CA or Epoxy?

[Mike McAfee]

I have a very cool but spalted to the point of rot in areas piece I'm hollowing and last night I had a catch (.75" from the bottom dang it) and it cracked about 2/3 the way around but I was able to back off and shut down before a full explosion and the piece stayed together!

My question is, would CA or Epoxy be best for the repair? I still have about 3/8 to 1/2 inch of wall thickness and there is about 60-70% good firm wood to adhere too in the crack!

Thanks in advance,

MMc

[Richard Coers]

How wet is the wood? I don't think epoxy likes wet wood. Also, CA is going to wick into the wood and leave a hard band in the punky wood. That band is also going to be a different color from the CA. Personally, I would only turn that repaired piece from behind a blast shield.

[Mike McAfee]

It's dry! I understand the color changing aspects so I'm mainly looking for the strongest most reliable adhesion!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Mike - without any photos to go on - whether the piece would be safe to finish turn or not is a judgment call on your part.

How big is the piece? The bigger the piece - the more weight/torque applied to the wood when turning.

How thin do you plan on turning it? The thinner you turn the piece - the less wood there is for the glue to soak into and hold.

Is the outside already finish sanded? If it is, you can apply a coat or two of your finish and allow to dry - then apply the CA glue. The finish prevents the CA from wicking into the wood along the crack and creating an unsightly glue line.

[Edward Bartimmo]

Mike,

Without seeing the size of crack then can't say where CA or Epoxy is called for. HOWEVER, I saw an interesting technique from a fellow turner to avoid the discoloration of applying CA. If you know what type of finish you are going to apply to final product, such as boiled linseed or wipeone poly, you can apply this to the effected area before using CA. Let the oil soak in and dry. Then you can apply the CA or epozy and there should be no noticeable difference in color of wood in final form.

My caveat - I saw this performed on smaller piece to shore up wood that would otherwise tear-out. I have not had a chance to try it myself, but am quite keen on the opportunity to do so.

[Mike McAfee]

Thanks guys, I'll see if I can get a pic uploaded!

To be continued...........