# What glue do you use for segmenting?



## Fat Boy (Jan 9, 2011)

I have recently made a couple celtic knots and segmented pens. They came out good, i used 5 minute epoxy but it is a liitle costly doing it that way. an suggestions for a wood glue or a CA glue instead that is more cost effective and will still hold? thanks ahead of time.

Chris


----------



## whegge (Jan 9, 2011)

All three that you mentioned will work.  Just a question of how long to wait until you can start turning.

Fastest is CA.  Epoxy is probably next and then wood glue.

Wood glue you really need to let it sit over night at least.  Epoxy should really be longer than the 5 minutes it suggests, especially if you are glueing segments that are on an angle.

Wes


----------



## Drstrangefart (Jan 9, 2011)

I use thick CA. Works pretty dang well. Most problems I have with it are simple user error, which the glue can't be held responsible for.


----------



## mach9 (Jan 9, 2011)

I've been using the Loctite 5 minute epoxy from Lowes for all of my pen work, tubes, segmenting, ect. But have been having a terrible time gluing up segmented blanks with it, when using aluminum in the blanks. Did two yesterday. Scuffed the aluminum with sandpaper, nice square cuts on the wood pieces with my new (to me) table saw. Clamped them up and let the set overnight, in my warm house. When I went to drill them, they instantly came apart, which caused considerable grief and wasted time. Any suggestion on how to fix this are appreciated. I think I'm going to try brass on the next one, instead of aluminum. I've never really had a problem on earlier pens when just gluing wood to wood.


----------



## snyiper (Jan 10, 2011)

I have had aluminum come apart at different stages as well, usually after I get the blank round. This is caused by a couple things. Aluminum is not clean it may be scuffed but oil from your hands on it. Heat, most glues will come apart with heat like drilling and turning have to be real careful. These are just my observations.


----------



## moke (Jan 10, 2011)

This is a question: I think I read once, to use CA on metal to wood..or metal to anything, and epoxy on wood or PR to anything...Opinions?..sorry to "hijack" the thread but I think it is pertinent to the discussion.


----------



## concho_joe (Jan 10, 2011)

I have had success with all, but I like to use 5 min epoxy when combining anything with wood.  If I am using two wood I use titebond III.  A lot of the trick is to not get in too big of a hurry.  Many times we try to turn before things have had a chance to cure.  I usually wait 24 hrs min before turning segmented items. I made a segmented pen for RAdams in 2010 PITH and it was tru stone, aluminum, and wood.  5 min epoxy on segments and tubes waiting 24 hours before after gluing segments and after gluing tubes. Just my 2 cents, hope it helps!


----------



## whegge (Jan 11, 2011)

I just finished a segmented blank of Ebony, Aluminium and Walnut.  I used medium CA on all of it.  Used rubber gloves to keep skin oil off and keep my hands clean (had a dinner date with the wife right after this), scuffed the aluminium, covered the wood with the CA, placed the aluminium on the CA, held it in place for about 90 seconds (tested by lightly apply pressure to see if the aluminium moved), then spread CA glue on the next wood segment, lined up the segments and then held in place again.  I did not use a lot of pressure, did not want all the glue to be pressed out.

Once that was done I then used a sander to flatten all the sides.  Put the blank in a small jig I have that helps me hold all the sides and clamped it down while I was gone.  Came back and drilled it on the lathe.  Took my time doing this since I had part of the segments on an angle and the aluminium was angled also.  Did not want the drill bit to slide when I hit the angled section.  

Do not have a picture yet but will put one up when I get home tonight.

Hope that helps,
Wes


----------



## hebertjo (Jan 12, 2011)

With regard to aluminum segments breaking loose...

When I first started using aluminum for segments I had this happen all the time. I do not drill on the lathe but on the drill press. When I build the segmented blank I build it so that 2 sides are perpendicular to each other. This allows me to square the other 2 sides on the table saw. Once the blank is all squared up I encase it in 1/8 inch ply or hardwood (whatever is on hand).

Before you encase the blank be sure to mark the center of the design on the top. I use a brad point bit turned by hand to put a little dimple so I can find it easily. Also be sure that your casing does not extend below the bottom of the blank. The bottom should have been squared to the sides and you want the blank to rest squarely on the bottom when on your drill press table.

Now you can drill away with confidence that the blank will not blow up! One word of caution here. If you use a brad point bit to drill a blank with an aluminum segment you will have trouble. The center point will penetrate the aluminum and then the outer points will score through leaving a disk with a hole in the center. This disk spins with the bit and does not allow the bit to penetrate further into the blank. All of this causes a bunch of heat which causes the blank to blow up DAMHIK! Use twist bits instead, they will make shavings of the aluminum that will be ejected up the flutes.

Once the drilling is done you can slice off the casing at the bandsaw or just turn it off on the lathe. It sounds like a lot of work but repairing the blank 3 or 4 times is more costly and way more frustrating!

Two other things I learned the hard way:
1.) When you design your blank be sure that any aluminum segments fall on the brass tube. If they are not supported by the brass the joint can fail while you are tuning it on the lathe.
2.)  Be careful while squaring segmented blanks, they can blow up during this step as well. If I am concerned I will CA glue cotton twine around the ends of the blank and then soak it with CA to form a casing. This turns off easy enough at the lathe.


----------



## texaswoodworker (Jan 12, 2011)

I use thick CA and rarely have any problems.


----------

