Rod making glues

[fish'n Jim]

I've been using slow cure epoxy for as long as I've been making rods for gluing cork, etc.

It's getting harder to get, and it's now about $4 per ounce.  Most over the counter is fast cure, which leaves insufficient time to 

assemble.   I have decades of good performance out of slow cure epoxy.   It fills well and turns without chipping.   I'd not easily switch without some good evidence.

But there's a bunch of new glues out that seem to perform well in a variety of services.   I switched to gel super glue for the tip tops after it came out.  

So my questions is, what glues are other rod makers using for handles, etc., if not epoxy?

[MickD]

Using super glue for tiptops makes them very difficult to remove, with real risk of damaging the blank.  Hot melt "ferrule cement" is a much better choice, in my opinion.

 

I use U40 Rod Bond quick bond paste epoxy for cork rings and reel seats, etc, and have had no problems.  Seems to work perfectly for all structural uses.

I have an acquaintance who uses an adhesive designed for wood for his cork rings, swears by it, but I don't know exactly what it is.  I can find out if you want.

 

Gorilla glue is too messy, expands all over everything.

 

I see no reason to change from Rod Bond.  It does come in a slow cure version.

 

 

[S Hovanec]

I use Rod Bond and Quik Bond for gluing grips and seats to the blank.  I use TiteBond 3 for all of my cork gluing.

[Angry John]

I like propaste for the epoxy work i have to do.  It was a little rod building but mostly for repair.  I havent done a bunch but none of the things i have done have failed or needed any additional attention.  I have not used any of there other products so i will not speak to those.

[.ghoti.]

Titebond for glueing cork together, Threadmaster Lite for finishing thread wraps, Flex Coat Rodbuilder's glue for glueing seats and grips to the blank, hot melt type tiptop glue.

[fish'n Jim]

FYI -> You remove a super glued top the same way you remove one with hot melt.   Give it a little heat (butane lighter) with light pressure holding with pliers and the glues melts and it pops right off.   No damage.   It's a great thing to carry on the boat, for those on water, rod tip accidents.   I carry spare tips.   Been doing this a long time and I've got rods that are old now with several tip replacements.   No problem.   It's a lot better, faster, and less messy than those little short pieces of hot melt that you burn your fingers with.

I use "rod builders" brand epoxy and finish.   It's too difficult to find (Devcon, et al) slow cure epoxy at the hardware these days.   I used to be able to go get a fresh package anywhere/time, but I've searched the area and none.   Even the hobby stores don't carry it.  It's all 5 or 1 minute now, not enough pot time there for a handle.   So I buy in larger size and keep in the freezer.   Thaw it out before use and keep sealed.   But it's $4 / ounce and climbing.   I don't do many rods any more to buy larger.   I'd not be doing this one, if the blank wasn't defective on the one I built last April.

Thanks to all, I'll look up some of these glue suggestions and makes some tests.

[Alpster]

Rod Bond for cork rings, grips and seats. I have some rods with 10-15 years on them with no issues. Hot glue for tips and "Threadmaster" and "Flexcoat" for wraps.

[MickD]

On 12/15/2017 at 9:57 AM, fish'n Jim said:

Give it a little heat (butane lighter) with light pressure holding with pliers and the glues melts and it pops right off.   No damage.

I strongly disagree with this statement.  I have removed a few glued tiptops that were a real struggle, always on the edge of too much heat.  If you want it to "pop right off," use some sort of hot melt, preferably the type called "ferrule cement."  The fact is that super glues do not melt.  They degrade with enough heat and time, and those conditions are very close to what it takes to degrade a blank.  Yes, it can be done, but the margin for error is very small.