Has Anyone Used "Gorilla Glue?"

[texagun]

Has anyone used Gorilla Glue for stock repair? Just wondering what your experience with this stuff has been. Would you recommend it for fixing a cracked stock?

 

[Oldnamvet]

I've used it for woodworking quite a bit. For a cracked stock I don't think it would do too well. It is so thick that you would have a really tough time forcing it into the crack fully. If the stock was broken, I'd use Titebond III before I'd use the gorilla glue. You'd end up with a less visible glue line.
You might be better off using CN (superglue) for a hairline crack. Keep adding more until the crack is full. It is thin enough to run back into the crack. If it is a nice gun, get a new stock if possible.

 

[mtnbkr]

I second CN for fine cracks. A few years ago, I dropped my Winchester Featherweight. The barrel flexed into the end of the thin schnabel forend, causing it to crack. Careful addition of CN, a bit of light sanding, and some tung oil and you can't find the crack unless you know where to look and the light is right.

Chris

 

[mrmeval]

How badly cracked?

Has anyone used Gorilla Glue for stock repair? Just wondering what your experience with this stuff has been. Would you recommend it for fixing a cracked stock?

 

[Dogmatix]

Wouldn't recommend it, Gorilla Glue expands a lot, and might crack your stock further.

 

[perazzi al]

Texagun I have used Gorilla Glue several shotgun stock with great results. the trick is to put the glue bottle in hot water, this thins it out , thinner than tight-bond. Make sure joint is TIGHT, use clamps or a big rubber band. Wait untill the pushed out excess glue has dryed before you remove it. The best for last- its stainable. Hope this helps

 

[Rpriestlyjr]

I second the expansion of Gorilla Glue. You would need to really clamp the part down. And if it runs onto the stock finish, you'll hava a hard time getting it off.
The stuff glues everything, though.

 

[JohnBT]

"put the glue bottle in hot water"

Now you tell me. And why didn't I think of this? :banghead:

I'm getting a lot of mileage out of a roll of Gorilla Tape I picked up at the gun store. I even fixed a cheap plastic bucket from Lowe's with it. It was cracked clear through all the way across the bottom and now it holds water. And that's with the tape on the outside. I'd bet it would fix a gun stock, too.

 

[Ian Sean]

I had an SKS hand guard split in half, used Gorilla glue and clamped it like the dickens.

I refinished the entire piece and it came out great. There is one area of the crack about an inch long you can see if you are looking for it. I was suprised it came out so well.

Use this stuff sparingly...as was mentioned it expands quite a bit. I only used a Q-tip and applied a very thin coat and still had glue coming up after expansion.

 

[Cosmoline]

OK, everybody seems to have a strong opinion on using this glue for stock repairs. I've recently happened onto a badly split M-39 stock that's otherwise very nice looking. Here's a pic:



The advice I've been given is that gorilla glue will NOT work because it expands, it's too hard to get into the crack and in that part of the stock the only solid cure is to drill holes through and install threaded brass rods. The rod option is there, but I've decided to try to cure it with the glue first, then run it through some torture tests with lots and lots and lots of heavy ball If it's going to crack again, so be it. I'll report on it and move on to the screw option.

Here's what I've done so far:

--Hold the crack open with Q-tip rods with the fuzz removed and rinse it out very well.
--Put new q-tip rods in and pour g-glue warmed from the windowsill into the cracks. I let gravity carry the glue down, then used long pipe cleaners to push it down further and spread it around. I repeated this process above and below. I then removed the q-tips and used two plastic clamps to secure the piece for drying.
--It's now completed its initial drying. I used shop towels to clean up excess glue as it came out but there's still a little bit of ooze that will need to be removed.

I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[aufevermike]

I have tried it without success. I have a sporterized 303 Brit. The 2 tone stock seperated. So I deciede to try this amazing stuff. I love it but not for wood. After it joined the 2 pieces I thought......awesome. It looked great and all. Except after the 2nd shot. The glue was really brittle and didn't appear to to be a great adhesive for wood.

my 2 cents

 

[Vic303]

If it was an original Enfield stock it was probably soaked in cosmoline in an earlier life. I'm not sure how GG will do with comsoline impregnated wood. Also, GG need some moisture to work properly. The wood need to have some water on it before glue is applied IIRC.

 

[Cosmoline]

I've heard both that it works great and works terrible, but this time I can guarantee you there is cosmoline or oil in the split and it was properly moist and did indeed work as intended. I can also guarantee I had total coverage, as I was able to see into the crack when spreading it around and confirmed it oozed out all sides.

This is a wartime Finn stock and does not have the impregnated cosmoline found in later M-39 stocks. If it did I'd probably be SOL, since no adhesive can hold too greasy pieces of wood together.

So we shall see. So far it appears to be holding up well

 

[Vic303]

but this time I can guarantee you there is cosmoline or oil in the split

Cosmo, did you forget the "No"? Just a little confused...

Vic

 

[f4t9r]

It works well but does expand alot.

 

[PotatoJudge]

Anybody found a good solvent for the stuff? For me its use in repairs is limited because anything that squeezes out is going to be visible after wiping the excess off. It also makes it a pain to clean off fingers, workbenches, tools, etc. I think it has its place, but repairing stocks that won't be refinished probably isn't it.

edit: Forgot to mention that elmers also makes a polyurethane glue (like gorilla glue) that is the same, but cheaper.

 

[TarpleyG]

For GG to work correctly, you need to follow the instructions on the label. You aren't supposed to simply apply the glue and stick it. You need to lightly wet one or both surfaces with water first, then apply the glue. Also, make sure you wear gloves.

http://www.gorillaglue.com/directions.htm

Greg

 

[Cosmoline]

I'm sorry, I meant NO cosmoline, other than me.

 

[CZguy]

I used G glue on a Husqavara Hi-Power stock that had the sling swivel holes wallowed out. It worked well but I had to keep wiping the excess of for an hour or so.

Neet tip about heating the bottle in hot water, I'll have to try that.

 

[Vic303]

I would suggest using a tape mask of a stock that you don't want the surface to contact any over-run of GG. Simple, cheap, and easily removed. BTW most of the GG can be removed with an exacto knife if you don't mask off the split.

 

[Cosmoline]

I waited until it was semi-soft and then picked it off with my fingernail. Worked extremely well, and came off without tearing the underlying wood. It would have damaged a finish if the rifle had one, though.

 

[brickeyee]

There is no solvent for cured gorilla glue (or any of the other polyurethane glues like elmer's).
Once the reaction occurs the stuff is no longer soluble. It can be chemically destroyed (the right acid, or maybe hot MEK). Neither is safe or good for the wood.

 

[jaysouth]

To repair cracks in stocks, heat the stock with a hair dryer (not a heatgun, you can set the stock on fire). After a few minutes, apply your favorite glue(I like titebond) with a toothpick or dental pick. the hot wood will suck up the glue and make it go deeper into the crack. Keep applying minute amounts until the crack is filled. You might play the hair dryer over the stock between applications to keep it sucking up glue and filling the crack deeper.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Big advertising; small results.

 

[chrisbob]

G G is great for wood working: but i would think twice about using it for a gun w/ high stress points, especially if it has deep oil or cosmoline saturation. Also if you are restoring it for historical and resale value!

It may look better when your done, but it may not be worth as much to an original collector. If you just want to shoot it; have fun it shouldn't have any safety issues. As long as the repairs are cosmetic only!