Using Epoxy Glue to better connect fake gun ports

[Captain Amateur]

Hi.

 

I'm building the HMS Bellona by Corel. Below the deck it has over 20 fake gun ports that are glued to the hull plank from the inside. They bond doesn't feel very strong and I can foresee them falling apart later when I actually drill holes in them and insert the guns.

What's the view about applying epoxy glue on their connections with the planks?

 

Thanks all.

[Nirvana]

I would use epoxy, but do your research as there are many types of epoxies. Good luck.

[Dr PR]

What are the fake gun ports made of?

 

Epoxy is probably the all around best general purpose glue. It will glue just about anything to anything. I have used everything from very thin epoxy paint that soaks into wood grain to epoxy putty that is very good for molding parts, and it can be machined. The catch is the cure time. After mixing the two parts (be CERTAIN to follow the instructions) you have a limited time before the glue hardens. On the one hand some mixes set up in just 5 minutes, and some types take up to an hour to harden. So pick a type that gives you enough time to work with it to get things aligned, or to work with multiple assemblies, but not longer that you need. Once cured it is extremely difficult to remove. Rubbing alcohol will clean up excess before it cures.

 

Super glues (CA or cyanoacrylate) are good for bonding metal to metal, and are commonly used for wood. Oddly enough, a web page describing many types of cyanoacrylate glues says it really isn't very good for wood! I have used it to glue metal to wood. The less you use the faster it cures. There are accelerators to speed up curing (although it is almost instant curing on metals and skin) and you can loosen it with acetone. CA gels are slower curing and give you a few seconds to position parts. But cyanoacrylates will fog most clear plastics and they leave a film on wood surfaces that interferes with staining. Use acetone to clean up residue.

[Captain Amateur]

Thanks so much Dr.!

[Some Idea]

I really like epoxy resin it's a great all round glue.  I use it for gluing metal parts of all sizes to wood as it gives such a good bond.  As Dr PR has mentioned it cleans up nicely with IPA.  So what I do is mix a little at a time and then immediately clean any excess with a small brush and IPA.  It works a treat!

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  If you're bonding the ports from the inside, that implies you still have access from above.  Once the initial attachment has cured, you can use '5 minute epoxy' to blob around the perimeter of the port on the inside (at least around the sides and top) as the epoxy starts to 'stiffen up, but is still plenty sticky.  This will form a reinforcing 'fillet' where the inside surfaces of each port meets the wood of the hull.  Once cured, the ports will be in there good-and-solid ... and secure to drill as needed from the outside.

  While there is access from above, you can drill the small rope hole above the gun port  ... the one that the line for the gunport lid goes through.  (Check to get the right location that will allow the lid to open most of the way.)  Then install a line in the hole while there is access to knot the end on the inside so it won't pull out - you'll need the line later to tie the gun port lid up.  To keep the gun port lid line from falling down into the hull, you can either tie a knot on the outside, or put a dab of epoxy on the knotted end inside the hull.

  Gun port lids would have a metal ring (or eyebolt) on the outside to attach the raising line, and one on the inside to attach the line to close the port securely.  On little port lids, these can be really fiddly to deal with.  Instead, you can have a hole through the port lid to pass the line from the raising hole through, and the line can be knotted then to keep the port lid open at whatever angle you want.  then the line can continue from there to go inside the gun port (where it can be glued any way convenient).  That way, one line does 'double duty' to hold the port lid open, and appear to be the closing rope going into the port.  There can be some variation into exactly what angle the pot lids assume ... unless they are as far up as they can go.

  Now I didn't think this far ahead when closing my Vasa hull up, so now I think I'll just glue the lids open against the side of the hull, with a closing rope going into the port.  The scale is 1:100 and the port lids are small ... just about every little detail seems small to my bumble fingers.