I really appreciate the input. Finding this board has been a great help.

It does seem to make sense to epoxy first, as Ed stated, the epoxy can leach into the joints adding structural strength to an area that is subject to extreme forces. While the instrcutions say that dope will help adhere the parts, I don't think dope has the strength of epoxy. I really wasn't sure whether the dope would adhere to the epoxy or flake off over a short period.

Again, I do appreciate the input