Epoxy glue joint problems
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Q. I have some epoxy glue joints that are not very strong. I know the surfaces are not too smooth, and that is why I am using epoxy. I have increased the pressure but with no luck. What next?

A. Epoxy, although expensive, should give you an extremely high strength joint, filling in gaps from uneven surfaces. Hint: Use UV-stabilized epoxy formulations for exterior exposures.

Here is your problem: You have probably noticed that epoxy generates heat as it cures. However, in a very thin glue joint (possible from high pressure or from a low spread rate), there will often not be enough glue to generate enough heat to cure the epoxy. The end result is low strength.

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Gene Wengert

Gene Wengert (1942-2025) was popularly known as “The Wood Doctor.” He trained thousands of people in efficient use of wood for more than 50 years and authored foundational resources on wood technology. He worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Virginia Tech. His popular "Wood Doctor's Rx" column has appeared regularly in FDM and FDMC magazine since 1978. Because so much of his advice was timeless, he asked that we continue to run his columns in memoriam.