CA vs Epoxy Resin

I’m trying to build a light crane by lashing(more or less) a short piece of CF across the top of my mast with CF tow and then soaking it with resin. I made a trial using epoxy and it seems strong enough but it took all night to cure. It crossed my mind to use CA so I tried it and it also seems strong enough and I also got instant gratifcation. Question is which one is better? I have an unfounded mistrust of CA but it is so much quicker and easier (you can hold the tow in place while it sets) that I would like to use it. Any experiences or ideas that may influence my decision?

Thanks
Don
Vancouver Island

Hey Don,

Great idea for your mast crane. Probably a lot easier than the other ways you have thought of to do it.

Anyway, I frequently lash things onto my spars. It is my main mode of attaching eyelets (split rings) and other fittings. I don’t believe that the epoxy does much to create a bond between the lashing and the spar. You are basically relying on the friction of the lashing and the main reason that you wet it out at all is to prevent the lashing from unravelling. I have found that it is really easy to cut the lashing and peel it off if you want to replace or repair it, so the epoxy is not generating a very stong bond at all.

Download Attachment: PA080005s.JPG
75.91KB

I generally use 5 minute epoxy to wet out my lashings. It seems to give me the right mix of holding the lashing together and quick setting (and cosmetics to a smaller degree). I think CA would work as well.

By the way, I would try to create a small cradle for the tube out of a wood dowel that just fits inside the mast tube. This will even out the loading so that the samller tube does not crack due to point loading. I’ve had trouble with CF tubes cracking it you do not spread the load out a bit.

  • Will

Will Gorgen

Thanks Will
I think the CA actually sticks to the spar better than epoxy(which seems strange)but I have concerns about the longevity of CA. Years ago at work we glued a bunch of tags up with Crazy Glue and about six months later they all fell off. The strange thing was they all fell off on the same day. I have mistrusted it ever since. The Zap I am using is much better quality so it’s probably O.K. I have created a saddle with 5 min epoxy. I guess I’ll sail it and see what happens.

Thanks
Don
Vancouver Island

If you glue to a relativly stable material, the CA works fine.We had the same experience at work, everything coming loose within a 24 hour period. Found that the plastic we glued to was aging and releasing some of the oil that it was made of. Original glue joint tested very strong. Had the same problem with a oil hardened steel. Clyde

Here’s a silly (or maybe not so silly) question:

CA was originally formulated as a field suture (Korean War). Is it designed to break down over time when exposed to certain oils or chemicals that might be found in the human biological system?

  • Will

Will Gorgen

Will, it does not break down fast enough with bare feet and concrete shop floor. :slight_smile: Clyde

<blockquote id=“quote”><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Arial, Helvetica” id=“quote”>quote:<hr height=“1” noshade id=“quote”>Originally posted by clyde

Will, it does not break down fast enough with bare feet and concrete shop floor. :slight_smile: Clyde
<hr height=“1” noshade id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”></font id=“quote”>

Clyde
I laughed out loud!! The mental picture is hilarious.I hope someone else was home.
Don

Thought about my situation and decided that my wife already has enough “laugh” situations to last a lifetime. Finally decided to use a Xacto blade removed from the handle. Worked fine, except my muscles still react from the memory of squatting down for 10-15 minutes. Now NO bare feet in the shop and a single edge razor blade is handy (just in case). Clyde

Hey guys - might do a search, as topic is an old one.

As I recall, consensus was NOT to use CA in wet environment for strength type joints. I had posed a concern, as some joints had turned to white powder - and a few guys were coating their keel trunks with CA to waterproof.

Seems that top of rig lashings are pretty much removed from concern and lengthy wetness. Today, I still “tack” in place with CA but glue/fair with epoxy.

Maybe new formulations offer better water resistance.

UPDATE: Sorry - discussion was on WindPower - not here !

Dick
I threw together a trial CF gooseneck yesterday morning, went sailing,and when I came home in the afternoon the gooseneck was white,sort of powdery.This was on my workbench in a heated garage. Strange. Does anybody know more about this white pwder?
I put the query about CA vs Resin on both sites so the discission is on both.
Thanks
Don

Don Case
 Vancouver Island