vidasj

I've built 7-8 ARF's so far, always using 30min epoxy to glue the horiz/vert stabs in place. Anyone see an issue using a wood glue instead? It seems to me that cleaning off the excess glue would be easier, as its water based, and at least with pine or hardwoods, the glue joint is at leastt as strong as the wood itself. Not sure with balsa and lite ply, but would carpenter's wood glue work just as well?

opjose

I don't see a problem using it for many areas... however the delay in waiting for things to fully dry makes it prohibitive for me.

I can't imagine laying a couple of parts up and having to wait at least a day...

30 minute epoxy lets me work on one area, put it aside to dry while working on another.

Luchnia

My Feedback: (21)

When you are working with epoxy for builds, do you thin it to make it more workable?

opjose

It depends.

I'll thin it for fuel proofing, glassing, and on areas where I want to achieve better penetration into cracks...

When I'm joining most parts subjected to higher loads ( e.g. wing halves together, tails, etc. ) I stick with undiluted epoxy.

The same applies to microballoons... fewer balloons for more strength.

vidasj

I don't thin it except when I use epoxy for fuelproofing- gluing parts together, no.  I'm not in a hurry with the next one- I'm considering replacing the CA hinges with pin hinges, probably gonna use wood glue or gorilla glue for those, as well as the horiz/vert stabs. 

No matter how careful I try to be, I always get epoxy fingerprints or residue somewhere on the plane when I use it- even when I wipe up with alcohol.  I'm gonna try a waterproof carpenter's wood glue, and clean up with water.  The cured glue residue should easily peel off of the covering, since the covering is so slick.  no need to mask off overflow areas with tape either- just a moist rag should do the trick.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

It actually penetrates the wood and swells things up a bit making a very strong joint.

karolh

When working with hardwoods carpenter's glue penetrates quite well, especially with an applied clamping force and produces a very high strength bond.

Karol

opjose

I've never had ANY problems wiping up non-dry epoxy from planes with alcohol.

No fingerprints, residue, etc...

I just use a paper towel soaked with alcohol and the wet epoxy comes right up.... of course once it dries or starts hardening things are very different.

tevans55

I would not suggest wood glue for plastic/nylon hinges. I typically use Pacer 560 canopy glue.

vidasj

I did a test of gluing a Robart pin hinge into a scrap piece of balsa with a premium carpenter's wood glue.  24hrs later, I can't pull it out for the life of me.  I'll bet if I grab it with pliers and pull on it, some balsa is going to come out as well.

I read in another string some guys were using gorilla glue for pin hinges without issue.  Seems plenty strong.

tevans55

You may find that the pliers pull test is not the appropriate test. Vibration will most likely be the appropriate test over time.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Gorilla glue works quite well, you just have to use the appropriate amount because it expands and if you're not careful you will have a big blob work its way out.