you recall Eden had a weird advert in the magazines showing a burnt amp that they claimed still worked: I don't ever want to burn my amp till the knobs melt. That's one really for the TV sales channel buffoons.

That said, I've used all sorts of glues and have not had failures under normal conditions, PL expands and seals very quickly and I prefer that. I have used that for a while now, including quick mock up jobs to test designs with inferior/left over stock wood. The last cab I built was a test cab, in a few hours I was done and testing audio through it and it didn't have any leaks.

Staple Gun for batting.

Jim Campbell · #14 08-27-2010, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigboote

I just built a cab, 3/4 ply, mitered corners, and i ended up using whatever left-over glue i had around- gorilla, PL, some ancient yellow, barge cement..... mostly gorilla and yellow. i tried to use the gorilla on my sloppier joints for it's gap-filling properties. i think the gorilla was my fav because the work pieces don't slide around as much when you're clamping. what's you-all's preferred adhesive?

p.s. what's good for gluing in the batting?

mitered? would not rabet joints be a stronger choice,less saw set up,no gaps to fill........just askin.....

billfitzmaurice · #15 08-27-2010, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

mitered? would not rabet joints be a stronger choice,less saw set up,no gaps to fill........just askin.....

Well designed cabs use extensive cross bracing to control panel vibration, and that cross bracing makes the cab so strong that butt joints are quite adequate, and 1/2" plywood as heavy a material as you need to use. Complicated joinery as used in furniture isn't of any particular benefit for speakers. Won't hurt, but won't help either. Dados, rabbets and biscuits are often employed with commercial cabs that are CNC cut, but that's mainly to allow faster assembly, not strength.

beans-on-toast · #16 08-27-2010, 06:53 AM

Interesting comments about PL Premium. I've used it for gluing tiles and they're never going to come off.

I can appreciate how well it works for gap filling with loose fitting joints. I'm wondering how effective PL Premium would be with a tight finger joint where the amount of glue would be minimal. Since it is so thick, PL wouldn't penetrate into the wood like something like Titebond.

Which glue do you think would result in a stronger joint in this case?

billfitzmaurice · #17 08-27-2010, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beans-on-toast

Since it is so thick, PL wouldn't penetrate into the wood like something like Titebond.

PL does penetrate, even more than aliphatics, due to its expansion. But there's a catch: to do so as well as possible the joint must be fastened or clamped so that the PL won't push the joint open.
OTOH when it sits on the wood face PL doesn't go into the pores, and thus it doesn't adhere well. That's actually a plus, as it's very easy to scrape off when cured, whereas spillover of traditional glues are a PITA to remove.

beans-on-toast · #18 08-27-2010, 07:20 AM

Thanks for your comment.

Since aliphatics need to be clamped as well, using PL isn't a negative there.

Although probably not necessary, it sounds like cutting a series of parallel troughs, 1/32" or 1/16" deep along the gluing edge would provide an even stronger bond with PL.

billfitzmaurice · #19 08-27-2010, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beans-on-toast

Although probably not necessary, it sounds like cutting a series of parallel troughs, 1/32" or 1/16" deep along the gluing edge would provide an even stronger bond with PL.

IME not necessary, and runs counter to the main benefit of PL, which is to make cabinet building faster and easier.

bigboote · #20 08-27-2010, 08:57 AM

Quote:

mitered? would not rabet joints be a stronger choice,less saw set up,no gaps to fill........just askin.....

FWIW, I mitered purely for aesthetic reasons, since i'm going to leave the cab uncovered. and I did brace the living crap out of it.