Any suggestions for safe effective glue?

[mysticantiques]

Coming out of winter last year I had 4 hives. One was very weak so I covered the brood box of another hive with newspaper, killed the queen of the weaker hive and placed the remaining colony and what brood remained on top of the newspapered box. No idea if that was the right thing to do or not. Aside from the hellish mess they made of the paper, they apparently got along ok.

I wound up splitting the three hives and making 6 of them. The first honey I brought in was fair; the hives were none too strong yet, having been split, and here in Iowa, it rained incessantly all summer long. Our particular area had 5, (FIVE!!), flash floods. So there was no second harvest for us.

Now this year, despite my cousins annoying taunting about my hives, (I stuck styrofoam on them and duct taped it in place. He says they look "hokey". However, only 3 out of 11 of his hives have survived), all 6 of my hives have made it through the winter--so far, at least. We're not in the clear yet, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed, knocking on wood, and all that.

I have ordered some new deep boxes, anticipating that the hives may do as well as they did last year. I mean, although the honey harvest was not great, the colonies seemed strong. And, while I love honey, I care more that the bees are faring well.

What I need to know is, what kind of glue should I use when I'm putting these boxes together? I don't want to use anything that might sicken my bees. I'd like to use something that will help hold the boxes together, even through wet weather, but will not effect the bees or the honey. Anyone have thoughts or suggestions on that, I'd sure like to hear 'em! Thanks for your time!

[edward]

When i fix my broken poly hives I use water resistant wood glue , works without any toxins or problems.



mvh edward  :-P

[Finski]

.
Only glue is polyurethane glue which works with plastic hives. It makes a little bit foam.

Polyurethane hardens with water. So before you put pieces together, spray a water mist on surfaces.

Add some screws too in repairing places that foam does not push part pieces.

*****

Polyurethane glue likes to attach to moist fingers too. Protect your skin.

.

[Humanbeeing]

I use only Titebond 3. My bees seem fine with it. Speaking of glue, I love Gorilla Glue, not for hives, but for other stuff. It is amazing. Just spray the work pieces with a fine mist of water and stick them together and ZAP! It foams up so you can use it to piece together loose fitting parts. It don't look too good but it is good stuff. It's great to use a toothpich to stick some in a moist pilot hole. The screws will be permanent, as in Where's My Sledge Hammer! permanent.

[mysticantiques]

I'm heading out to go shopping now! I bought some new hive bodies that I'm assembling and I can't wait to be finished with them! This year, my bees are going to have NICE boxes to go into winter with. I suppose then I'll have to consider ventilation. The wonderful junk I'm using now is so full of holes and gaps that I haven't put a lot of thought into air flow. The poor little darlings won't know how to act with snug, gapfree and holeless homes!

[FRAMEshift]

We use Titebond 3.  It's rated as food grade and is not affected by water.  Gorilla Glue may be ok for screw holes, but for corner joints Titebond is better because you will always have some spill in areas accessible to the bees. 

[Finski]

.
Gorilla glue is polyurethane glue. Very few glues attach to  plastic.

[Robo]

If your talking wooden boxes than I use Titebond 2 or 3 if your talking the poly Beemax boxes, then I don't use any glue.

[Kathyp]

i love gorilla glue.  it's fun to watch  :-D

[D Coates]

I love the Gorilla glue but if you get it on anything (which invariably happens) you're screwed.  I now use Titebond 3 for all of my bee woodenware.  It acts like regular wood glue (washes off and you can wipe it off) but dries hard and waterproof.

[Finski]

if your talking the poly Beemax boxes, then I don't use any glue.

Question was on repairing polys

[Finski]

Last summer I bought Bison polyurethane glue. It was good but I did not have love feelings.

[windfall]

polyurethane glues (like gorila glue and a bunch of others) are definitely useful in unique ways...they will bond wet wood for example, as well at metal and some plastics, they cure fast, and can be stored at freezing temps...but some things to bear in mind:
All of them are really pretty nasty before and during cure....they use well known carcinogens like polyisocyanurate as their primary catalyst. I suspect...but don't know that the cured glue is not real friendly either.
Also the foaming types, while the foam will fill gaps it is NOT structurally glue anymore. You need tight fits and good clamping pressure for those types of glue to develop full bond strength. They do make thick paste like poly glues that are gap filling (cure to rubber consistency).

Titebond II (and I think III) are aliphatic resins. they have a long and well documented history of low/no toxicity.

If you really want to be a fanatic about "natural" non toxic adhesive it's hard to beat hide glue....but the stuff is a pain to prepare and would certainly need to be painted over for moisture protection.

If you need a gap filling glue with relatively low toxicity most epoxies are considered to be inert when cured and some formulations are classified as food safe. But all Epoxies are nasty until cured, expensive, and kind of messy to apply.

[HomeBru]

Titebond 3 all the way. Two primary problems with polyurethane glue (e.g. Gorilla glue): 1. When it "foams" It expands and can push joints apart, you need to keep it clamped. 2. It's MESSY! Titebond washes off with water if it hasn't dried completely.

J-

[Finski]

.
But note, very few glues fit to plastic. Question is not about water resistant.

Polyurethane foam is used as insulator in human houses. What makes it poisonous?

It is used in freezeners etc...

You may use polyurethane foam as glue when you rub bubbles away from foam.

[Kathyp]

good point about the expanding glue and keeping joints tight, but i think it applies to all gluing of joints.  when i use the glue, and it's usually just for repairs, i glue and nail.  gluing as a way to put all supers and frames together is a PIA....although it does help the frames stay together better.

[Robo]

Question was on repairing polys

Was it?

That is not how I read it.

I have ordered some new deep boxes, .......What I need to know is, what kind of glue should I use when I'm putting these boxes together?

[Finski]

1. When it "foams" It expands and can push joints apart,
J-

So it does but put some weight on pieces and use tape or plastic sheet that you get correct shape to repairing. You may cut extra glue away with knife when glue is hard.

[Finski]

Question was on repairing polys

Was it?

That is not how I read it.

I have ordered some new deep boxes, .......What I need to know is, what kind of glue should I use when I'm putting these boxes together?

OK, no glue then  ... I suppose I read, that split boxes....

.

[windfall]

Finski,
It is true that polyurethane foams are great insulators, and used in houses....to believe that makes them safe and benign is a big jump...Many household products in common use are being discovered to have long term negative health effects....Take a peak at lead paints, Some flame retardants, older formulations of MDF....the list is frighteningly long.

I used sheet polyurethane to insulate our own home, but I keep it outside the vapor barrier....It continues to offgass formaldehyde, as well as the afore mentioned polisocyanurate, and a number of other toxins for several years after production. This is well documented.
All that aside, No-one, not even the folks making the stuff disagree that while curing, polyurethanes are really nasty carcinogens. I am not saying don't use them. I am saying be aware of their risks. use them appropriately and take precautions for your own health during their use...people always joke about the black fingers you get for a week after....wear gloves at the least!