I just cannot believe how many people will do ANYTHING to avoid spending
$50 for some epoxy. Enough 1/4" clear cedar strip for a decent size
dinghy or canoe will cost you at least $500.00. Do you really want to
risk that investment and your labor to save $40 or $50?

The strips are not there just to hold the glass. They provide
longitudinal stiffness. They must transfer shear loads between the two
composite skins. And they must spread impact loads. Individual strips
are not capable of doing any of those things. They have to be well
bonded together so they can act in unison. Hot melt glue is not going to
that. Liquid Nails might hold the strips together but the assembly will
not be very stiff and fairing will be a royal PITA.

You need a glue that maintains a tight stiff bond in a varying width
glue line (gap filling), does not require high clamping pressure and
that can be sanded fair without gumming up the paper. There is only one
glue commonly available to amateur boat builders that will do that: Epoxy.

Thickened epoxy is gap filling, bonds extremely well, requires minimal
clamping pressure so staples are all that is needed and it fairs cleanly.

Resorcinol would be a second choice. It would be a little less costly
but requires careful fitting to eliminate any gaps and a lot of clamping
pressure. Staples will not do it. You could only add one strip to each
side per day. Same with polyurethanes only your total cost will be more
than epoxy.

There are people on this newsgroup that will advocate anything from
wallpaper paste to curtain liner to save money but trying to save $50 on
adheasive on a $700 project is penny wise and pound foolish.

KR & CA Hunter wrote:
Has anybody bought and built from a Compumarine plan? If so, could you
advise your experiences? I would like my next boat project to be a cedar
strip row/power boat and the John Clark plans look Ok on the web, but they
seem a bit expensive for what are essentially a set of hull templates.

Also, can anybody advise on what type(s) of glue are suitable for cedar
strip construction. Builders adhesive has been suggested. Here in
Australia the "Liquid Nails" product is sometimes referred to as builders
glue. Does anyone know whether this is the same product?

I would prefer to build without fasteners if possible, so any experience out
there would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

Ken



--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com