Glue for scarf joint on gunwales?

[cflcanoe]

What glue do you use for scarf joints on gunwales? Will be using Watco on the gunwales. Needs to be water prof and easy to find. Thinking of using marine epoxy. but do not like the white color of the locally available kind. 12 foot seems to be the longest available ash or spruce here. So just getting a 16 foot piece of lumber is not a option here.

 

[red langford]

Titebond III

Stay away from Gorilla Glue, I am a hobby woodworker at times and have read Woodworking magazines that have done the tests on the different glue and just your regular old wood glue always seemed to perform the best. Gorilla Glue while at first seemed better I do recall was the weakest performer.

 

[Mihun09]

I've always used epoxy and put the scarf joint in the center of the boat, least amount of stress. I have had otherwise glued joints break under bending pressure.

 

[memaquay]

Epoxy or gorilla glue will work. I've used both on gunwales.

 

[stripperguy]

When I've had to use a joint on the gunnels, I always use epoxy...and like Mihun, I put the joint in the lowest stress area possible.
Many years ago, I also used a urea-formaldehyde glue, it was a tan powder, mixed with water. I think it survived only a few years, mostly because the varnish was worn off and exposed the joint. The gunnels usually take a lot of abrasive wear, and whatever finish is rubbed off in just a few seasons of use. Even with an exposed joint, the epoxy still holds up, I'm not so sure about other types of adhesives.
With all that said, I would all that I could to avoid any joints in the gunnels.

 

[Seeker]

Titebond III is formulated for wet/outdoor apps.

 

[cflcanoe]

Finished roughing out the new gunwales today through the router table. Sanding and first coat of Watco tomorrow. I aways like to have at least four coats on the hidden partd of the gunwale before putting on a canoe. So were would the low stress areas for gunwale joints on a Bell Wildfire be? By the way bought the Tightbond III today to give it a try. Thnaks for all the input.

 

[cflcanoe]

Just wanted red langford, seeker, and every one else know how well the TitebondIII did. Easy to work with and clean up. Holds great. Glued up a sample scarf joints and tried to break them. Could not do it. So used TitebondIII on the gunwales. Was not disappointed. Just checked out the canoe after last weekends day trip with new gunwales. Every thing was as it should be. Will try to remember to post the results after a year of abuse.

 

[red langford]

The wood will fail before the glue will. Thanks for the update.