Is Cascamite still the same stuff it has always been?

[Slowboat35]

As far as I recall Cascamite was for dry construction and was not recommended for applications that would be subjected to continual wet for which Cascophen was the go-to product (Again, afair!)
Cascamite was an utterly superb wood adhesive and if the formula hasn't chnaged much presumably remains so. I still have a tin in my workshop, though unused for years.
I'm very surprised to learn that Cascamite was involved in the Mosquito. One of he problems with the couple of remaining Mossies is that the glue has degenerated and I didn't think that Cascamite did that. Are we not talking about Aerolite which though maybe related was not the same thing? Again, afair Aerolite retained some flexibility when cured, essential in an aerostructure while cascamite was rigid.

Further research required!

Ah! Yes.And No! Cascamite is a caesin (milk producct) based glue that doesn't respond well to long term dampness (ie over many many years/decades).
Later Mossies were built with Resorcinol (aka Cascofen) - a phenol-based adhesive that is much better - indeed excellent to this day at wet applications. Still a go-to glue for building plywood laminated structures.

And so we learn!

 

[Boatmania]

I had some issues a couple of years ago, but found a very similar product called Semforite.
Have never had any problems with it, and it seems to cope with veneer work as well.

 

[Never Grumble]

Back in 1980 as a shipwright apprentice we used Cascamite in the boat shop. Cant remember exactly what we were sticking together.
I need to stick my sons dinghy rudder back together (stripped timber) perhaps I will have to investigate further what to use.

 

[DownWest]

Back in 1980 as a shipwright apprentice we used Cascamite in the boat shop. Cant remember exactly what we were sticking together.
I need to stick my sons dinghy rudder back together (stripped timber) perhaps I will have to investigate further what to use.

The go to now is epoxy, especialy if regluing a joint previously glued with summit else.
I used a lot of Aerolite in days past, then Resorcinol with wooden aircraft. Two things.. Resorcinol is very temp sensitive when curing, needs to be kept slightly warm. Larry Pardy related gluing up the keel structure of a ketch. Overnight the temp dropped to near 0°, next morning they took the clamps off and it just fell to bits....
At least epoxy will just wait until the temp gets back up again
Aerolite was dead easy and tolerant, but does get brittle with age.
I just noticed an Aerolite kit I bought near 20 yrs ago, sitting on a shelf in the workshop unused.
Got lucky clearing a failed big cat project. 200lt drum of epoxy + hardeners. Built 3 boats so far....One for me and two for friends.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I used to use cascamite in my woodwork but noy for boats a cacamite is nt waterproof its cascafen that is the water proof glue and has a colour purple cascamite is white/ clear in colour so better for furniture glue

 

[john_morris_uk]

Years ago when I was rebuilding the mast fror our SCOD, the surveyor told me to use Aerolite (spelling?) as he said epoxy or Cascomite were too brittle for a wooden mast. Right or wrong, the mast stayed together very nicely for several years while we had the boat.

 

[DownWest]

Years ago when I was rebuilding the mast fror our SCOD, the surveyor told me to use Aerolite (spelling?) as he said epoxy or Cascomite were too brittle for a wooden mast. Right or wrong, the mast stayed together very nicely for several years while we had the boat.

Blokes in the SOF built a very tall wooden mast for a classic J. Classic Boat did an article on it. I contacted them as I was about to build a birdsmouth mast and wondered about the glue. They said it was a variation on a modifyed urea formaldahyde glue... So not much different to Aerolite. Came out best on aging tests.

 

[DownWest]

Years ago when I was rebuilding the mast fror our SCOD, the surveyor told me to use Aerolite (spelling?) as he said epoxy or Cascomite were too brittle for a wooden mast. Right or wrong, the mast stayed together very nicely for several years while we had the boat.

As you say, years ago.. Several epoxy variations are now more quite flexible. System Three have one.
Years ago, the 60s, all our masts were Aerolite glued. First by my father's partner's firm, then by Collar. Never a prob.
Personally, not had a prob with epoxy.. Never thought it as being brittle?