Type of glue to use planking a hull

[Jerry Berenson]

Any recommendation about what type of glue to use when planking a hull. I have used cyanoacrylate in the past but wind up with glue on my fingertips. Is contact cement any better or any other suggestion? My objection to contact cement is the need for ventilation. Thanks, Jerry

[RossR]

Contact cement would not be a good choice for gluing  planks to bulkheads.  It can be useful if applying a second layer of planking when 100% of the surface has contact with first layer.  Occre suggests it for their double planked models, and it works well with the extremely thin second layer they provide.  I am not sure I would use it with thicker material.

[hamilton]

I always use medium thickness CA for hull planking - and I also get glue on my fingertips. It's a pain! But if you invest in some isopropyl alcohol (nail polish remover) you can remove it once it's dried and crusty - it peels off like a scab once softened by the alcohol - as my skin gets thinner I worry it might take some skin with it when it does, but I prefer to use CA for this purpose as it allows speedier progress on a process I don't always get much enjoyment out of.....I have read of others who use PVA (wood glue), but my impression is that because of the slow setting and curing time it makes for very slow work....I'm willing to sacrifice my fingers for a little bit to get through it!

hamilton

[Dr PR]

 

[Paul Jarman]

Personality I would never use CA glue for planking.I have used Vitalbond Aliphatic professional wood glue for all my models.It's essentially a wood super glue. And holds the plank to the bulkhead just fine. I then use a normal white PVA wood glue for second planking as there is more area fror the glue to grab.

The only time I've used CA glue for planking is on occasional areas that have a lot of spring in them

Paul

[CPDDET]

While I have used CA in the past for hull planking, I currently use Titebond Thick and Quick. Have been very happy with this product with its quicker dry time. And it dries clear.

[No Idea]

On 1/11/2024 at 7:26 AM, Paul Jarman said:

Personality I would never use CA glue for planking.I have used Vitalbond Aliphatic professional wood glue for all my models.It's essentially a wood super glue. And holds the plank to the bulkhead just fine. I then use a normal white PVA wood glue for second planking as there is more area fror the glue to grab.

The only time I've used CA glue for planking is on occasional areas that have a lot of spring in them

Paul

Paul I'm with you on this but it's also personal choice.  I pretty much only use aliphatic resin as its got good quick grip and can be disassembled using IPA.  I have never had a good experience with CA and this was brought home to me last week when I was gluing some pewter together.  

 

For some reason in my own mind I always think (incorrectly) that CA is for builders in a rush.  Then I see some of the amazing results that builders on this forum get using CA.  I think they just have it better sussed than me as you would never guess that they had used CA.

[David Enghauser]

I notice that Titebond also has a glue called Speed set , is anyone familiar with it? I Wonder what the difference is between it and Titebond Quick and Thick?

[S.Coleman]

I always use wood glue. Tightbond brand. It dries quick and is very strong. CA glue will just get crystallised after awhile and break apart. Use PVA 50:50 with water to glue the knots on my rigging too.

[barkeater]

The problem with using CA for planking is that it stains any exposed surface and is just about impossible to sand out because it penetrates. This persists when you overcoat with varnish or shellac. A stain can even be seen when you paint over the area because you lose the grain of the surface as it is replaced by plastic. A good rule of thumb is to use PVA on wood or any wood product such as paper and leave the CA for bonding metal or plastic to wood. You can use it where you need a quick bond but if you've shaped your wood beforehand this is rarely necessary. PVA clamped by hand if you can't get a mechanical clamp on it and counting count to 100 usually is enough to hold your bond.

Rich

[Mike Shea]

For my wood

On 1/12/2024 at 6:38 AM, CPDDET said:

While I have used CA in the past for hull planking, I currently use Titebond Thick and Quick. Have been very happy with this product with its quicker dry time. And it dries clear.

I second that. While I have yet to build a model ship this is what I use for my wood airplane builds. I use CA glue mostly for PE and smaller parts. When I do use CA I always make sure that I use it in a well ventilated area as the fumes are terrible for the eyes and lungs - especially with long term use. (Edit:) A tiny desk fan is what I use to keep CA fumes from wafting up toward my face. 

Edited March 25 by Mike Shea

[Jaager]

On 1/10/2024 at 7:18 PM, Jerry Berenson said:

Is contact cement any better

It is a terrible choice.  It has a relatively short life. It becomes brittle and releases its bond. 

It is thick and does not allow positioning.  There is no easy way to reverse it.

 

Attach Lino to a plywood sheet for something intended to last 10 years or so - go for it.

 

PVA plus heat can become a contract cement of sorts.  A dry even coat on both meeting surfaces plus heat activates a bond.  The outside layer has to be thin enough to allow heat transfer at a temp that does not char or cook the outer layer.

[vaddoc]

I use 1 mm screws which I then replace with wooden nails. In the past I ve used brass wire dipped in CA glue. All planks in all of my models are fastened this way - no plank is glued.

Once I thought of threading brass wire and using it without glue but the amount of work needed would be far too huge.

[glbarlow]

Day and night opinions (which is what they are) on this topic, and likely a hundred or so different posts on the topic as a search would show.

 

I ALWAYS use CA for hull planking. Over a dozen models now, some 20+ years old and never had and still don't have any issue with the quality of my planking or its durability. Higher quality CA like Bob Smith Industries, (they aren't all the same) does not have excessive fumes or strong smell. In fact Bob Smith Industries has a version of CA that is odorless entirely. 

 

Bottom line is use what works for you, as it seems everyone replying to this post has.  It annoys me when instead of telling you their preference and reasons for it they denigrate someone else's.  Why not just share why your method works for you.

 

CA works great, it's the right choice for me. I guess other glues must too, but I've never seen reason to try them.

Edited March 25 by glbarlow

[glbarlow]

On 3/24/2024 at 6:56 AM, S.Coleman said:

CA glue will just get crystallised after awhile and break apart.

This is simply not true with a quality brand - perhaps some cheap brand might. CA is not universal, there are quality differences by manufacturer.

[glbarlow]

On 3/24/2024 at 9:01 AM, barkeater said:

The problem with using CA for planking is that it stains any exposed surface and is just about impossible to sand out because it penetrates

Not entirely true, like any glue you need to be neat and apply it carefully and sparingly. The hulls of my Winchelsea and Cheerful (see build logs) have no such stains.

[glbarlow]

On 3/24/2024 at 9:01 AM, barkeater said:

good rule of thumb is to use PVA on wood or any wood product such as paper and leave the CA for bonding metal or plastic to wood.

Perhaps for you, not my guidance at all. 

[Gregory]

On 3/24/2024 at 7:56 AM, S.Coleman said:

CA glue will just get crystallised after awhile and break apart.

If it crystallizes, then there is something wrong with the formula, or the way it was used. Properly cured CA is just plastic, with fibers penetrating the wood, creating a mesh that is stronger than wood in some regards.  
The bond can break under shear stress, but this is unlikely to happen with planking, and not any more so than PVA.

The times I have seen a CA joint come apart there was always shared wood on the two pieces, which means the wood broke before the glue did.

[vaddoc]

In my experience, there is a world of difference between cheap and higher end CA glue.

An issue to consider with any glue is the degree of contact between the mating surfaces. PVA needs excellent contact and pressure, not always possible with planks. CA just a bit of contact as it is incredibly strong. Thickened epoxy will bridge any gap but is very messy. Expanding glues like the amber Gorilla one are even messier. I would not trust contact cement for this task. Hide glue I have no experience with.

If I was gluing planks to frames I d probably go for CA. Have debonder at hand though to detach your finger from your eyelid!

[David Enghauser]

I have been using Titebond thick and quick for planking The Pride of Baltimore. Pleased with results. Sets up faster than normal wood glue but so far has the same properties. Doesn't stick to my hands like CA. 

[Gregory]

I have been meaning to give Thick and Quick a try just to see how it does.    CA Does take a little extra care, but a few seconds versus several minutes clamp time means a lot to me.

[allanyed]

16 hours ago, vaddoc said:

I use 1 mm screws which I then replace with wooden nails. In the past I've used brass wire dipped in CA glue. All planks in all of my models are fastened this way - no plank is glued.

Hi Vaddoc,  This is intriguing so some questions, I hope you don't mind.   What scale(s)?   1mm is the equivalent of 1.9 inches so at 1:48 would be great for the hull planks.  What is your sequence?   I can visualize holding one plank of a given strake in place and drilling the first hole then screwing into the frame.  Then drill and screw subsequent holes in that plank into each frame.   That should be about 24 for a 30 foot piece of planking. Next would be remove one screw at a time and insert a treenail.   With about 100 frames and 100 strakes of planking you are talking about doing this 10,000 times.  I like the idea though and would like to know more about how you perform this.  TIA

Allan

[CPDDET]

When all is said and done I keep different types of glue available for different tasks. For me, one size dosent fit all. Glue is just another tool. And like tools there is always the correct one needed. How many cutting instruments do we use? How many types of clamps? Sometimes we use files, sometimes chisels and sometimes sandpaper, and so on.

[vaddoc]

@allanyed This is it pretty much Allan. Actually the hole left when the screw is removed is smaller and can even be filled with a smaller 0.7 mm wood nail dipped in PVA (or copper or brass wire dipped in CA which is a much faster process). 

[BrochBoating]

On 3/24/2024 at 2:01 PM, barkeater said:

The problem with using CA for planking is that it stains any exposed surface

 

Then more care needs to be taken. Use gel CA such as from Gorilla and use a piece of scrap to spread a thing even coat on the back of one plank at a time and you're unlikely to have any mess.

 

[allanyed]

28 minutes ago, vaddoc said:

This is it pretty much Allan.

THANK YOU!!

[tedrobinson2000]

I have had good success with Roket (note no "C") cyano glue gel CA. It's a little pricey and hard to find, but works well for most uses, especially planking. Just the tiniest dot (often right out of the tube tip), finger pressure for 15-20 seconds, and it's done. Plenty of time to reposition things if necessary before it grabs.