# Anyone ever tried Gorilla glue instead of weldbond?



## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

I am trying this stuff out as I write this. It is pretty cheap and easy to find. I don't know if I trust it though. Anyone know anything about it or had a bad experience with it let me know....don't need to waste time


Thanks 

Justin


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## Ryan (Feb 18, 2004)

Never heard of it bet sounds interesting, let me know how it holds up and looks.


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## jhupp (Feb 27, 2004)

It is an expanding polyurethane glue. I have used it a lot in wood working and I like that it is supper strong (the wood will split before the glue breaks). But, I bet it is going to be quite messy to use in the terrarium. Plus it expands as it sets up, so it may be difficult to get the look you want. I would suggest packing extra peat or coco fiber into as it cures. On the up side, once it cures it is never coming off.


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## Ryan (Feb 18, 2004)

Is it toxic at all?


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2004)

i looked it up and it seems that "gorilla glue" in it's liquid state is mildly toxic, but since it dries to a solid resin once it dries, it wont be. apparently this stuff has the tensile strength of a cold steel weld. pretty wicked if you can get it to look decent =)


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

I would be careful with things that have not been tested in wet conditions. Weldbond works well if applied right, and the mortar being sold by some is also nice. I plan to try the mortar soon on a tank. 




andersonii85 said:


> I am trying this stuff out as I write this. It is pretty cheap and easy to find. I don't know if I trust it though. Anyone know anything about it or had a bad experience with it let me know....don't need to waste time
> 
> 
> Thanks
> ...


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

*re: gorilla glue*

Once this stuff dries it is waterproof just like weldbond; however, the probelm is it expands as it dries, which someone may have pointed out. I am cutting it today since it expanded a litle too much. It dries fast though. It looks ok, but since it expands I lost some contour. It doesn't really mix with water all too good and it dries a dark color, which is fine with me. I'll keep everyone updated.

Justin


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2004)

*ive considered it*

I saw this stuff at Lowes and it does seem like a good candidate. Does anyone jave any info regarding the ASTM rating? 

-Bill J.


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2004)

My buddy has used the gorilla glue to hold his drains in place and then applying silicone around that just to make sure it held. Let me know how it holds up for you. We are still testing it. 

As for the weldbond, personally I hate the sound of this stuff re-wetting. I have been using the ACE concrete bonder and primer, but haven't finshed the first tank to test if it does the same thing. If it does, I am going back to the silicone method and using the mortor for rock and pond features. My frogs are worth more to me that taking a chance on something that might get too wet.


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

*Gorilla glue*

Well, my project is completed and I must say that it looks great. I used a combination of the gorilla glue with water and a ton of peat. I stirred it up in bowl with my hand (covered by thick disposable gloves). I made a sort of clumpy paste and then just spread it over the foam. I let it dry for two days and it is dry as a bone in the desert. I just moistened it today and it holds pretty well without any sound or smell. The plants are in and I'm going to trial run it for a week or so. Pictures will be posted soon (I hope).

Justin


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## Ryan (Feb 18, 2004)

get you give the ratios? and how much did it take?


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

Ryan said:


> get you give the ratios? and how much did it take?


Ryan,

I used a 1:1 ratio of water to glue and then just added a peat/coco mixture until it got pasty....er chunky is more like it.

UPDATE: I added some frogs to the terrarium after it had dried out for a week...which seemed uneccesary since it dried out in like two days. The frogs are doing fine so far. Once I get my nikon view to work I will post some photos. It seems like the club moss is really taking to the background, which is a plus in my book.

Happy frogging!

Justin


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## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

Hey Justin, get any pics yet?


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

*glue*



jbeetle said:


> Hey Justin, get any pics yet?



Beetle,

No photos yet. My computer won't let me download the stupid program to upload the photos. I'm working on fixing that this week. Photos will be up soon though as I have made three viv's in this fashion so far- and they are holding up rather well.

Justin


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## Guest (Apr 19, 2004)

Do you have any areas in the viv that have water in constant contact with the background?


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

What I'm planning on doing (with Weldbond...) is to use the Weldbond/Cocobrick/Peat mix in areas above water. And black silicone below water.

And river "valleys" will be black silicone and gravel.

s



Khernunnous said:


> Do you have any areas in the viv that have water in constant contact with the background?


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## RSines (Feb 15, 2004)

Scott,

Try using brown silicone instead, it really makes a huge difference.

-Richard


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

I will try to get a picture of a section of weldbond over foam that has been submerged for months. A bit hard to see since the java moss is growing now.



Scott said:


> What I'm planning on doing (with Weldbond...) is to use the Weldbond/Cocobrick/Peat mix in areas above water. And black silicone below water.
> 
> And river "valleys" will be black silicone and gravel.
> 
> ...


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

*background*



Khernunnous said:


> Do you have any areas in the viv that have water in constant contact with the background?


Hello. I do have one section in one of the setups that has water in constant contact with it- it turns the water brown, which makes sense since I used peat. Not a problem though- smells a little like a peat bog. I don't think I'd use this stuff for a water feature.

Justin


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2004)

The worst part about it is that it expands. I tried it and the next thing I knew it expanded out of the screws leaving a mess. So if you use it prepare for the expansion.


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