RE: Is epoxy a must?
Dont use glue to take up gaps, adjust the wood to get good face to face contact, epoxy is very brittle when used as a filler, it only gains strength ehrn it has seaped into wood.
Alternatively, mix some milled glass fibre with epoxy and use that to take up any small gaps.
Never heard of the devcon gel, but how is it thin if it is a gel?
BC