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I have used Titebond glue for wood projects for years and always just squeezed it straight from the bottle. When I started really doing more wood working projects a few years ago however, I began to go through bottles pretty quickly, so I decided to buy the gallon containers (better cost/ ounce) and just refill one of the 16 oz bottles to use for applying it. This worked great for a year or so, but the tip clogged pretty easily and it took some work to clear it out, but then, in the process, it was difficult to avoid breaking the part of the tip that actually sealed the bottle. Little by little it got chipped away and that just made it more and more likely that glue would solidify inside the tip, making it impossible to use.
So I looked to other woodworkers online to see what they were doing for glue application. There are so many options out there, depending on what you’re gluing and how much glue you go through, but one item that a lot of people seemed to be using was the Glubot. I saw countless people describing how excited they were about it, and what a handy tool it was for glue ups.
Then, when my old Titebond bottle was completely useless and I need to get a new one, I went to the hardware store and saw Glubots on the shelf. It was the first time I’d seen one in person, and I was a little surprised at how small it seemed. I checked to make sure it was the full size, 16 oz model and picked one up (online they’re around $8 plus shipping, in store I got it for $5, so it was a pretty low cost investment!)
I’ve been using it now for a few months on various projects of different sizes and I have a few thoughts about it.
The nozzle is supposed to be trimmed, just like a caulk tube to determine how much and how fast glue comes out. I trimmed it too small the first time (which is better than too big, but still) and it was really difficult to squeeze glue out fast enough. After I trimmed more off, it worked better, but still not as quickly as it would from the Titebond bottle – although there’s no hitting the bottle on the workbench to get the glue to the tip with a Glubot, you just have to squeeze. The bottle is made from a thinner plastic than the Titebond container, so it does compress pretty easily and the size of the container is a perfect fit for my hands (I wear large gloves). I also really like the rubber cap and that it’s attached to the container with a lanyard so even I can’t lose it. So far I haven’t had to clean the tip once, and with the way the cap is designed, I don’t really expect to have to ever, so I’m thinking it will last a lot longer than the Titebond bottle.
The bottle also came with a small additional tip for putting your glue line exactly on center for small, edge to edge glue ups. I haven’t needed to use it yet, but I’m sure that’s a nice thing to have for small surfaces like that. It looks like it maxes out at about ½’’ to ¾”.
Filling it up was a bit of a fiasco the first time – there’s a gasket in the lid and I had gotten a little bit of glue on the lip so when I went to put the lid back on, the gasket got a bit of glue on it, which made closing the bottle a little more difficult and messy than it should have been. In the future I’ll be a little more careful and it should go fine. The main chamber opening is a bit bigger than a 16 oz Titebond bottle’s, which is a good size to make it easy (if you pay attention) to refill.
All in all, I think this is a neat little product. Not necessarily a must have, but handy all the same. I could probably make it even easier to use by cutting even more off the tip, but I like the control I have where I’m at with it now. For anyone doing lots of small scale glue ups, this product would be a good alternative to just using the bottle once you get tired of dealing with all the clogs.
Charlie
__________________Nice review Chris, I picked up a gluebot a while back but have not put it to use yet. I can see that I need to pull it out and use it. I see my cabinet shops using them quite a bit.
Thanks for taking the time to do the review, Charlie. I have been looking at the Glubot myself; but I haven’t seen it in stores here. Buying from Elite Tools in Canada would come to close to $25 CDN so, as you could imagine, I haven’t bought one yet to try. A.ca offers it at about the same price.
After reading your review, it’s still on my list to get if I can find a way to do it at a reasonable cost. I’m in the same position as you, buying Titebond in bulk and refilling the smaller bottles.
BE the change you want to see.
Even if you can’t Be The Pro… Be The Poster you’d want to read.@smallerstick, yeah, $25 is way steep. Even considering the difference in currency value.
Charlie
__________________I have 4 Glu Bots! I think its safe to say that I’m a fan!
FYI, if the lid gasket fails, Fastcap will send you a new one free of charge!
Jon P.
Timber Carpentry & Construction
https://www.facebook.com/timbercarpentry/
Instagramjponto07 that’s great! Thanks for the tip 🙂 What do you use four for? Do you have different glued in each, or is it just to have them wherever you need around the shop, or something else?
@cmeyer25, They are all different glues. Titebond 2, Titebond 3, Titebond 2 Extend, and the Titebond thick mix (or whatever it is called…I don’t ever use it though.)Jon P.
Timber Carpentry & Construction
https://www.facebook.com/timbercarpentry/
InstagramThank you for the review. I have been looking at the GluBots just never pulled the trigger, but they do seem handy.
Automotive Pro
Fayetteville, NCCharlie, ThanX for the review, as Peter stated the cost of the GlueBot up here in Canada can’t be justified.
I just use a cheap dollar store bottle, has worked out good for me.“If you don’t pass on the knowledge you have to others, it Dies with you”
— Glenn BottingI need a new bottle, my titebond bottles are shot, but the Canadian price is nowhere near justified
What store did you find it at? Might pick one up next visit south
@montreal_woodworks I picked it up at my local hardware store – Hardware Sales. I’ve never seen them at my Lowes or HD, so I’m not sure how easy it would be to find them in a brick and mortar location outside my town.
Charlie
__________________I use one for a year or so and no problemos so far.
Bought it from Richelieu for 8 or $9. Something around that. Maybe they had a special?Thanks for taking the time for a review @cmeyer25 . I keep forgetting to order a glubot to try out . It seems everyone on IG uses them for glue ups . Just not a fan of fastcaps CEO .
Always willing to learn .
For the same reasons cited by other Canadians, the price for them here has always been so high for what it is and that’s primarily why I’ve never bought any Glubots. I like having two bottles. One fine cut and a second larger cut tip.
I use one for a year or so and no problemos so far.
Bought it from Richelieu for 8 or $9. Something around that. Maybe they had a special?I think i must of gotten on sale or something cuz i don’t remember paying more than 10 bucks canadian for mine bottles. I use them all the time. I quite like the larger sized ones for regular work and the smaller bottle for tight less glue work.
I use one for a year or so and no problemos so far.
Bought it from Richelieu for 8 or $9. Something around that. Maybe they had a special?I think i must of gotten on sale or something cuz i don’t remember paying more than 10 bucks canadian for mine bottles. I use them all the time. I quite like the larger sized ones for regular work and the smaller bottle for tight less glue work.
If I could find them for 10 bucks or so, I would have 2 or 3 in my shop, for sure. I use T Original and T III regularly so 2 anyway. The smaller one looks good for tight spots, too.
BE the change you want to see.
Even if you can’t Be The Pro… Be The Poster you’d want to read.very nice review charlie – I have two glubots myself and I really do like them
"If you're going to do something, do it right the first time"
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Palm Springs, CANo special, that’s the price for a 16 oz bottle at richelieu – $8,74 + tax. A 4 oz bottle is $4.
You can’t see the price unless you have an account with them.
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