Glue question...

[Pentasoul]

Good Evening all!
I am working on a project that has two dissimilar woods that come together.

Specifically, I have two pieces of Gabon Ebony. Each piece has a long notch cut out that a piece of Lignum Vitae sits in. The 2 pieces of Ebony are the Bread of a Lignum Vitae Sandwich.

My Glue question is this, All three pieces are to be glued together. As far as the glue goes, I need something that is strong, can fill a small 2 to 3mm gap and can be stained to look like the Ebony wood. Does anyone have any advice or recommendations for a good wood glue that can do all of this? Or... would cyanoacrylate work? It's clear and will take on the color of the wood? If so, do I use a gel for the gap filling properties?

After this is glued together, I will begin to carve on the Ebony.

Thanks in advance! - Tina

[Tom Ellis]

Tina, One thing you could try is some 5, or 15 minute epoxy, with a drop of india ink, and it will turn the glue black.

Good luck, Tom

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Just to add to Tom's idea, some CA glues are a gel, to fill gaps. I don't know if the india ink will work with CA glue, sorry.

Dave

[chipmunk]

u can also use polyurethane and add saw dust to the top of the glue the dust will take color where most glues willn;t sometimes i use a mix of glue and dust to make putty[titebond 2] and add dust to the top because sometimes it;s hard to get the right color putty some of the oily woods u have to use the poly glue for it to hold and i think that ebony is 1 of those woods after the glue dries it can be sanded and stained-cleared and it will all match drill a small hole in a pc of scarp and try it[finish it] and see if this will work for u

[Buffalo Bif]

you could mix sandind or sawdust with the epoxy too, not too much- you don't want cookie dough, just colored glue.

[DiamondWillow]

Brian

Been playing a bit with the knife I got from you and it is working just WONDERFUL.

Thanks

Gene

[Dicky]

I have colored 2-part epoxy with powdered artists pigment. A little goes a long way. Its a great way to fill cracks.

[Pentasoul]

Thanks folks, I think I'm going to get some epoxy and polyurethane and experiment with the methods you all have given me to try... You guys are great ! Thank you.

[mobjack68]

Hey 5soul...
when you are working with exotic woods, natural oils abound. Some more oily than others, I would recommend some type of solvent wash before gluing. Acetone would be my hydrocarbon of choice. (don't use fingernail polish remover...it contains oils of it's own, something about that cuticle nourishment....I gotta quit watching so much tv..)

Glue, you want the glue to set slowly so it will be somewhat absorbed into the wood, polyurethane will take a couple of hours and will gap fill. Epoxy would be my first choice, but I would go with a minimum of 30 min set time.

Solvent wash...air dry for a couple of minutes...glue....clamp...wait impatiently and leave at least overnight...good luck

[STAR]

Having made an awl using some Gaboon ebony as a feature at the end where the brass ferrule adjoins to and with the other end some really hard Australian black wattle may I offer the following.

I found that the hard density of both woods might not allow sufficient glue or epoxy ( I used epoxy in this instance to get enough anchorage ) Super Glue would be useless, in my opinion for this job.

What I did, and this was well before I started carving was to pin the two woods together, similar to what Lyn does or another poster if it was somebody else, even most of you experienced guys do when putting a leg on to an animal to make sure you have the grain direction going the right way in both instances.

Gluing straight onto Ebony, while it might work is too big a risk for me. it does not have to be a big pin, just a bit to give some anchorage.

Pete

ps

If you have a look at my Avatar the Footballing Toad the arms have been pin joined to the body to give more strength.