Adhesives, wood blocks to steel

[FadeToScarlet]

Hello all,

 

First slightly annoying setback on Willow's fitout, but at least a minor one.

 

I've insulated under the gunwales, and stuck wooden blocks on at 18" centres to support cable runs and pipes. The surface was cleaned and the blocks stuck on with impact adhesive- "no nonsense power grab and bond" from Screwfix, and also Evo Stick.

 

Unfortunately, coming back to the boat two weeks later, lots of them have fallen off which is rather annoying!

 

What adhesives have people used successfully? I'm tempted to get a tube of superglue, but that probably wouldn't work so well.... Would it?

[stagedamager]

Try fixall hi tack. Worked wonders on the boat next door!!!

Dan

[PaulJ]

Sikaflex or marineflex

[Bloomsberry]

Sounds familiar. I stuck some battons on the inside of my boat that fell off. Turns out I'd glued the battons onto painted metal and it was the paintwork that had come away.

 

Next time I glued the battons I made sure it was onto clean bare metal and it stuck really well. Works best if the glue thickness is as thin as possible so make sure surfaces are flat and the battons are pressed on really hard to squeese any excesss glue out.

 

The glue I used was 'Serious stuff', unibond I think.

 

I think half the time on my boat is spent sorting out setbacks from my previous work :-/

 

Good luck with you're 'gluing'.

[ditchcrawler]

I used Gripfix http://products.vjtechnology.com/upload/ProductDocument/TD19400010.pdf

[fudd]

Sounds familiar. I stuck some battons on the inside of my boat that fell off. Turns out I'd glued the battons onto painted metal and it was the paintwork that had come away.

 

Next time I glued the battons I made sure it was onto clean bare metal and it stuck really well. Works best if the glue thickness is as thin as possible so make sure surfaces are flat and the battons are pressed on really hard to squeese any excesss glue out.

 

The glue I used was 'Serious stuff', unibond I think.

 

I think half the time on my boat is spent sorting out setbacks from my previous work :-/

 

Good luck with you're 'gluing'.

I've not used the stuff you are on about but you should never over clamp the work pieces or you can starve the joint of adhesive.

Gorilla glue is good. Polyurethane glues bond and fill gaps. They even like a bit of dampness.

Steve P.

[Maffi]

Screws!

[Captain Zim]

Grip Fill . Get it in b & q for about £3 a tube. Comes out as a sort of toffee coloured paste. Sticks anything.

[Biggles]

I used this all over my boat build and as you know nothing is falling off.

 

Linky

 

I used to use this when making my trailers. Nothing ever fell of them either.

 

If they won't supply you I still have an account and can order it for you.

 

It is truly amassing and can be used as a filler, adhesive, sealer and can be over painted.

Edited March 8, 2013 by Biggles

[Keeping Up]

Here's another vote for Sikaflex.

 

Did you ever watch the Sikaflex challenge at the Southampton boat show. Teams used to build dinghies from sheets of plywood stuck together (often edge to edge) with Sikaflex and then at the end of the week the teams all jumped in and raced them across the harbour. They didn't leak or fall apart (much).

[FadeToScarlet]

Thanks all, off to Screwfix to see what I can get.

[stagedamager]

Aah the well trodden path from the boat to screwfix!!!

[blackrose]

Sikaflex or marineflex

 

Agreed. Marineflex is cheaper.

 

Grip Fill . Get it in b & q for about £3 a tube. Comes out as a sort of toffee coloured paste. Sticks anything.

 

Trouble with Gripfill, Pink grip and a lot of ther other "trade" building adhesives - they just don't have the flexibility necessary for boats. And that's because they're not designed for boats.

 

I've stuck lots of wood to steel with Marineflex and nothing has ever fallen off.

Edited March 9, 2013 by blackrose

[smileypete]

Think someone recommended Everbuild Stixall a while back, got a good demo vid on youtube, or a polyurethane like Sikaflex or Marineflex.

 

Probably worth grinding a patch where the block goes back to bright metal, wouldn't hurt to paint a little anticorrosive zinc phosphate primer round the blocks after if there's time.

 

cheers, Pete

~smpt~

[FadeToScarlet]

Aha! Not as bad as first thought. All the blocks stuck on with the No Nonsense glue have fallen off, but the ones with the Evo Stick have been solid.

[smileypete]

Seasonal movement of the wood will put a stress on the goo of choice, would have thought Sikaflex 221 to be ideal, can elongate a hell of alot before failing, I expect Marineflex is pretty similar.

 

Painting over the blocks with something might help minimise the expansion and contraction.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[RobinJ]

First slightly annoying setback on Willow's fitout, but at least a minor one.

 

I've insulated under the gunwales, and stuck wooden blocks on at 18" centres to support cable runs and pipes. The surface was cleaned and the blocks stuck on with impact adhesive- "no nonsense power grab and bond" from Screwfix, and also Evo Stick.

 

Unfortunately, coming back to the boat two weeks later, lots of them have fallen off which is rather annoying!

Many of the 'No Nails' type adhesives are sensitive to water and temperature!

If you use them at this time of year they need supporting for a lot longer and will take ages to dry off! However once 'cured' they should 'stick like $%£*'

[blackrose]

Many of the 'No Nails' type adhesives are sensitive to water and temperature!

If you use them at this time of year they need supporting for a lot longer and will take ages to dry off! However once 'cured' they should 'stick like $%£*'

 

No More Nails, etc, go chalky & brittle with age.

 

Most of the household & trade adhesives from screwfix are clearly the wrong products for use on boats.

 

Why not just use something that's actually designed for the job?

 

http://www.marinemastics.com/marine-flex/marine-flex-onetube.html

Edited March 11, 2013 by blackrose

[Martin Kedian]

To attach wood to steel on our retro side doors which are primed with red oxide before trimming we use a 5 minute curing glue called Lumberjack available on line or from Wicks it comes in a tube put on sealant gun or in a squeeze pot hope that is of help. Martin

[Ex- Member]

Think someone recommended Everbuild Stixall a while back, got a good demo vid on youtube, or a polyurethane like Sikaflex or Marineflex.

 

Probably worth grinding a patch where the block goes back to bright metal, wouldn't hurt to paint a little anticorrosive zinc phosphate primer round the blocks after if there's time.

 

cheers, Pete

~smpt~

 

Probable me, it is a brilliant adhesive though and now in five colours including clear which is very handy. I've use nothing else now for several years, it'll do all bonding or sealing jobs, basically Stixall does it all, so you don't need this and that type sealer for this that & the other job as Stixall will do almost everything on a boat I can think of, it's also not failed anywhere I've used it either. I think the flexibility is the key which sikaflex and marineflex have also. I'll have to try one of those 2 soon.

[DHutch]

Are you using it to stick the rest of the fit out up as well?

 

Screws!

I have to admit, while modern adhesives have come on leaps and bounds, I still would not rely on 'no-more-nails' type product for a permanent solution in this sort of environment if I could help it, if only because outside of a well controlled process used within there designed perimeters the results drop off rapidly. And even then, many are only designed/guaranteed for something like a 10 years, which sounds a lot longer in the shop than 12 years on when its all handing off.

- If you do use them, a lot say 'sticks like sh*t' is one of the better ones, and make sure you use an exterior grade no and interior grade.

 

Agreed. Marineflex is cheaper.

Another brand name PU adhesive/sealant is Tiger Seal, also commonly used on car windscreens and the like.

 

But again, if you can get a tame welder to spend an afternoon sticking short lengths of pre-drilled angle iron onto the hull as brackets to screw through I feel you would be much better off.

 

 

Daniel

[FadeToScarlet]

The fitout below the gunwales is screwed to the angle of the knees, and that above is just panelling pinned onto the tongue and groove of the cabin, but I'm getting some proper Sikaflex or MarineFlex online in a second to do any more sticking.

 

The fitout below the gunwales is screwed to the angle of the knees, and that above is just panelling pinned onto the tongue and groove of the cabin, but I'm getting some proper Sikaflex or MarineFlex online in a second to do any more sticking.