Glue failed on my last text block and I had to start over

I was putting together a fiction rebind last Saturday, a hardcover with a sewn text block. I used my usual PVA glue and let it dry for about 4 hours like I always do. When I went to trim the edges, the whole thing just fell apart in my hands. The pages came loose from the spine and about 20 signatures slid right out. Turns out the glue had expired and I didn't check the bottle before using it. I had to take the whole thing apart, scrape off the old glue, and start fresh with a new batch. Has anyone else had a glue failure like this or do you have a brand you trust more?

2 comments

2 Comments

susanm225d ago

Is it possible the issue wasn't the glue age but how it was stored? PVA can go bad fast if it freezes or gets too hot in a garage, but a bottle from last year kept in a cool room should still be fine.

pipergonzalez5d ago

My last glue disaster was with a batch of Lineco PVA that had been sitting in my garage for like 2 years. I learned the hard way to write the expiration date on the bottle with a sharpie and keep it stored upside down so you can see if it gets chunky. Now I check the date before every project and replace it every 6 months even if there's still half a bottle left, its just not worth the heartbreak lol.