TITEBOND III Glue

Discussion in 'Materials' started by gonzo, Mar 14, 2020.

  1. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    There are several postings that indicate people think this glue is appropriate for boatbuilding. It is OK to use on interior cabinetry or trim. However, the manufacturer's website clearly indicate it is not to be used for continuous immersion or below the waterline. Further, it says that it should not be used for structural or load bearing applications.

    Titebond http://www.titebond.com/product/glues/e8d40b45-0ab3-49f7-8a9c-b53970f736af
     
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  2. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    okay, but worthy of discussion is whether it's use in strip planking is accepted

    I say yes to a degree. People use yellow glue on strip canoes. Open to corrections. Perhaps there is a point in hull thickness where the glue joint thickness is not made well with these carpenter glues.

    It might be good to know a maximum thickness. I do not.
     
  3. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    thickness.jpg

    I will delete if mute.
     
  4. Blueknarr
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    Blueknarr Senior Member

    If the glue will dissolve, no joint thickness is acceptable.
     
  5. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    Titebond would not dissolve. Yellow glue would, but many pro canoe builders use yellow glue. The glue and core is tantamount to balsa core. Once the hull is sheathed, the epoxy bonds the two sides of core together and the glue only provides stiffness or bond between strips. In order for the glue to get wet post sheathing, the core would be wet. In order for that to happen; the hull would be severely compromised already. So the glues are sufficient.

    Where Gonzo's post is relevant is people using Titebond for say a plywood stack on a transom. Totally inappropriate. Not made for the job. The glue might not even dry. But edge gluing 1/4" thick cedar is fine. I have not tested it, but I do know that clothespins left over the weekend typically shear off wood when using these glues. This means a certain amount of Titebond joint is stronger than the core itself. I believe this is also true for edge gluing if you allow enough drying time.

    But it has limits for sure. No way would I want to Titebond a 12mm plank hull unless I was told it was appropriate. And I think the concern is glue joint thickness. A glue joint with Titebond has some limit of say 0.020, for example, not fact. The 12mm plank might do what I show in the sketch and be too far apart on curves for Titebond to work.

    If you are going to post that Titebond is not acceptable on a boat building site; it needs to be presented with caveats. Otherwise, people discount the validity of the claim.

    Another place Titebond would be acceptable is interior finishing. I don't have any experience with interior boat joinery, but certainly Titebond would perform there as well.

    Titebond has a place, but also limits. So far in my foam sandwich build, I have only used epoxy, 5200, hot glue for temp holding, butyl, and 3M 4799; no Titebond...although I was tempted once
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2020
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  6. peterjoki
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    peterjoki Junior Member

    I agree with gonzo. The only glues that should be used are PU, epoxy, or resorsinol.

    It baffles me that people skimp on glue, considering the labour and material costs involved in any project.
     
  7. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    In small hulls, like a kayak, you may use 1/2 a quart (450cc) of glue including waste.
     
  8. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    Yes, but.

    The reasons people use yellow glue is it takes a long time to strip a boat and epoxies have time limits. Mixing a half or one ounce batch of epoxy for strip building kayaks all day is impractical. Thickened epoxies also are more difficult to apply. In a strip boat, the applicatir tip of a glue bottle can be fashioned for even distribution of the glue. Could this be done for epoxy? Sure, but it is a big pita for little gain.

    I have experience with both. If you bond with epoxy and you bond with yellow glue, say 1/4" cedar, both glues result in core failure at shear. This means the only difference is the waterproofness of the epoxy, which is irrelevant in glass skinned hulls.

    I like the sentiment of your post.

    Titebond and yellow glues have serious limits, but strip planking canoes and kayaks not one.
     

  9. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    I would use polyurethane glue rather than Titebond. I agree the cleanup is harder though.
     
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