Which glue to use to slab endcuts

Pat, Quailriver has given you some good advice. Almost any wood glue will work and can be encouraged to release when desired. I use standard wood glue (let it cure overnight at least and as stated remove oil from the surface to be glued). Gorilla glue is also great. It foams a bit so it fill irregularities if you don't have an exactly smooth face to be glued. Soak it in water overnight Or two nights, and it will usually pop off with minimal scrapping action needed to remove residue. I have found that the freeze thaw process accelerates the release of my wood glue stubs (an advantage of winter in NM). Epoxy sounds like overkill to me, but . . . ? Tom

I use sodium silicate with very good results to work end cuts. I glue clean rock end cuts to both 2x4 and/or 4x4 with a good floating bond to prevent any voids. This bond is allowed to cure overnight. Once cut I then soak the remaining end cut in water that has some dish washing soap added to help release the rock slab in two to three days. Sodium silicate is easy to use and gives a very strong bond. The wood piece can easily be cleaned and reused.

I too have been using 40% sodium silicate. It works great and is fairly inexpensive. I use the same method as victor1941. I picked up a gallon on ebay for $36 and free shipping. It came in four 1 quart bottles. The senior center, where I cut some rocks, bought 2 of them from me to replenish their supply. I haven't tried boiling water to separate the ends from the 2x4s. Cold water with a little dish soap has been releasing the end piece in less than 12 hours for me. Some people don't like to reuse the 2x4 piece. But I haven't had any problems reusing them after they dry out.

One funny thing you might read about sodium silicate when looking for it is that it is used to disable automobile engines. Cash for clunkers programs want to make sure the clunkers they take in don't make it back out on the road. So they replace the engine oil with a couple quarts of sodium silicate and run the engine. It damages the engine, permanently preventing it from running.

I just dop them. When I'm through, I remove as much of the oil on the 2x2 as possible, put it in the freezer and the next day I tap the remainder of the end piece and it comes right off.

Been cutting end pieces most of this week. I too use good old Elmers yellow wood glue. Always have a dozen blocks sitting out on the patio or soaking in the water bucket.

Given a choice between the two methods, I'd rather use a slab grabber. However, there are MANY times that a grabber will not work and that is where the adhesive (dop in my case) comes in.

Sheltie are you saying you use green dop wax to stick them to the board? I've never tried that but I've got a bunch of wax left since I switched to crazy glue and might have to try it. Doesn't that get prettty expensive over time?

Lots of good advice here, and lots to consider. I'm saving all the suggestions. We'll be working on it next weekend hopefully. Thanks, everybody!

I use waterglass as well. I let it sit overnight and then when through just toss it in some warm water with dishwashing soap, lets go of the wood in an hour or so, or sooner maybe cause I don't check on it. I reuse the wood blocks. Only problem I ever have is some of them have nail holes in them and the SS goes through, one day I'm gonna forget it an stick it to the table lol