Wood to Lead Glue, what's your favorite flavour ?

[JimB]

Up to now I've been using West System Epoxy for gluing / fixing the lead weight inside my cues when needed, I use it because it stays nice and runny after mixing and doesn't expand at all and dries clear, it's a marine grade epoxy recommended to me by my boat building friend, it's crazy strong once cured ... just wondering what the rest of you builders use ?

Always good to hear other builders thoughts and opinions on glues and woods

[raymo147]

Araldite for me although I've tried b and q's own epoxy and its very good quality.

[louise sheldon]

i use araldite for glueing the lead and the dowel

dont do what a customer of mine has done, he decided to alter the weight of a manock copy that i made him as he has a lathe, but instead of using lead he has used steel and then glued it with gorilla glue, the result being that the gorrila glue goes everywhere as it foams and went into the sd joint. now the steel is stuck for life even if it comes loose. getting it out is near impossible as you would have to tap the butt so hard you would most likely split the butt and you cannot drill it out as this would create too much heat and split the butt, therefore always use lead and not steel

Up to now I've been using West System Epoxy for gluing / fixing the lead weight inside my cues when needed, I use it because it stays nice and runny after mixing and doesn't expand at all and dries clear, it's a marine grade epoxy recommended to me by my boat building friend, it's crazy strong once cured ... just wondering what the rest of you builders use ?

Always good to hear other builders thoughts and opinions on glues and woods

[JimB]

i use araldite for glueing the lead and the dowel

dont do what a customer of mine has done, he decided to alter the weight of a manock copy that i made him as he has a lathe, but instead of using lead he has used steel and then glued it with gorilla glue, the result being that the gorrila glue goes everywhere as it foams and went into the sd joint. now the steel is stuck for life even if it comes loose. getting it out is near impossible as you would have to tap the butt so hard you would most likely split the butt and you cannot drill it out as this would create too much heat and split the butt, therefore always use lead and not steel

Ouch ... yea, I only use lead and wouldn't touch Gorilla glue for any cue work, for wood to wood I use Franklin Titebond II, great stuff.

[JasonOwen]

i use araldite for glueing the lead and the dowel

dont do what a customer of mine has done, he decided to alter the weight of a manock copy that i made him as he has a lathe, but instead of using lead he has used steel and then glued it with gorilla glue, the result being that the gorrila glue goes everywhere as it foams and went into the sd joint. now the steel is stuck for life even if it comes loose. getting it out is near impossible as you would have to tap the butt so hard you would most likely split the butt and you cannot drill it out as this would create too much heat and split the butt, therefore always use lead and not steel

Dave, If the steel came loose, could he drill a small 2-3mm hole along side the main bore that holds the weight and then inject glue up around the steel weight? Or if he knows where the steel is located then drill 3 small holds into the side of the butt splices and inject in that way??

[tomeestrings]

Interested in that Franklin Titebond II , what properties does it have please ?? Regards

[JimB]

Interested in that Franklin Titebond II , what properties does it have please ?? Regards

It's a water based glue that is water proof when cured, we've used Titebond glue for the last 20 odd years in guitar construction (types I and II). Although I can't give you 'scientific strength' figures I can tell you that a glue that is strong enough to fix a Brazilian Rosewood or Ebony bridge to a Spruce or Cedar soundboard is certainly strong enough for any wood gluing in a cue especially when you consider a guitar bridge has to stay stuck to the soundboard even with a constant 80kgs of tension from the strings, even more tension if it's 12 string model ... we also give lifetime warranties so the glue's gotta be damn good haha!

Also, it doesn't crystallise when cured and we've always found it to be very resistant to 'shock' force as well, in our tests I've seen wood rip itself apart before the Titebond bond gives way. If the wood surfaces are prepared correctly (flat) then there will be no glue line visible once dried / cured.

We've used some of the most difficult woods over the years in guitar construction and never had a problem with Titebond and that includes some really oily Rosewoods, it's good stuff.

[tomeestrings]

Yes , that was the kind of answer I was looking for ! I totally understand the stresses you are dealing with . Can this glue be bought on somewhere like Ebay ?? Regards Tommy .

[JimB]

I buy mine from a local supplier but it's available from Axminster http://www.axminster.co.uk/titebond-shoptitebond/ and it's also available from Amazon. It probably is available from eBay but I don't like buying wood glue from eBay unless I'm confident in the seller, wood glue shelve life is not as good as other glues like epoxy or super glues.

[louise sheldon]

sorry for late reply

the problem with drilling alongside the main bore is you would have to do it by hand drill and the bit would have to be about 16" long which is ok for a 2mm bit but would not be possible with a 2-3mm bit.

the idea of drilling 3 small holes into the side of the butt could work or you could drill 4 holes in each splice and put small plugs of a different wood similar to the ce doninic dale used years ago

Dave, If the steel came loose, could he drill a small 2-3mm hole along side the main bore that holds the weight and then inject glue up around the steel weight? Or if he knows where the steel is located then drill 3 small holds into the side of the butt splices and inject in that way??

[tomeestrings]

Does nobody use a metal detector and take the splices off rather than drill test holes and inject ?? I know this isnt always possible !!

[louise sheldon]

sorry typing error on my behave on this post - meant to say 16" long is ok for a 12mm bit, not 2mm bit as i stated - (maybe dave should type his own post instead of getting me to type it!!)

sorry for late reply

the problem with drilling alongside the main bore is you would have to do it by hand drill and the bit would have to be about 16" long which is ok for a 2mm bit but would not be possible with a 2-3mm bit.

the idea of drilling 3 small holes into the side of the butt could work or you could drill 4 holes in each splice and put small plugs of a different wood similar to the ce doninic dale used years ago