best wood glue on old broken Mesa cabs?

[user 41014]

For all you woodworkers and craftspeople out there, what's your favorite wood glue with a bent to not coming apart ever again and withstanding outdoor conditions to be on the safe side?

On a cursory look it appears Titebond III Ultimate is a super strong one. In the other corner is Evo-Stick Exterior with claims the wood will give before the glue does. I like the sound of that. I have a graveyard of a few broken from shipping old Mark combos and would like to glue a couple just to be functional until I get head cabs to replace those ones.

 

[domct203]

Titebond makes great glues, I use the original for interior projects and II for anything outside. I use their hide glue for fine indoor furniture as well as guitar repair / lutherie work. Never found a need for the III.

Dom

 

[Guitarfreak]

Yes titebond is good stuff. I recommend dampening the joints with a sponge before gluing.

 

[DrKev]

What they said.

 

[bandit2013]

If glue does not work or hold, just screw it.

Those drywall screws work great if they are long enough. Even #8 or #10 deck screws too as they do not rust as easily. I had to secure the two-part baffle on an old OS Recto slant front cab as the staples and glues failed on it. Center post basically fell off when I removed the back and after I tried to fix it, it vibrated like hell. I just used typical wood glue but also a few drywall screws where I could not apply any glue. I did not have to go through the tolex and the screws are hidden by the grill.

 

[user 41014]

Just screw it has been my sentiment for the most part, hence the graveyard.

But to literally use screws I understand the premium glues these days hold better and definitely distribute the breakage stress better than say 3 screws without weakening the wood at the joint as screws would.

The early consensus is for Titebond. Dom, what is the reason for using hide glue for those applications?

Thanks for the water tip Guitarfreak.

What about dovetails that the glue has failed on? With such a tight connection won't most glues push right out pushing the joints together? There are the superglue types but I wouldn't think it ideal despite it's ability to soak tight places.

 

[domct203]

Working time, comes apart easy with heat and moisture (steam), and dries very hard and solid.

Works great to glue in frets, set necks, and attach fretboards to neck bodies, all things you might be removing someday.

 

[bandit2013]

The dovetail joints are supposed to be tight. Since the glue just acts as a bond between the two pieces of wood, it does not need to be thick. Most word workers use clamps to squeeze out most of the glue when joining wood. That creates a much stronger bond. It is when you have gaps and or more glue in the joint that will make it weaker. If you said dove-tail, I would not have suggested any screws. Those only get used if you cannot separate the surfaces or would have to break apart the cabinet in order to glue it.

As for dovetail joint repair, I am sure there are good practices on how to address it. If this is a hard wood with a finish on it, expect to be sanding after the repair. You can use a solvent to remove the excess that gets pushed out when joining the parts. If the glue is water based, a wet or damp cloth or paper towel will help to clean it off. I am not a wood worker so I probably should not comment.

 

[John Micka]

I have always been a firm believer in white woodworking glue.
Clean the joints.
Use clamps to hold it while it dries.

 

[user 41014]

Working time, comes apart easy with heat and moisture (steam), and dries very hard and solid.

Works great to glue in frets, set necks, and attach fretboards to neck bodies, all things you might be removing someday.

Thanks dom. I'll keep this in mind for fret repairs.

And thanks to everyone for the input.

I sadly added a blonde IIC to the graveyard and a early IIA oak was just destroyed prompting me to make a couple new relevant posts shortly. The IIC was the typical left top crack which must be due to the PT being on the opposite side.

Unfortunately I can share what Mesa dove tails look like.

It looks like conductive paint on the underside. I haven't had a IIA but later tolex cabs use foil.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I have a Heartbreaker combo that I got in 2008
It was dropped in shipping and split the upper seam apart
I used Titebond and 3 drywall screws
I gigged regularly with that amp for a while
It’s still holding strong!

Definitely moisten both sides a little bit
Too much moisture will work against you

Leave the glue joint clamped for 24 -36 hours

 

[DavidMenke]

Titebond is GREAT! I have been using their glue for years in woodworking. II or III would be your choice.
Instead of screws, I would recommend using a drill and install dowels with the titebond glue. Glue first, clamp as previously mentioned and if necessary a temp screw to keep it in place, then remove when bonding is tight and drill a hole for 1/4 or a bit smaller size dowel with titebond glue. If you are having to see on the outside, the dowel can be touched up to not be noticed with a black sharpy or hobby black paint. I just saw your photo, use oak dowels. Also you can get Oak puddy and fill in the chipped parts. Build up a little at a time and sand when you are satisfied. Use a rub on finish to complete the work.

 

[user 41014]

Titebond is GREAT! I have been using their glue for years in woodworking. II or III would be your choice.
Instead of screws, I would recommend using a drill and install dowels with the titebond glue. Glue first, clamp as previously mentioned and if necessary a temp screw to keep it in place, then remove when bonding is tight and drill a hole for 1/4 or a bit smaller size dowel with titebond glue. If you are having to see on the outside, the dowel can be touched up to not be noticed with a black sharpy or hobby black paint. I just saw your photo, use oak dowels. Also you can get Oak puddy and fill in the chipped parts. Build up a little at a time and sand when you are satisfied. Use a rub on finish to complete the work.

Thank you for the tips. Drilling would be a lot less stress than screws and the dowels add another level of strength.

That amp is toast for all practical porpoises and UPS picked it back up. I would never have accepted it if I was home but it gave me a chance to take many pics of the guts of one of the 1st IIA Marks. You cant save all the baby turtles.

I was going to post a warning for this amp if it shows up for sale again. It is a parts amp or a complete rebuild and there are just too many IIA available for reasonable prices lately. With the factory 1st turning down service for the Mark IV with leaky caps and now I am told no more Mark IV or recto service I am confident they would turn down servicing this one. All but one pot feels like it went thru 3 rounds and sockets might have busted..