Glue for strip planking

[sryan]

I'm building a 26ft boat (Top Hat) and I'm strip planking the hull using 1 inch tongue and groove juniper. I could use west system epoxy, but I was wondering if it would be ok to use Titebond III to hold the strips together? Titebond is waterproof and pretty stroung. I will fiberglass the hull in 8oz cloth.

Thanks,

Stu

[JimD]

My opinion is stick to epoxy, Stu. It doesn't have to be WEST. There are plenty of other brands just as good for less money.

[paladin]

Take a look at System Three T-88 for the strip planking.....easier to work with.

[sryan]

Good points and thanks for the advice. Why chance it using Titebond when you know epoxy will do the job.

Thanks everyone!

Stu

[mcdenny]

Epoxy is certainly a good choice but its a real PIA to mix and apply a bead to each strip with a putty knife.

I'd suggest PL Premium. Easier to apply a bead out of the tube with a caulking gun. Cures faster and a good bit less expensive than epoxy. It's about $6 for a 28oz (big) tube at the big box stores. 10oz tubes can be found at your corner hardware store.

Make up a samples with all your favorite glues and break them apart. the glue just has to be stronger than the wood. Most of the hull strength comes from the fiberglass skins anyway.

[JimConlin]

Use epoxy. For this, I mix epoxy in zipper bags, cut off the corner of the bag and squeeze away.
For measuring epoxy, i use the mustard pumps and pump directly into the bag.
If I'm going to add fillers, I mix the epoxy first, then add the fillers and mix again.
All the hot hands get the epoxy started, so use slow hardener.

I get the bags from http://www.associatedbag.com and use their 6" x 6" 4-mil bag, # 62-18

[paladin]

Jim beat me to it....The T-88 is a 1:1 mix.....I just squirt equal amounts in the bag, seal it shut, squeeze the bag around to mix the two parts, then nip off the corner of the bag and squeeze the epoxy in place. No muss, no fuss.....

[Tom Robb]

My only problem with mixing epoxy is that I always have too much left over and the expensive waste is annoying at best. I may try the PL thing merely for economic reasons. I think Bob Smalser weighed in on the repairability issue w/ this stuff but given the currant state of my memory, I couldn't say what his conclusion was re PL.

[outofthenorm]

Bob's concern on repairabity came out against Titebond and for both epoxy and PL. The issue was that nothing will stick to Titebond in a repair situation.

Stu: What is your fastening plan? PL needs pressure to bond - contact isn't enough - so nailing is a must. Having said that, I find PL to be great stuff to work with.

- Norm

[andrewe]

A friend built a Vivier Aber with 12mm (1/2") square strips of Douglas fir glued with a boat qulity PU (bit like PL Premium) nailed with ss nails & screwed at stem and transom.No glass in or out. Several (5?) seasons on, no probs.
A

[Captain Blight]

Sawmill Creek community weighs in on the issue (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=21822&page=1)