Reccomended glue for brass/steel joints.

[Exile]

Hi All,

I'm looking to do my first joint work and split a one piece cue. I've done the split and got the joints installed (dry fit) and everything lines up nicely.

I know i can't use a brittle epoxy but i'm not sure what to use.

Can anyone reccomend something that will flex, take impact and last.

P.s. Its a snooker cue with the 2 flat brass faces kind of a joint.

Thanks in advance,

Karl

 

[rhncue]

Hi All,

I'm looking to do my first joint work and split a one piece cue. I've done the split and got the joints installed (dry fit) and everything lines up nicely.

I know i can't use a brittle epoxy but i'm not sure what to use.

Can anyone reccomend something that will flex, take impact and last.

P.s. Its a snooker cue with the 2 flat brass faces kind of a joint.

Thanks in advance,

Karl

I've used epoxy on all of the stainless and what few brass joints that I've ever installed.

Dick

 

[conetip]

I use the slow setting West System Gflex epoxy and have used another rubber toughened epoxy.The Gflex hardens initially in about 3 hours, but I leave it for 24hrs or more before moving or working on the part.Allow 3 days before playing with the cue.
Make sure that the metal surface is scuffed with 60-80 griit paper to remove oxides and allow the glue to bind to it.
Lastly, do not assemble quickly, but take it slowly to allow the glue some where to go.
I am assuming that you have made your own brass insert that is concentric.
Neil

 

[pdcue]

Hi All,

I'm looking to do my first joint work and split a one piece cue. I've done the split and got the joints installed (dry fit) and everything lines up nicely.

I know i can't use a brittle epoxy but i'm not sure what to use.

Can anyone reccomend something that will flex, take impact and last.

P.s. Its a snooker cue with the 2 flat brass faces kind of a joint.

Thanks in advance,

Karl

Like Dick - all I've ever used is epoxy, and that is the only choice I would
make.

Not sure about brittle, but every one I've ever used cured very 'hard'.
We might need someone who is up to speed on the chemistery of
epoxy to comment<if only I were on the internet>

IMHO - if you need the epoxy to flex, you have problems with
your joint install. The threads are there to give you a mechanical bond.
It is the shoulder of the joint that takes the force of the impact.

Dale

 

[Cue Guru]

I use west system with the slow hardener.

Let it sit a couple days after glue-up before final machining.

If you can, grit blast the threads and bottom face on the joint collar for the best bond. Sand paper, as mentioned above, is a good second. Always wash thoroughly with Acetone right before gluing up to remove all traces of oil. Ideally, don't touch the wood area after machining either. Assemble slowly as mentioned above. I usually turn it fully on (slowly) by hand and then back it off again. Check for any dry spots, and apply another drop or two of epoxy and then re-assemble for the final. I grab the OD of the collar with soft jaw pliers and crank the joint on (but don't break it!) and let it cure with the joint 'up' as straight as possible. The extra epoxy will pool on the end grain which seals it nicely. Chuck up and bore you pin hole and glue the pin separately (you may need to face the epoxy pool for shaft insert clearance depending on your joint design- try not to cut through all the epoxy because we like to keep the end grain sealed). I also use a shaft insert to keep the pin perfectly centered when I glue that up.

This has worked well for the (few) cues I have made.

With brass, glue up within two hours of blasting, as the brass oxidizes easily and the oxide layer will not be as strong a bond as the base metal. I have not done a brass joint yet.

 

[Cue Crazy]

I use the slow setting West System Gflex epoxy and have used another rubber toughened epoxy.The Gflex hardens initially in about 3 hours, but I leave it for 24hrs or more before moving or working on the part.Allow 3 days before playing with the cue.
Make sure that the metal surface is scuffed with 60-80 griit paper to remove oxides and allow the glue to bind to it.
Lastly, do not assemble quickly, but take it slowly to allow the glue some where to go.
I am assuming that you have made your own brass insert that is concentric.
Neil

IMO G-Flex is some good stuff. I now prefer to use It in most situations where I would normally use a structural epoxy, and a few that I wouldn't normally use It in. It's not brittle as some epoxies are, and I have had really good luck with It in situations where there was more dependency on glue then I would have liked. In every situation that I have used It in the bond was very strong, and I've had no breakdowns from using It so far. It's much better then System Three IMO, although I had decent luck with It before making the switch.

Greg

 

[tsp&b]

I use G-Flex for brass and for stainless joint collars. I like it for metal rings as well. When properly applied it provides an good bond and seems to absorb impact well. It is pretty thick so some care should be used in some applications where hydraulic pressure may cause a problem.

 

[CuesRus1973]

There is nothing stronger than DP 420 epoxy. You won't be able to heat it up and remove it for a repair if it gets bent though, you will have to machine it out.