Elmer's School Glue

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Nanewnanew

New Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2019
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Just finished assembling an Estes rocket with an A engine. Used Elmer's white school glue for the whole thing as I didn't have recommended wood glue, didn't realize there was a difference in white glues. Ugh. Should I even launch it? If not, is it possible to tear the whole thing apart and rebuild with the OTHER frickin white Elmer's glue? You have to be kidding me. Thanks
 
First off, welcome to the forum! Secondly I admire the bravery it took to admit that you used that wimpy School Glue instead of good old Elmers Glue All or the much more manly wood glue. ;)If you can hold model by a fin without the joint failing then I say fly it like you stole it. :) Thirdly you hit a home run in your first at bat by starting a glue thread. The TRFers can get passionate about glue. ;)
 
Last edited:
School Glue and Glue All appear to be the same basic stuff - which is polyvinyl acetate (PVA) - with School Glue having a much higher water content. For a balsa/tung wood to paper bond or a paper to paper bond on a LPR rocket School Glue is fine. Glue All is stronger but it’s best, IMO, advantage over SG is it’s thicker and has a shorter working time before it sets. I use SG to paper fins because it seems to soak in faster but take longer to setup so I find it easier to position the paper and work out the air bubbles.

For any Estes 13/18mm motored rocket SG is just fine.
 
A winning technique with any PVA or aliphatic resin based glue is the “double glue” method. Paint each surface to be joined with a thin layer of glue. Let it set for a minute or two or five. Then apply a bead to one surface and press together. Almost super glue-like grab.
 
Elmer's School Glues can be washed out of clothes easier than the regular White Glue.
Just keep your rocket out of the water.
 
The white school glue I’ve seen recently can be washed off with water, unlike wood glue.

I would launch it for the purpose of testing water soluble glue.

Launch it as is until it breaks apart and come back to report the results!
 
The white school glue I’ve seen recently can be washed off with water, unlike wood glue.

I would launch it for the purpose of testing water soluble glue.

Launch it as is until it breaks apart and come back to report the results!

Actual, that may not be safe. Just add wood glue fillets around the fins.
 
I say you put an 18mm D engine in it and you won’t have to worry about the second flight. Jk. But you’re mostly fine using school glue. It’s more about the technique than the glue used with A,B & C engines. If you glued it correctly the type of glue mostly won’t matter. Try to avoid using super glue type glues as they can be brittle and snap easily.
 
I have been known to be upset with leaders of Museum of Flight rocketry programs when kids show up to the launch site with Alphas built with Elmers School Glue that are literally falling apart in the kids’ hands. But that’s because they use too much glue and don’t allow enough time for it to dry properly.

I think samb’s test of holding it by a fin, and if it holds together go fly it is a pretty good indication. School Glue can work, but it fails if there isn’t enough time to let all that excess water in the glue dry out.

Check all the usual places - fin joints, launch lug, shock cord mount and that the motor mount is solid. If they pass, it’ll be fine.
 
Great thanks for all the replies. Nice that y'all are so active.

I'm hoping to have the time to launch it today. I'll let you know how it goes.
 
Just launched it today, and it was ....... awesome! No glitches. Time to put in a bigger engine :)
Thanks ya'll.
 
Just finished assembling an Estes rocket with an A engine. Used Elmer's white school glue for the whole thing as I didn't have recommended wood glue, didn't realize there was a difference in white glues. Ugh. Should I even launch it? If not, is it possible to tear the whole thing apart and rebuild with the OTHER frickin white Elmer's glue? You have to be kidding me. Thanks
Launch it it will be fine on small motors.
 
Curious what rocket it is?

If it hasn't been painted, adding wood glue fillets at the base of each fin side will greatly strengthen it.
 
Just finished assembling an Estes rocket with an A engine. Used Elmer's white school glue for the whole thing as I didn't have recommended wood glue, didn't realize there was a difference in white glues. Ugh. Should I even launch it? If not, is it possible to tear the whole thing apart and rebuild with the OTHER frickin white Elmer's glue? You have to be kidding me. Thanks


I accidentally used Elmers school glue to build a Estes Curvilinear. A couple of days after attaching the fins I went to insert the ring around the fins one popped off in my hand. I was able to peel the remainder off with little to no force. None of the glue stuck to the body tube.

I simply used a hobby knife to remove as much of the hardened glue from the fins then sanded them and rebuilt with wood glue.

After seeing how easily the fins were removed, I wouldn't fly it if it were me.
 
Back
Top