what glue for field camera repair?

[Darin Cozine]

Hello, Just got a 4x5 wood field camera that needs a minot repair. The split occured on a part that takes quite a bit of abuse, it is right under the rear standard and it needs to be strong so it does not wigle.

What type of glue should i use? -I have some elmers wood-glue, can I use that or should I get something stronger?

Thanks!

Darin

www.cozinephoto.com

[Ralph Barker]

Although Elmers woodworker's glue is good stuff on new joints, Gorilla Glue or an epoxy might be stronger for a repair. Others may have additional suggestions.

[Michael Legan]

I've refurbished a couple of Deardorffs and have used Gorilla Glue on both of them when necessary. It is amazingly strong and will not 'give up' the bond no matter what. The rest of the wood will fail before the repair does. Great stuff.

[Mark Sawyer]

Go for the Gorilla glue. Clamp the repair well; the glue expands as it sets up, forcing its way into the wood. Without a secure clamp, it will expand the crack instead.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Hi there,

Not being funny BUT it's faster, cheaper and safer just to have the broken piece duplicated in cherry wood. It broke for a reason and no glue will fix the reason it broke.

As an aside, 'Woodenboat' magazine (www.woodenboatstore.com) did a destruction test on all the glues they had, 'Gorilla Glue' came in dead last, it doesn't like moisture. All of the epoxies beat it and 'Resorcinol' beat everything but has it's own problems in use.

Just a thought.

[Doug Dolde]

Yellow carpenters glue like Titebond will make a joint stronger than the wood itself. So will two part epoxy.

[evan clarke]

Hi,
I make exotic pool cues for a living and have been laminating and inlaying woods for about 40 years. Use epoxy..Evan Clarke

[Charlie Skelton]

Glue is funny stuff, it works in two ways.
1. As a strong filler, if the crack is open and cannot be closed, you need a filling adhesive of the epoxy or similar type. The principle is that you fill the gap with an intrinsically strong substance that also adheres to the material. Epoxys can be made to flow with the application of heat ( a soldering iron held close), this however hurries the curing, for best strength they need to hot cure, the old fashioned slow ones ( ie non rapid hardening) are easier to use as they give you time.

2. As a bond between two surfaces in good contact. Here fluidity is useful, the PVA type glues work well in this context. My preference is the old fashioned hot animal glue for sheer usability, invisibility, lack of mess, good strength and general ease of use, it has the great advantage that you can undo what you have done should you need to, old cameras were held together with this stuff, and it's still the only glue used by violin makers.

If you need extra strength, you can stitch the crack with thread or non corroding wire, this can be done nearly invisibly, if you are interested I could do a sketch and scan it.

These are the kind of techniques used in musical instrument repair.

Charlie

[Calamity Jane]

To repair a crack in hardwood (for musical instruments) I use plastic rosin glue. It's a white powder that you mix with water. It is very thin and will wick into any cracks. Unlike other glues, the water-based rosin actually penetrates the wood fibre. It is tough as blazes when cured - I use this glue only for joints that NEVER have to come apart, such as laminating the rims and resonators of banjos.

[Darin Cozine]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone!
I ended up using 2-part epoxy. One of the repairs I made included a small gap that needed to be filled.

Allthough I think Pauls advice has much merrit. The way this part is made, it would seem prone to splitting. Having the part remade is a much better long-term solution, allthough I would pick a laminate hardwood (if such a thing exists).