In my opinion there are a number of misleading and perhaps inaccurate
statements in the forwarded article.  In a short nutshell (or at least
as short as I can make it):

Adhesives are (or should be) chosen based on a number of factors.
Gap-filling adhesives are different from non-gap filling adhesives,
for example, and their differences are often (not always) based on
viscosity.  (Think PVA vs. 'Superglues', for example).  This may be
important!

*Any* adhesive that creates a bond that is stronger than the wood
to which it has adhered has created a successful bond.  A stronger
adhesive will not create a more successful joint.

Wood doweled joints become loose due to swelling of the dowel during
humid conditions; the wood swells, then is crushed by the wood sur-
rounding the dowel.  The mortise may also crush somewhat.  When drier
conditions prevail (as in winter), the wood will shrink and the joint
will naturally become looser.  Repeated cycling of these circumstances
will create looser joints.

Regarding creep of glued joints, this should not be a problem for
almost any joint.  Plywood will have minimal creep under normal loading
conditions, for example.  For cabinets or clock cases ..  well, you
figure out the amount of load and determine if this ought to be signifi-
cant.  Does the author of the article know that wood will creep?

Hide glues are thermoplastic adhesives and will creep like many other
adhesives.  Perhaps epoxies are less likely to creep as they are a
cross-linked polymer system.

I agree that surface preparation (clean surfaces) and clamping are
important.  Remember that one can over-clamp and squeeze out the
adhesive creating a "starved joint." If the wood is too dry you can
also create a starved joint because the adhesive might flow into the
wood cells away from the joint surface.  By having the wood at around
8% moisture content (using a dry weight as the basis) you will have
the wood at equilibrium with its surroundings for most of the United
States, and the adhesive will work fine for the wood at that moisture
content.  There are special adhesives designed for wetter wood.

When gluing veneers, think about the kind of wood you are gluing.
Woods that contain lots of hydrophobic compounds (e.g., some tropical
woods like rosewood) will have stronger joints if some of those chemi-
cals are first dissolved and wiped from the surface using a cloth
moistened with a solvent such as acetone.

"... some of the most highly advertised space-age glues aren't any
good, period."  -- I will charitably suppose that this person is writing
about their use for a specific application.  Otherwise, I will
(uncharitably) disagree!

Personally I like hide glue just fine -- for joints that may require
disassembly in the future (like in violins or guitars)!  Because the
adhesive is thermoplastic it can be softened with a hot knife and
the parts can be disassembled if needed.  It is also more likely to be
historically correct if that is a serious consideration -- face it,
back in the 1800's there wasn't any PVA!

Ern Grover
Father & Son Clockworks (207) 490-3500
26 Webster Street, Springvale, ME  04083
http://www.ticktock.bizhosting.com