We were at a fair in Oregon in the summer and were trying to glue wood – it was extremely dry wood and wasn’t holding very well at all. We experimented a bit and found that if we primed the dry surfaces with water the bond was extremely fast and unbelievably tight. You don’t want the surface dripping wet but damp is good. You will use considerably less glue as well. We have since used this with leather and terra cotta – other very dry materials. One of the things that was happening was that without being primed most of the glue was soaking in and nothing left on the surface to bond. Also, a bit of moisture seems to help, in these cases, the glue to set up. I’ve been using this technique at wood shows as part of my demonstration. I’ve glued end grain on wood – by wetting the wood first then applying the glue to one side pressing the pieces tightly together for 30 seconds or so and we had some very strong guys unable to pull them apart.
Miracle Glue is an excellent glue but it needs a tight bond. The surfaces have to be flush together. If there is a gap, say, a loose dowel in a chair or a loose leg on a table you can use a filler with Miracle Glue to help with the repair. This way you can repair the chair or table without having to take it apart.
You can put some dry baking soda (or cornstarch or talcum powder) down into the crack between the dowel and the piece it’s in. Work it in until it’s packed tightly, then blow off any loose powder. Add 2-3 drops of glue at the joint and within a few seconds it will be like concrete. You can even use something like cinnamon to match a color.
Sawdust also makes an excellent fill when working with wood. One simply fills the hole with the right color sawdust and applies drops of glue. You may have to build up the sawdust and glue in increments until you have the desired thickness. This is great for stripped threads in a screw hole in a hinge on a cupboard door or a table leg.
Attempting to mix a fill which you will then put into a hole is an exercise in futility. It will turn into a solid in seconds.
Miracle Glue will do a great job repairing a thousand household items. It is the same base as Super Glue or Krazy Glue but the solvents have been distilled out. Being pure it is much stronger than either Super Glue or Krazy Glue and it also dries clear and flexible. And it is foam safe – it won’t melt things like neoprene or Styrofoam. But the really wonderful thing about Miracle Glue is that you get to use it all.
Most customers, storing it in the fridge, are keeping the glue for around three years. It is stronger than Superglue and has a much longer shelf life. It won’t keep forever but you should be able to get a good 3 years out of it. If you are going on a trip take it with you, it will come in handy, just don’t leave it out in the sun. When you get home put it back in the fridge.
