The failure of Aerolite-type glues

[Ken Goddard]

The correspondence started by the owner of N.693 includes a query by John Murrell about the failure of joints glued with Aerolite, or similar type glues.
It seemed to me timely to dig out the article I wrote on this subject in Newsletter No.72 of 2001 (page 39). This followed an open letter which I wrote to the magazine "Classic Boat". Experts replying to that letter claimed that it was well established that Aerolite joints failed after about 30 years. I have now seen 4 separate joint failures at that sort of age.
If anyone can't get hold of that Newsletter, please contact me and I can send them a photocopy of the article.

Regards
Ken Goddard
N.2300, Duodecimal
Tel. 01332 521168

[johnk]

Wyche and Coppock used Aerodux ( resorcinol - phenol) glue when building their boats. This has a much longer life than aerolite; a urea formaldehide glue. Home builders or kit finishers usually used aerolite - hence the long term problem. We should note that Aerodux has a brown colour and so is not the prettiest under varnish.