Collano Semparoc adhesive, and Damp

[Michael Rogers]

Advice/encouragement from anyone with practical experience of this glue would be much appreciated.

I am making a new (slightly longer, and double curved) tiller for Cavatina. I am planning to laminate laths of 3mm mahogany structural veneer, probably 7 or 8 of them, with Collano Semparoc. I have made a jig by cutting out a long slot, with all the required curves, in 15mm ply. It promises to work well. Unfortunately the laths are not cooperating with the planned curves in the dry state, and will need some coercion in the shape (excuse the pun) of some gentle steaming - not a problem with a wallpaper steamer or whatever.

My concern is about the resultant dampness of the wood and any effect on the glue: I don't want the whole thing unravelling. My bottle of Collano Semparoc (CS) hasn't come yet, but I believe the blurb is enthusiastic about the beneficial effects of damp on the glue: I think, I read somewhere, up to 30% of 'wet'. Is that by weight? That would be positively soggy, surely?!

Any comments? Thanks.

Michael

[Michael Rogers]

I've done the research which I should have done before posting. For 30% (moisture), read 25%(according to MarineStore). Still a lot. Would I put that much wet into my laths by steaming them enough to get them to bend - a bit more? The glue will have to go on while they're damp, that's what I'm uncertain about.

M

[Rob Johnstone]

What happens if you bend the laths when wet and let them dry out - will they retain some of their bend so that they now "co-operate" when you finally assemble them with the glue?

[Michael Rogers]

I've no idea, Rob - I was hoping someone had given something like that a go and could tell me! It would be worth a try, though, because not a great deal more pliability is needed. And if it didn't work, I think the laths would dry out reasonably quickly for me to try something else.

M

[Julian Swindell]

Semparoc or whatever they call it now is excellent stuff. It is set by reaction with water. I don't think you want to wood to be actually wet, but other than that I don't think you need worry. I glued up my two oars with it and it was a delight to use after epoxy. Just spread it on and clamp it tight, just like proper gluing always used to be. It seems completely waterproof as far as I can judge. I am using it for all wood gluing on my new Guillemot dinghy build except for the planking and back bone. With my standard of joinery, I am going to need epoxy's gap filling properties to keep me afloat.