I am building some crib boards for a friends sailboat galley entrance. I am using teak. I was luck enough to find a wide enough board to complete 2 of the three pieces. The third will have to be made up of 2 or 3 narrower pieces edge joined.
I am going to use pocket hole screws, but despite what the Kreg folks say, I am inclined to reinforce the joints with a good adhesive.
Facts:
Application – at rest the 3 crib boards are vertically stacked on edge in a groove that secures and protects the entrance to the galley. When the boat is in use, these boards are removed and stowed in the galley. They will get knocked around a bit.
Location – Edmonton Alberta. Wood will be outside all year.
Temperature Range: -35 C – +30 C ambient. Exposure to direct sunlight
Humidity: It is a sailboat. Lots in summer, little in winter.
Wood: Teak – not sure which species
Finish: Sikkens Marine finish
The pieces to be joined will be about 7/8 thick, 4 – 5 inches wide and about 24 inches long max.
I was thinking cleaning the glue joint thoroughly with acetone and trying Titebond III over urea resin or epoxy.
I would appreciate any comments on this approach?
Thanks
Replies
Don, when I made the companionway boards for my sailboat I used exactly the method that you propose. I cleaned the surfaces with acetone and then did the glue up with West Systems epoxy. Be sure to keep a good coat of spar (marine) varnish on the boards to protect from UV light, and Sikens makes some good products. Most of the epoxy will be inside the joint and not exposed to UV, but you still want to keep a good coat of varnish on them to keep the water out of the joints. Use at least 4 or 5 coats and recoat regularly, BEFORE it looks like you need it.
Woody
Personally, I would not bother with pocket screws, but that's up to you. Stainless screws would be the way to go but they break easily. Titebond III hasn't been around long enough to know it's durability. I think I would use it just based on some scraps that have been out in the weather on my wood pile. I have had failures with West systems epoxy and I'm a bit leery of it in wood to wood applications. The traditional marine glue has been resorcinol. This can leave a dark glue line, if you look for it. Urea resin is not waterproof, just water resistant. Teak does bleed oils, wiping with acetone or (first choice) gluing to a freshly milled surface is advised.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
I wouldn't use pocket screws either. This would be a spot that would be very difficult to seal. Epoxy could work but it really works best with a little gap or ill fitting joint. I have had a lot of success with Resorcinol and Titebond III for applications like this. And definitely use acetone on the mating surfaces just before glue up.
Paul
The glue I was thinking of is a product called Dural Plastic Resin Marine Glue. It is a powder and water glue. I used it about 15 years ago on all of the butt joints on a 12 ft X 2ft X 2 ft freshwater aquarium. Those joints were screwed and coated with epoxy paint, but not a leak in 10 years. Eventually the plywood layers started to separate, but the joints held.
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