Roadside Cross

[Ray Turney]

A young (29) firefighter from a nearby town was killed in a car accident coming home from his 12hr. shift the other day and his family wanted me to make a roadside cross to place at the site. I half lapped a 4x4 pressured treated post for the cross part and have routed out the name and date in white oak to place on the post. My question is, will titebond glue and finishing nails hold the white oak to the pressure treated post. I painted the letters black and will put poly finish on the oak. Thanks, Ray Turney in central Kentucky

[Jim Becker]

Titebond II or II might work, but you'd probably be better served with a poly glue which is moisture cured...and moisture is something you have plenty of in the PT.

[Ray Turney]

Jim, when you say poly glue do you mean something like Gorilla glue, and can you give me some other brand names of poly glue to use.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, I meant "Gorilla" glue or the same from another manufacturer. Look on the label for "polyurethane". I think all the major brand names have it. At the orange 'borg, they keep glue products on an end-cap near the paint department.

[Aaron Beaver]

I have used a poly glue called Sumo and it works great. You can find it at the hardware stores as well.

[Mike Henderson]

Why not put a bolt through it? You could countersink the bolt in the front and cover it with caulk or even a plug. A lap of 4x4 will give you plenty of thickness for a countersink. Or use a carriage bolt and let the round head show.

Mike

[Oops - I thought you were asking how to hold the cross together. Gorilla glue will work for gluing the oak to the PT.]

[wayne ateser]

A young (29) firefighter from a nearby town was killed in a car accident coming home from his 12hr. shift the other day and his family wanted me to make a roadside cross to place at the site. I half lapped a 4x4 pressured treated post for the cross part and have routed out the name and date in white oak to place on the post. My question is, will titebond glue and finishing nails hold the white oak to the pressure treated post. I painted the letters black and will put poly finish on the oak. Thanks, Ray Turney in central Kentucky
youll want to use the Titebond III waterproof glue or epoxy. IF hte PT wood is wet the glue wont hold well. But mechanical fasterners alone will be fine.. Finishing nails arent for outside and will rust quickly within a few months. Best to use coated deck screws or galvanized nails. THey will evenually rust but after many years.

[Ben Grunow]

Some small stainless steel finish nails would be good here too.

Gorilla glue foams and can be messy. I have never used it but PL premium is supposed to be a polyurethane glue that is bomb proof and weather proof. Dont know if it foams too.

[Hoa Dinh]

I have never used it but PL premium is supposed to be a polyurethane glue that is bomb proof and weather proof. Dont know if it foams too.
PL Premium is similar to Gorilla. It foams.

I never like polyurethane glue.

I use Titebond for wood inside, Titebond III for wood outside, and epoxy for marine applications and for non-wood thingies.

[John Terefenko]

Recently my Dad passed away and i was at his gravesite one day and a thought came to me to make a temporary grave marker until we get a proper stone headstone this spring. You can't put one on until the ground settles and all and it was getting to winter. I just wanted to mark his site and being I was a woodworker I came up with this. It is made from mahagony and the letters are maple. The cross sections are glued with poly glue no fasteners. The letters are glued on with Titebond III no fasteners. It was top coated with a marine varnish and has held up well. This may help you in your decisions. Sorry to hear about the tradgedy.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/JTTHECLOCKMAN/CopyofDadsCross2.jpg

[Richard Wolf]

Recently my Dad passed away and i was at his gravesite one day and a thought came to me to make a temporary grave marker until we get a proper stone headstone this spring. You can't put one on until the ground settles and all and it was getting to winter. I just wanted to mark his site and being I was a woodworker I came up with this. It is made from mahagony and the letters are maple. The cross sections are glued with poly glue no fasteners. The letters are glued on with Titebond III no fasteners. It was top coated with a marine varnish and has held up well. This may help you in your decisions. Sorry to hear about the tradgedy.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/JTTHECLOCKMAN/CopyofDadsCross2.jpg

Nicely done John.

Richard

[Ray Turney]

John, that's beautiful!! Thank you very much for posting the picture.

[John Terefenko]

Thanks for the kind words. I wasn't sure if it was proper to post this picture.