Glue removal

[savethebeer]

After nearly 10 years at scrolling I had a sudden revelation about glue. If I leave a pattern stuck to the various pieces for a while [days and days] then I can peel off the pattern without leaving residue on the wood, whereas if I peel the paper off within a few minutes then I usually end up with residue on the wood.

I use masking tape to line the wood, then spray glue onto the pattern and place on the wood. If I'm in the mode I can start cutting that piece after about 10 minutes. If I peel that pattern after cutting all the pieces then I will have lots of residue but if I've left the pattern stuck to the wood over a weekend there will be very little if any residue on the wood.

I discovered all this during the week when I cut 16 Alex Fox layered patterns in 4 sessions of stack cutting. These are Christmas patterns which I'm cutting for next Christmas. I've thought a lot about why and I reckon its a lot to do with the lockdown and the isolation as much as its the fact that I enjoy this particular pattern.  

 Anyway after the first session I cleaned up the wood right after finishing the pattern, and was disappointed to find residue, Then with the next three sessions I left the paper removal till I had finished all of them and no residue.

I had thought that I was using a too light masking tape but now I don't think so.

[WayneMahler]

My process is about the same as yours.  I use the Blue Painters Tape then spray the pattern attach and cut. I can peel it off as soon as I am done. Never had an issue with residue. I would try the blue painters tape. I have used regular masking take, the brown / tan stuff and had issues with it coming off cleanly in other areas of woodworking. Let us know if you try this and how it works out.

[Sam777]

I figured the reason for residue is that while we are cutting the wood and pattern the glue ges hot and becomes more gluewy. If left for enough time that glue goes back to its original state and when peeled will not leave that residue.

My 2 cents.

Good luck

Sam

[ike]

I put a light coat of glue on the wood then add the pattern ( no tape is used) when I get the wood cut I wipe the pattern with a damp rag with mineral sperits and the pattern pattern almost falla=s off. I then take the dampend rag with meneral sperits and wipe the board and no glue residue . It's much easier than useing blue painters tape and a lot cheeper with less work.

IKE

[Ken Lotts]

Interesting about the aging of the glue on the wood regarding residue.  Thanks for sharing.
I know that Alex Fox layered patterns are very intricate (and beautiful).  I am sure that they will be a big hit.
Residue has not been in my cross hairs as a problem yet but I haven't done anything like an Alex Fox pattern either Lol!

Normally when I spray a finished project with denatured alcohol, the pattern instantly peels off as a single piece with near zero resistance no matter how intricate it is
BUT, I have found that not all glues dissolve like that.  There is only one type of spray glue that I am aware of that reliably dissolves with alcohol.

I have seen all sorts of methods people use to apply and remove patterns when I watch YouTube videos.  
I started out armed with Steve Good's old videos that used a hot air gun to release the glue from the wood. 
Then he suggested using contact paper.  Now he uses Blue tape.

A bit of the back story of how I came about to use alcohol to release my spray glue;
One day last year I discovered in an R/C forum that alcohol releases the adhesion of hot glue so I decided to test that with my spray adhesive and found it was hit and miss.
When it worked it was amazing but when it didn't I would have to resort to mineral spirits to get the pattern off (which I hate).
What was even more amazing was that the exact same brand of glue worked if it was new stock and failed it it was vintage stuff I had laying around from years ago.. I am guessing perhaps the spray glue company changed up their formula at some point.
So I know of one glue that has been well behaved in this regard and as long as it continues to work I will probably stick with it (Pun intended Lol) 
Not sure what the down side is yet.
Sorry for the length of this reply.

[BadBob]

22 hours ago, ike said:

I put a light coat of glue on the wood then add the pattern ( no tape is used) when I get the wood cut I wipe the pattern with a damp rag with mineral sperits and the pattern pattern almost falla=s off. I then take the dampend rag with meneral sperits and wipe the board and no glue residue . It's much easier than useing blue painters tape and a lot cheeper with less work.

IKE

I use the mineral spirits method when I am making something delicate or prone to pulling off fibers when using tape. It works very well. The only downsides I have found are that I need to wait until the mineral spirits evaporate and handling the chemical itself.

I have found that if I flood the pattern with solvent, there is very little glue remaining on the wood. If I lightly wet the pattern, I will need to come back with a solvent soaked towel and remove the remaining glue. If any glue remains, it can affect the finish.

I have tried every method I have seen or heard of for attaching patterns to wood. Tape remains my favorite.