What type of Glue ?

[Rob_P]

I'm now living in the US and returning to model boat building.
Can someone recommend a particular product for glueing together a wooden boat kit. I'm not a fan of CAs or epoxy.
I do like the white type or Aliphatic type glues but typically they are not that water proof. Assuming the boat is painted on the outside and varnished on the inside is that good enough to allow me to use that type of glue?
Has anyone used a product called Titebond?

Comments would be much appreciated.

[retoabcr]

Nothing new!

[more coffee]

hi
i use titebond III,on all my models so far.its water proof ,FDA approved.the clamp and hold times are relativly short. I planked the deck of my Calypso with it, with a concern that the glue would pull and lift the planks but this didnt happen and i didnt find myself waiting a bit to continue.the bond is really good your more likely to snap the wood than the joint.ive used it on other projects around the house and it performs with out fail.
the only thing that i can see that becomes a little bit of a hassle is that when it sets up it can be difficult to sand or chip away. .

but all in all you wont go wrong with using it

[Rob_P]

My local hobby shop has Titebond 2 but not 3, where did you find it ?

I had thought of trying the Gorilla glue but I hear it expands during drying. This makes me a little nervous in that "could it push the joint apart"?

Do Elmers make a suitable product?

I have used CA effectively for building R/C planes, but typically they are small balsa/balsa joints. I have never used it on the bigger ply / ply joints found in a boat. I don't like the fumes it gives off.

I happy to use epoxy on those few joints needing a lot of strength but mixing it for every joint seems to be a chore. Plus I always ending up mixing too little or too much !

Keep the comments coming !

[Rex R]

heh I've found titebond 3 at my local hardware store :). what type of boat is it, and how long will it be in the water? I figure that after 5 or six coats of paint water ought to have a hard time getting in...course my boats typically spend only 5 or 6 minutes per run in the water so I tend to use white glue(where I can).

[Rob_P]

Its the 46" Jotika (Aerokits) Sea Queen. A ply construction cabin cruiser with elec drive.

[LtDoc]

Rob_P,
Being sort of impatient, I like using CA. I'm also not thrilled with it's fumes, but usually have enough ventilation (of one sort or another) that it isn't much problem. Can't say that about the 'kicker', which also makes fumes, and to which I probably have sort of a sensitivity to (really don't like that stuff!). So I can understand where you're coming from.
Having said all that, almost any type of glue can be used if you have the patients and 'like' using it (familiar with it). If it isn't water proof then sealing the joints after gluing is certainly a good idea, and not particularly difficult (well, sort of - lol). Epoxy certainly works, but like others, I find it's not exactly as convenient (mixing, etc.) as other glues. The longer it takes to 'set' the more water proof it is too.
Probably the only thing I'd sort of 'shy away' from using is the old, been around for ever, 'Elmer's white glue. Not that you can't, just that it isn't the "best" choice considering that it isn't at all water proof.
I can't speak for anyone else so take this part with a very large dose of 'salt'. Water proofing IS important but not really as much as you might think. The only boat(s) I've ever built that are in much danger of desolving because they have been in the water too long are the ones I have 'lost'. Either sunk and unrecoverable, or which have disappeared when I turned my back on them (please don't ask, it's embarrasing). The others usually only spend enough time in the water to show that my attention span is sort of short, you know (probably not, since that doesn't make a lot of sense unless you know me)? And have time to dry out before the next trip to the duck pond. So, if you prefer the aliphatic type glues, have at it!
- 'Doc

PS - And if you find the "perfect" glue to use on a wooden boat, please let me know too?!

[Boatfox]

I had thought of trying the Gorilla glue but I hear it expands during drying. This makes me a little nervous in that "could it push the joint apart"?
Keep the comments coming !

Yes it expands, but it won't push apart a joint unless it is a plug in a hole, or one that is totally closed off. The excess glue can be chipped/cut away with a sharp razor blade. Most of the work I've done the poly seems to do a great job. The expansion is even a benefit where a joint might not be as tight or staight as it should be. I decked one of my current projects without any issues and am quite happy with the results. Only down side is the wait, but a little water and a warm shop speed the process.

[windwarrior6682]

I have several question about GORILLA GLUE. I am not a big fan of CA or epoxy. I have to make a filler to fill the the joint between the keel and hull. I been told that I should used 15 minute expoy and micro balloons filler to make the fillet mixture. I was wonder if I could use Gorilla Glue with micro balloon to make the fillet. Gorilla Glue is suppose to be easy to sand. I would like to know ya'll experiance with Gorilla Glue used with micro balloons.

[Shaun Hendricks]

You can 'pre expand' the polyurethane glues by adding water to them and mixing. They foam very quickly and you can use the foam as the glue. It makes for lighter weight joints as well but cures much faster. The bond seems good but isn't as strong as if you used straight glue. I've never had expansion problems with polyurethanes, the 'foam expansion' isn't strong enough to overcome the clamp forces, however, on thin, soft, woods this might not hold true. I'd probably pre-epand at that point and do some tests on balsa and ply to see how well it works. The stuff is unbeatable in standard woodworking. It even holds IPE like iron, and that wood scoffs at other glues.

[Boatfox]

I have several question about GORILLA GLUE. I am not a big fan of CA or epoxy. I have to make a filler to fill the the joint between the keel and hull. I been told that I should used 15 minute expoy and micro balloons filler to make the fillet mixture. I was wonder if I could use Gorilla Glue with micro balloon to make the fillet. Gorilla Glue is suppose to be easy to sand. I would like to know ya'll experiance with Gorilla Glue used with micro balloons.
I haven't tried any fillers, but moisten both parts put in the gorilla, rub the parts together and clamp......it'll fill up the joint all on it's own.
It sands harder then balsa and bass wood. You have to let it cure fully if you plan to work it like that.I heard that some people have good experience with dying the glue to a color for hiding the joints.

[retoabcr]

All been said!

[steveciambrone]

Micro balloons will weaken any adhesive, fiberglass will strengthen it. The more Micro balloons you use the weaker it gets, so you just vary the mix accordingly while you use it.
CA is Ok in boats but it is not waterproof. It will eventually breakdown, not right away but over time, the same with 5 minute epoxy. I do use CA for building boats but always waterproof it with a long setting epoxy.

Thanks
Steve

[retoabcr]

Nothing new!

[more coffee]

BUSY BEE TOOLS,
they carry everything. its the bottle with the green label

[mistel]

I like polyurathane glue, I don't use gorilla glue but the blue bottle from Lepage. On wood models, I like the way that it expands and fills the inside corner of the joint. I would imagine that it makes the joint much stronger.

Peter

[steveciambrone]

CA will breakdown when exposed directly to water, coated with epoxy the CA is protected. I use it in building also saves precious building time. But I always cover with Epoxy.

Steve

ca wasn't intended to waterproof but to hold parts together. The epoxy mixture which is thinned down was to waterproof the interior if i'm not mistaken. This mixture also firms the boat up where the ca leaves of. If you use balsa, the thin ca can be poured in and on the balsa which will make balsa strong and less fragile and so when you apply the epoxy ( thinned down ) plus the thin ca makes for a one strong unit which is waterproof. Correct me if i'm wrong!

[LtDoc]

CA will desolve/breakdown if exposed to water ~long enough~, sure. With normal use, CA will hold together just fine.
- 'Doc