Gluing Marble

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jim K. brought up something I had been thinking about and wasn't sure which way to go on these platters I turned. I had in my mind that I would epoxy them in the center. Jim got me to thinking when he said some use Silicon seal. I heard some up Polyurethane glue. Was wondering if there are other ideas on what glue would be best to use?

[David Walser]

Bernie,

I don't know the correct answer, but I'm more than willing to guess! (It's an educated guess.) The stone and the wood will move at different rates and in response to different things. (The wood will move with changes in humidity, while the stone won't.) For this reason, I'd think the flexibility of silicone would be a great advantage. Granite countertops are held in place with just a few dabs of silicone caulk. I think that's what I'd use if I were making one of your platters.

[Curt Fuller]

Bernie, my first impression when I saw those platters was that the marble insert was just sitting in there, not glued at all. I'm guessing the purpose of the marble is to use for cutting or for something hot. But it seems to me that you'd want to be able to remove it to wash it.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bernie.........I went to the "this to that" site.....they don't list marble or stone for gluing at their site. For ceramics they recommended epoxy....for glass they recommended Silicon caulk..........? I've been using epoxy on my inset stones on bottle stoppers.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Bernie, my first impression when I saw those platters was that the marble insert was just sitting in there, not glued at all. I'm guessing the purpose of the marble is to use for cutting or for something hot. But it seems to me that you'd want to be able to remove it to wash it.

Don't know Curt. I saw a couple of them in Virginia where I kinda got the idea for these and they were solid. Glued in with something. I couldn't tell what they were held to the wood with but it looked like around the edge it was silicon. I assume that is to keep water out from under the marble.

Jim Ketron said the same thing as David with the wood moving and the marble not. So that has got me thinking. I also saw a webpage where they said use liquid nails.

Anymore idea's.

[Christopher Zona]

Fusor T-19 from Lord or a similar Norton product. These are widely used in custom car, truck and chrome shops to glue panels and parts together.

We use it to glue an e-coated steel hood bracket to a fiberglass hood for semi-tractors. We lift the whole hood from a 1 3/8" x 2" bracket. These glues will hold up to about 3600psi and sets in two minutes and has a full cure within 30 minutes. Be sure it's in the right spot.

Watch you fingers.

[George Tokarev]

I'd do silicone, and one reason is that it holds poorly enough on wood that you should be able to rescue and recycle the insert if you care to. Holds well enough to take care of most use, and flexible for heat/moisture problems. I've used it with ceramics, and marble's more or less a ceramic anyway.

[Pete Jordan]

Hi Bernie,

This site suggests Titebond II.
http://www.woodturningonline.com/Turning/Turning_content/platter/platter-page1.html

[Paul Engle]

Bernie use the silicon, it'll float where as the other stuff won't.or the felxable CA.

[Jim Becker]

Just do the silicone away from your shop so you don't accidentally contaminate your future finishing efforts...that said, it's the right stuff for this job, IMHO.

[John Hart]

I'm all for the caulk as well. But I'd make dang sure that there were zero voids available for water seepage, or dips for little bits of standing water.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Hi Bernie,

This site suggests Titebond II.
http://www.woodturningonline.com/Turning/Turning_content/platter/platter-page1


Thanks Pete. Your link didn't work as it said it was broken but shortened it down the the woodturningonline and found the platter. I appreciate it.

[Bonnie Campbell]

Just a thought... what about Goop? It's used often on turkey call gluing....

[Al Wasser]

I was going to suggest what Bonnie said -- GOOP. Go to the shoe dept. at Wally world. It is used to repair shoe soles. Spread it thin, insert the ceramic or marble. It will flex as the wood moves. There is other kinds if GOOP but the shoe one is what I am familiar with. The others may work also

[Bonnie Campbell]

I hear that Plumbers Goop is really good. Myself, I've just used the Wood Goop.