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Old 25-12-2011, 15:34   #1
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Iron wood swim platform (what glue is recommended?)

I'm thinking of building a swim platform from some Iron wood boards I have left over from a deck project . What glue should I be using and is there any pre-treatment I should be doing to get great adhesion ? The wood is very oily.
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Old 25-12-2011, 15:49   #2
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Re: Iron wood swim platform (what glue is recommended?)

Ironwood (Merbau) is no good idea. It becomes slippery when wet () and no way you can do anything with it except oil it.

Use instead Iroko if you find teak too expensive, or Afzelia, which is resistant against anything for a very, very long period (30 years+).

Board is a very bad idea. Glues used are inferior and won' t hold very long.

Gluing Ironwood can be done with epoxy and/or Aerodux 500.

Again, take another wood.
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Old 25-12-2011, 16:06   #3
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Re: Iron wood swim platform (what glue is recommended?)

We have a set of hand hewn Bocci balls.
One of them cracked and I used MarineTex to fix it.
That was years ago and it's still holding together nicely.
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Old 25-12-2011, 16:33   #4
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Re: Iron wood swim platform (what glue is recommended?)

I think Aerodux 500 is a Resorcinol adhesive . I was once told by our Wisconsin Forest Labs that Resorcinols are used for laminate beams and must be carefully controlled (pressure. temperature ETC). Have they made changes that allow it to be used by less than professional tradesmen in a shop environment?
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Old 25-12-2011, 16:45   #5
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Re: Iron wood swim platform (what glue is recommended?)

You are partly correct: Aerodux 500 is a resorcinol-phenol-formaldehyde type of glue and needs little or none tolerance between the glued surfaces.

Temperature control is at best at 20 deg Celsius or a little above. The mechanic properties of Aerodux are sometimes better than those of epoxy.
Pressure is done by way of clamping the parts to be glued. Aerodux is not subject to UV degradation as epoxy is.

Whole boats are glued in the pre-epoxy era: Chichesters Gipsy Moth V, actually all wood laminated boats before the '88 era.

Aerodux has no 'filling' capacity. Joints must be as precise as possible. But it is a hell of a glue. Sometimes better than epoxy if you are aware of the proper use. In beams, as you stated, a definite yes!!!
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Old 25-12-2011, 17:41   #6
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Re: Iron wood swim platform (what glue is recommended?)

No Gap filling... Thanks for the help. I'll use epoxy since my wood working skills are not up to zero tolerance joints.

I'll look for alternative wood at a shop near by. They have most of the exotic woods .
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Old 25-12-2011, 18:44   #7
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Re: Iron wood swim platform (what glue is recommended?)

Hinoki cypress would also be a good choice if you can find it.
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Old 25-12-2011, 19:25   #8
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Re: Iron wood swim platform (what glue is recommended?)

I would use wipe it with acetone a few times, biscuit joint it, apply epoxy, clamp it together with some pipe clamps and let it cure for 24 hours.

Ipe is a close approximate and a less expensive wood. You do want to seal the end grain with ipe otherwise it could split. It is a beautiful wood.
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