[OP]
Contributor
I've got a teak table top I'm about to glue up. As I've heard that teak can be a bear to glue, I'm planning on using West System 3 epoxy.
How do I remove the inevitable squeezeout from the surface of the wood before drying? Is acetone the answer? Will that weaken the joint by going into the wood? Another method?
Member
Alan,
Acetone is the answer. You should be wiping down the teak with acetone before you glue/epoxy the pieces anyway. Teak is a very oily wood.
Check with West Systems Epoxy web site. They have a ton of information there.
http://www.westsystem.com/ss/clean-up-removing
Member
You can also run a strip of tape at the edge so the glue runs on the tape's surface, not on the wood.
.
"I love the smell of sawdust in the morning".
Robert Duval in "Apileachips Now". - almost.
Laserpro Spirit 60W laser, Corel X3
Missionfurnishings, Mitchell Andrus Studios, NC
[OP]
Contributor
Wouldn't the clamps prevent removal until the tape was epoxied to the surface of the wood?Originally Posted by Mitchell Andrus
Sounds like an interesting idea. Just can't figure out how to make it work.
And I'm off the the BORG for Acetone...
Contributor
Alan
I use epoxy almost exclusively, for all joints I do. This is how I deal with it.
If I know the glue up will be further machined or sanded, I don't worry too musc and just wipe it as I go.
If the material is already dimensioned and I don't expect any further work, except maybe a final sanding prior to finishing, I use blue painters tape along the glue line, and let the epoxy squeeze out onto the tape. (Use good quality tape for adhesion. That cheap stuff will allow the epoxy to get underneath.)
However, you shouldn't have very much squeezeout to begin with. Epoxy doesn't require lots of clamping pressure, like yellow glue. Use only enough pressure to bring the joint together, and let the epoxy do it's work. Using excessive pressure will squeeze too much epoxy out and leave you with a starved joint.
Tape the joint line, and lightly coat both pieces of material to be joined. Then clamp.
If you have a complicated glue up, that may require additional time for alignment, place your cup of epoxy in a bowl of ice and water. This will keep the heat from deveoping and cooking off your epoxy in the cup.
Once the epoxy is actually brushed onto the material, you have quite a bit of time. More time than you realize. The charts in the back of the System Three booklet have the relevant info.
Pick the epoxy hardner based on the temperatures in the shop to be expected during the curing phase. Don't indiscriminately go with the slow hardner for time if the temps will drop below the values in System Three's booklet.
Leave that joint undisturbed for at least 24 hours. System Three's book will tell you that overnite is sufficient, but then later on amplify this with post material stress considerations on the joint. The longer the better.
"The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)
Moderator
If it's a panel glue up, I'd just let it squeeze out. When it starts to set - for the T88 product it's about 45 minutes, then just use an old putty knife to take off the majority of the epoxy.
Once hard - wait at least 12 hours, it'll sand flush fine with a ROS.
Member
If you have already bought your epoxy this doesn't matter, but you can use plastic resin glue. Made a riser block for my trolling motor on my boat and used it. Been on the boat for almost 10 years. It's on the deck uncovered exsposed to all of the elements.
[OP]
Contributor
Great info guys. Can't wait to get this bad boy glued up.
Fortunately not a complicated glue up, just a panel. Don't plan on further machining except for a final ROS go.
Thanks for the detailed explanation, Mike. I just couldn't get my head around that one. I've done similar with Titebond glue and tape, but I have had issues with the tape getting glued to the board.
Already have the System 3, Rick. Out of curiosity, which plastic resin glue are you referring to?
Contributor
Alan
The really cheap tape will allow the epoxy to get underneath. The higher quality stuff, 3M, is better. This combined with a light wiping of Acetone, alcohol, or lacquer thinner should keep the problem to a minimum.
I think Rick is referring to Dap Plastic Resin? maybe.
"The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)
Contributor
Mike, I am curious, why do you use Epoxy exclusively?
You never use wood glue?
I just started working with the West styem, and see some major advantages, mainly with joints which are not single surfaced (like edge to edge glue up). Also, multi sided joints can't get clamp pressure from all sides, (M&T the most obvious). So in these cases, or when total glue surface area is just too great to achieve 200 psi... (not enough clamps, or space to place the clamps)...
But for other applications that are straight forward, you still use Epoxy?
Member
I always used plain old (white) vinegar to wipe up epoxy squeeze out. I would suggest calling West Systems tech support and asking them.
Also, in place of the blue painters tape, you could use wax, but that may present other finishing problems if you want to go brite.
Contributor
Will
It's really a personal preference. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Titebond, it's a great product, and I do use it. I have 3 types of titebond.
Like most wood workers, hobbiest, I work alone in a space limited environment which does not always facilitate laying out clamps and such and prepping the area for a glue up. So, I use epoxy because it gives me a longer open(pot) time, and a virtually unlimited working time to get any and all clamps just right and pieces aligned.
The clamping pressure and gap filling properties also make large panel glueups easier for me. Even though I have a wall full of Bow Clamps, and do use them on panel glueups, all I have to do is bring the individual pieces together and the epoxy does it's thing.
I just did a laminated glueup. Not having to stress about glue setting up allowed me to roll out the epoxy on the 14 laminated faces, 8 layers, that needed to be prepped and glued, and get them onto the bending form with zero stress.
Lastly, I used to work in boatyard repairing boats, fiberglass and such. So, epoxy is almost second nature to me.
Last edited by Mike Cutler; 09-24-2010 at 12:37 PM.
"The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)
Member
On the few occasions I have used epoxy I just wait until it is mostly set, but still a bit soft and scrape it off with a scraper. I usually take a shaving of wood off two which removes all trace of the squeeze out.
Contributor
Thx Mike for nice response.....
Do you use the epoxy for all types of laminates, or just wood laminates?
Is there applications where you prefer NOT to use the Epoxy?
BTW, your logic makes perfect sense to me, I too start getting stressed out about open time, as I work alone often...
Last edited by Will Blick; 09-24-2010 at 6:05 PM.
Member
I am talking about plastic resin glue made by dap. You'll have over an hour of working time if you want and the stuff is hard as nails. Also for you guys that buy west marine check out boat builder central. They have epoxy that I use all of the time for boat building. It is cheaper and just as good. No amine blush.
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