New Guy, glue questions?

Discussion in 'Materials' started by BHOFM, Jul 16, 2008.

  1. BHOFM
    Joined: Jun 2008
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    Location: usa

    BHOFM Senior Member

    I am starting a small sailboat, 12' day sailer.
    It will be wood framed, ply covered no fiberglass!

    I have a large supply of Liquid Nails Rhino Ultra glue.

    It is not suited to immersion uses as stated by manufacturer.

    I emailed Liquid Nails and they said it was never tested in these
    applications.

    I made up 9 test boards, 12" cedar 1x2s scarf joined, 6"
    joints.

    Three were clamped for 40 minutes, as recommended.
    Three were clamped for 12 hours.
    Three were clamped for 24 hours.


    One of each set were tested after 12, 24, 48 hours
    of immersion in tap water at room temp.

    In all tests, the wood failed before the glue joint!

    What other tests should I do before using this glue on
    a boat?

    The boat will be used on a daily basis and most likely
    never left in the water over night.

    Thanks for all your help!
     

    Attached Files:

  2. TeddyDiver
    Joined: Dec 2007
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    Location: Finland/Norway

    TeddyDiver Gollywobbler

    Boiling...
    It's a quick way to find out the long term moisture effects to most materials (except those with chancing physical properties at the boiling temps, like melting)
     
  3. BHOFM
    Joined: Jun 2008
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    Location: usa

    BHOFM Senior Member

    I will have to clear this one with the wife!

    She is not hot on this deal anyway??
     
  4. TeddyDiver
    Joined: Dec 2007
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    Location: Finland/Norway

    TeddyDiver Gollywobbler

    BBQ outside:) And buy her a new kettle, use the oldie on the grill (no plastic handels). Say you cooking clamp soup...
     
  5. BHOFM
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    BHOFM Senior Member

    She is a lawyer, what do you think my chances are???
     
  6. alan white
    Joined: Mar 2007
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    Location: maine

    alan white Senior Member

    You have just found a glue that is perfect for spars and above-water items, but which might fail eventually in constant submersion. Many other glues are also good for above-water uses on a boat.
    Yesterday I broke a "tang" off my gaff jaws when a sudden gust gybed the main and the gaff hooked the uppermost mast hoop.
    Two or three hours later I was sailing again. I'd glued the broken piece back on with elmer's polyurethane glue (like Gorilla glue) and added a screw for some mechanical strength. It helped that the spar had gotten wet--- you need moisture to make the glue "kick".
    For below-water use, epoxy's the best choice by far, and it's probably cheaper than polyurethane by volume (the polys tend to be available only in smaller containers, at maybe $7.50 per 8 oz. That translates to $120.00 per gallon, which is a bit more than epoxy I think.
    Worried about mixing and waste, or toxicity?
    Epoxy can be cheaper again if a filler is added to it, something you can't do with polys. It also has a long shelf-life while poly tends to dry out. as far as toxicity goes, use gloves for either adhesive and you have no problems.

    Alan
     
  7. BHOFM
    Joined: Jun 2008
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    Location: usa

    BHOFM Senior Member

    I have a gallon on hand that needs to be used!

    The little boat I am going to build, they say to "paint"
    the joints before assembling, they do not mention "glue"
    anywhere in the instructions!
     

  8. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Liquid nails doesn't tolerate wet/dry cycling, which is typical of trailered craft. It also tends to be brittle and doesn't like repeated flexing, which is something you'll find on your traditionally built puddle sailor.

    If you want to save the small fraction of the total build cost with the thing that binds stuff together, it's your call, but frankly it's not an area to skimp on. Would you employ screws made of bubble gum if they where a fifth the price of metal ones?

    When they say paint the joints, they literally mean paint, red lead paint in fact.
     
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