A mast glueing question

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Michael4
Posts: 504
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 5:25 pm
Location: West Sussex

A mast glueing question

Post by Michael4 »

I'm about to glue the two halves of the wooden mast on the 11+ back together. I've glued gaffs and boom before so have an idea as to what to do however I seek advice from those who have done it before on a mast with in-mast halyards.

Put simply...do you try and lay a line within the mast so that threading halyards once it is glued back together is easier or does this normally result in a line well stuck within the mast?

Or could one use waxed whipping twine in the hope that it won't stick?

Or is it really much easier to glue the thing and then thread a line at a later date? I have some of those glass fibre rods that the wiring guys use.

I can see getting into a mess trying to clamp together 17ft of mast without pinching a line or glueing it firmly in place.

Advice sought to avoid significant swearing and cussing at a later date!
Tideway 206
11+
Sold the 'Something bigger and plastic', it never got used.
SoggyBadger
Posts: 282
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 8:39 pm
Location: Staffordshire

Re: A mast glueing question

Post by SoggyBadger »

I've never tried it but I'd definitely be tempted to put a line/lines in. I'd use some form of waxed line. I'm sure if you did that then moved it slightly from time to time during the curing process then it wouldn't stick.
Best wishes


SB
Aquarius
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 11:08 am
Location: Woodbridge Suffolk

Re: A mast glueing question

Post by Aquarius »

I'd be tempted to take it in stages - I would coat the hollows with epoxy and let that get well set, then put some masking tape (el cheapo will do) on the mating surfaces and either use release wax on the now-epoxied internal surfaces or spray them with the PTFE stuff that we use on luff grooves and luff ropes, then lay in some waxed, expendable small rope (not your best Kevlar!) take off the masking tape and glue up. It might be wise to jiggle the internal lines a bit whilst the epoxy is going off.
CVRDA eligible:
1962(?) Firefly F3163 "Aquarius"
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Michael4
Posts: 504
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 5:25 pm
Location: West Sussex

Re: A mast glueing question

Post by Michael4 »

All done. I used waxed line and rubbed it with an old candle to make it really waxy. Did the glueing in the morning and moved the lines around every hour or so (maybe less) till I knew the epoxy had gone off.
Tideway 206
11+
Sold the 'Something bigger and plastic', it never got used.
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