Broken teak. Glue?

[Ron20324]

I have the typical teak cockpit table: 9/16 thick, drink holder along the pedestal end, two folding leaves. It has split the entire length in the fore and aft direction, held together only by a brass plate across the aft end. The break is neither straight, nor parallel to the table’s edges. SO, how to mend it? This is an at-anchor or dock dinner table, so have the white “day” table there normally. I have a biscuit joiner, router, saws, etc.. AND, my NEW Fein tool set!!! An arts-and crafts-show woodworker friend suggests epoxying the break (but has no idea what to use on oily teak), then a mending plate of teak on the bottom of the table. The easiest fix would be do nothing other than place angles of metal along the fore and aft edges. I considered just a mending plate on the bottom of the table either metal or wood. Or a piano hinge, but would need two support legs. I could clamp the table down then run a router along the break to straighten out the broken edges, then maybe tongue and grove and glue, or use the biscuit joiner or dowels to strengthen the joint. Maybe T&G AND dowels? Any suggestions? No, I am not going to buy a new one.

 

[justsomeguy]

A router can be used quite effectively to create matching edges for glue-ups.

If it's a recent split, will the edges fit together reasonably well? If so, you may not need to joint the surfaces.

Teak is an oily wood, so clean the gluing surfaces thoroughly with a solvent such as acetone and a stiff natural bristle brush, then quickly apply a waterproof polyurethane glue such as Gorilla glue and clamp it up flat.

Good luck.

 

[Ross]

I would love to see a picture of the break. You can do some pretty spectacular repairs with a router and a ballbearing pilot bit. You could inlay a brass plate top and bottom to bridge the break. The best repair will look like that was the way you planned it from the beginning.

 

[Bob J.]

It wouldn't hurt to add a couple of biscuts also if you can.

 

[Gunni]

I've epoxied a bunch of teak, whole boats full, pay no mind to that "oily teak" concern. West Systems and MAS are my favorites. Mix, apply and clamp. If it comes apart again, it won't be at the split.

My pappy bought himself one of those fancy biscuit joiners, he went through the house biscuiting everything that had split in 50 years of wear and tear. Loved that thing. Ma told him that she was fine, cracks and all, so he could just stop with the woodwork.

 

[knight4]

Have you ever tried Resorcinol (I think the spelling is correct)? it is a waterproof glue that is very strong.

 

[Dalliance]

I used epoxy to repair a split hatch board seven years ago and it's held together just fine. It was a fresh split, so I did not even clean it.

 

[shemandr]

In a recent race weekend, I was applying Sunblock in the head of a friend's 33' boat. The boat came down a swell and while leaning against the fore cabin door, I broke it. It is teak. So I have it in my car. I've been looking for Resorcinol glue and have not been able to find any.
I was in WM yesterday and the sales dude suggested (He had never heard of Resorcinol) a West product. It's called G-flex. Has anyone had experience with this product with gluing teak or should I just use the 105 system?

 

[Chris Patterson]

Again, just use Gorilla Glue on it. I've glued hundreds of pieces of teak back together with it, and you can't beat it apart with a hatchet.

 

[DougM]

How about teak to fiberglass? Would you use Gorilla glue to attach the teak decking to the swim platform ? I removed the teak decking from the platform because it had become detached at the edges. the original glue, whatever it was, was fairly easy to separate from the two surfaces with a putty knife. I have thoroughly cleaned the teak underside and the fiberglass and am ready to install. Without a doubt, it will have to be removed again some day. I thought about and rejected the idea of using 5200 because if it did really stick to the teak there would be a serious problem if it had to be removed again.

 

[knight4]

In a recent race weekend, I was applying Sunblock in the head of a friend's 33' boat. The boat came down a swell and while leaning against the fore cabin door, I broke it. It is teak. So I have it in my car. I've been looking for Resorcinol glue and have not been able to find any.
I was in WM yesterday and the sales dude suggested (He had never heard of Resorcinol) a West product. It's called G-flex. Has anyone had experience with this product with gluing teak or should I just use the 105 system?

I recently found Resorcinol at Amazon.com.

 

[woodster]

any Ace Hardware store , big box store like Lowes or Home Depot has it in most parts of the country ...get the two part mix not the premixed kind...its made by Weldwood....

regards

woody

 

[woodster]

How about teak to fiberglass? Would you use Gorilla glue to attach the teak decking to the swim platform ? I removed the teak decking from the platform because it had become detached at the edges. the original glue, whatever it was, was fairly easy to separate from the two surfaces with a putty knife. I have thoroughly cleaned the teak underside and the fiberglass and am ready to install. Without a doubt, it will have to be removed again some day. I thought about and rejected the idea of using 5200 because if it did really stick to the teak there would be a serious problem if it had to be removed again.

that will work but make sure you scuff the glass surface up or you could get P L construction adhesive in the large tubes it is urethane based and is very strong when it is setup be jarful about getting on your skin as it will stain and takes about a week to go away the only thing i have found that will clean it off is WD-40 while it is still fluid......

regards

woody

 

[RichH]

I prefer using screwed pocket joints (Kreg drilling jig) for splits and breaks in teak and other wood.

These are much much better than 'biscuits' in that the join is held together by compression as a result of the long screws that pull the joint together. The Kreg jig used provides a very low angle pilot hole for the screws, usually from the hidden 'back side' of the piece. All drilling is done on the unseen 'back side'. I use epoxy glue on the faces of the break before tightening up the screws. You can fill the pilot holes with plugs/dowels, and then sand them flush.

If the split is close to an edge of your table, suggest using a drill press and loooong drill bit, and do the same as a Kreg jib .... just 'straight in' from the edge. Of course, epoxy the edges before pulling the screws tight. The holes in the pilot holes are then bunged or doweled closed.

http://www.amazon.com/Kreg-K4-Pocke...id=1372338711&sr=8-2&keywords=kreg+joint+tool
http://woodworking.about.com/od/recommendations/gr/KregK3Jig.htm

 

[DougM]

Kreg joint tool is a great idea. Easy to set up the tool for the proper depth based on wood thickness. Makes a really tight joint, and pre cut wood plugs are available to cove the screw heads if visible. Some glue in the joint coupled with the screws would make a strong repair.

 

[Gunni]

Resorcinol ! There's a blast from the past. Epoxy is better, stronger.

 

[RichH]

Kreg joint tool is a great idea. Easy to set up the tool for the proper depth based on wood thickness. Makes a really tight joint, and pre cut wood plugs are available to cove the screw heads if visible. Some glue in the joint coupled with the screws would make a strong repair.

The only difficulty in setting up a Kreg jig if the split is near the middle of the 'table' would be you'd have to hold the Kreg jig fast to the area with a VERY large or 'long span' C-clamp, etc. when drilling the pilot holes. The split section would also require perfect alignment with its mating piece .... would require more very 'long span' C-clamps to hold the 'table' together when drilling.

These 'pocket joints' are VERY strong, usually much stronger than the base wood panels.

 

[heart of gold]

My cockpit table broke right down the middle of the grain! I nearly had a heart attack. I used Gorilla glue after reading the instructions on the bottle. That was 2 years ago and still holding strong. I keep a bottle handy for other disasters. Amazing stuff

 

[shemandr]

Again, just use Gorilla Glue on it. I've glued hundreds of pieces of teak back together with it, and you can't beat it apart with a hatchet.

Doesn't Gorilla Glue expand when it sets?

 

[Ross]

Yes. Weldwood plastic resin glue is superior. There are many wood glues and choosing the right one is not always easy.