Glue Help Needed - Bonding varnished wood to S/S

phatcat1

phatcat1

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Please can any forumites help me with a glue question.

I have two varnished wooden blocks to attach to our Cooney LSD75 davits to level-up the dinghy when it is fully raised and secure.

The wood is varnished to protect it from weather and water and the area to be bonded to is flat stainless steel.

What type of glue should I use? Thinking about good old Sikaflex, or do I need something tougher like a two-pack epoxy?

Nick
 
I'm not at all clear what you have in mind. If the blocks are to raise the foot of the davits, I wouldn't recommend using 'glue' at all. I'd have thought the davit bases should be through-bolted to the hull. The only goo required would be a sealant, such as Sika 291, on both faces of the wooden blocks.
I'm also assuming that by 'blocks' you mean chunks of wood, rather than the things with sheaves.

For anyone else pondering the question, these seem to be the davits in question: http://www.cooneymarine.co.uk/pages/davits-swivelling-75.html
 
Its at the head of the davits where the dinghy pulls up to the stops. Don't worry, I'm not gluing the davits to the boat!

It is simply two bits of wood - one in each of the flat ends of the arms to level the dinghy side to side so it hangs straight.

The only weight it bears is to hold the wood in place. The dinghy will pull up against it.
 
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If you are gluing onto varnished wood then the glue will only be as strong as the varnish. I suggest you abraid both surfaces and then use a glue rated for the job. Epoxy will bond metal to wood.
 
phatcat1 said:
Its at the head of the davits where the dinghy pulls up to the stops. Don't worry, I'm not gluing the davits to the boat!

It is simply two bits of wood - one in each of the flat ends of the arms to level the dinghy side to side so it hangs straight.

The only weight it bears is to hold the wood in place. The dinghy will pull up against it.
Click to expand...

Sikaflex is more than up to the job.
 
? Would it not be an idea to use a couple of trailer rubber keil bumpers? Many types, shapes and alternative fixings available, none needing varnishingand most offering KISS and rough handling protection qualities ?

Alan
 
I'd be tempted to make them a feature, perhaps based on Madonna's famous conical bra's and silicon inserts ?

Alan
 
pmagowan said:
If you are gluing onto varnished wood then the glue will only be as strong as the varnish. I suggest you abraid both surfaces and then use a glue rated for the job. Epoxy will bond metal to wood.
Click to expand...

+1. You're asking the varnish to do a structural job. It will fail no matter what glue you use. You need to bolt or screw through the stainless steel. You might get away with Sikaflexing bare wood to stainless, but wood moves with changing humidity and will want to break free.
 
After what is probably decades of using Sika products, I have now become a total convert of a building product called CT1. It looks like sikaflex but comes in more colours (including silver). It is not polyurethane based though, which can have several advantages over sikaflex. Being moisture cured it will (and really does) cure under water.
I've used it for countless tasks now, both on and off the boat. Its DEFINITELY stronger than sikaflex.
What's REALLY cool, is that once opened, unlike sika and other poly products, it remains useable for many months. In fact I still have a tube on the go from last year!!!!
edit: also has much better UV protection than sika
 
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