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Glue up methods for gunnels

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Mar 29, 2016
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I have finally gotten around to cutting the scarf joints for my gunnels and am now left with the question of how to glue them up. I am thinking thickened epoxy and then just simply clamp and wait, but wondering if anyone is using something different

Thanks
Ben
 
Are you glueing blocks on the gunnel to make the scarf or are you looking at glueing the gunnels on the canoe? If it's the blocks I would just use wood glue and if it's the gunnels I'm one of the members here that never glue gunnels on but there are many that do.
 
Yes ! I have scarfed and epoxied for years. Until recently, I purchased several 18.5' Ash planks !
I paint the joint with epoxy. Let it soak in a few minutes, then I mix fillers into the remaining epoxy. Coat the joint again, and clamp.

Really scarfing has worked great ! None have fallen apart. I use a 10-1 ratio, but I';m told a 8-1 is all that is really required.

Good Luck !

Jim
 
Yes, use epoxy. I brush on a coat to the mating surfaces, then thicken up the remainder with whatever you have, silica, micro fibers etc. and apply. Clamp together and let cure. The scarf joint will be very slippery and a bit frustrating to keep straight, so you’ll have to babysit it.

I made a router jig that let’s me make a hooked scarf joint which keeps it from slipping. I’ll do a search and post the link to the fellow that showed us all how to do it a few years back. I can’t remember who it was. If if you plan on making more boats and/or gunwales it is well worth the time to make the jig.

Mark
 
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Oops, I misread. On Merrimacks the outer gunwale is almost always scarfed and we use titebond 3 and have never had an issue.
 
I usually use epoxy when the gunwales will be left natural and wood glue when I'm planning to wrap them in fiberglass or carbon. Spring clamps work fine for holding them together.

20151229_002 by Alan, on Flickr

Alan
 
Yup, I use epoxy too. Used gorilla glue once and had a failure on the boat after a year. Epoxy hasn't failed yet.
 
Titebond 3 here. 10:1 ratio. Last set was 3/8” thickness and they held together fine.
 
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Great that is what I was thinking. Alan I am surprized that you can get away with just spring clamps. Really love the amount of freely shared information here too! Thanks all
 
I like epoxy with some wood dust in it. It 's how I repaired my inner gunwales 25 years ago. After many river trips the canvas finally gave up on the 1951 model OT Guide.
 
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