Yo Ted

I haven't started building my expedition single yet, but I am doing the prep work. I even paid for and recieved a whole bunch of western red cedar cut into nice strips by the suppliers. I feel like a cad not choosing and cutting the strips myself, but at a dozen beers: the price was right . Besides I am sure I would have started a war after spending weeks being picky and fussy just selecting the wood in the first place. So maybe it worked out for the best.

Anyhows, I am building in New Zealand and name brand elmers isn't easily available (although I am sure I have come across it, but can't remember where). Soooo I was on the look for suitable alternatives including Gorilla glue.

I even made a post a while back as I put together a ply box strong back. I think the consensus is that Gorrilla glue makes your fingers go seriously black which takes weeks to go away (water just makes the glue set harder and faster) and is toxic: read the tiny fine print at the bottom of the tube.

Personally I wasn't convinced that Gorrilla glue set as nicely-sandable hard as my alternate test with fullers adiaphatic glue (which was a very pale yellow and therefore has to be my elmers substitute choice). The Gorrilla glue also foams up a bit, so it is not intuitive as to how much is enough and how much is not enough for a good 'wet out'. Also related to this, Gorrilla glue is a bit more viscous and wouldn't squeeze out in the same satisfying manner as a too much adiaphatic glue does.

I think the kayak building gurus use a little gorrilla glue at strategic places, as I will do because I still have 3/4 of a bottle of the stuff left over. But I won't be using it as my primary glue.

Hope that helps

Cheers Pete