Cascamite glue

[Charles OatesParticipant @charlesoates31738]

A simple question, is anyone else still using Cascamite resin wood glue?

For those too young to remember this, it has been around for decades, it comes in a powder. You just mix what you need with water, it's gap filling and immensely strong. It has been used to build ,literally thousands of models. It's cheap and reliable. Used in full size boat building too. One tub is enough to do an awful lot of building.

I'm full of admiration for many modern glues, but some are expensive, and have a limited shelf life when opened. I still haven't found a wood glue I prefer.

I'm definitely stuck in the past here ( sorry about the pun)

Chas

[Charles OatesParticipant @charlesoates31738]

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Chas

I once built a Hobbies Two Seater Canoe, way back in the early 50's, using Cascamite glue

It was certainly the right glue for the job

We later canoed from Hyde, near Manchester all the way to Llangollen and back as a two week holiday

It was a true adventure

Not seen Cascamite for years

All the best for the New Year………One and all

Bob

[Charles OatesParticipant @charlesoates31738]

Hi Bob, you're right about it not being seen on the shelves these days, although some chandlers keep it. I get mine from Amazon, about a fiver for 220 grams delivered. That's usually lasts me a couple of years.

Chas

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Funnily enough, I was in Framlingham, a small market town north of Ipswich shortly before Christmas. They have a large traditional general store full of hardware and other assorted goodies which are quite hard to find these days. I noticed a tin of Cascamite (well within use by date) for £3.99 and was tempted but I have lots of aliphatic resin glue which is what I use these days.

I used to use Cascamite when I first started modelling and preferred it to Aerolite which used an acidic hardener. As well as for gluing, I used a weak solution of Cascamite in place of water when covering my model hulls in gumstrip paper. It worked very well.

I have heard that it can go brittle after 30-40 years or so but I suspect that would be the same with many modern glues.

Colin

[Dave43Participant @dave43]

hi chas

glad to hear i am not the only one using cascamite swear by it for frames planking and finishing first used on a billings trawler about early 70s still going strong and no problems

dave.

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

My problems with Cascamite are twofold:

1. I always seem to have mixed a lot more than I need by the time I've got the right consistency; and
2. It takes an age to go off.

Give me Aliphatic Resin in a squeeze bottle any time. It sets relatively quickly, cleans up with water and there's no waste. I've also recently discovered Deluxe Materials' Speed Bond, which is a PVA with a solvent and grabs in five minutes. **LINK** This is now my "go to" adhesive for building wooden boats, along with Slo-Zap cyano and Z-Poxy (5 minute and 30 minute).

Dave M

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

Ahhhh! I would love to get hold of some only for the wonderful smell!!
​We used it a lot for making full sized spars in spruce where the red / brown glue line of Aerolite would be unacceptable.
​Also used for dinghies and light boats or canoes not normally kept in the water as it was not rated as fully waterproof.

​It may have filled gaps but the best joints were really close fitting and securely clamped while drying. With a properly thin glue line it is very reliable if kept properly protected as demonstrated by a 50ft mast built in 1973 and still doing fine.

[Trevor Drabble 1Participant @trevordrabble1]

Tim , If you PM me your details will supply you with some in a plastic bag .

Regards ,

Trevor.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

I can testify that Cascamite does go brittle after 30 years (give or take) I have lost count of older models where a simple repair has ended up being a complete strip down and re-build just because the Cascamite had failed. Before doing any repairs I always warn people with older models that there is a distinct possibility of glue failure.

Paul

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

In 30 years time I am not sure I will mind too much if the glue starts to fail.

​HOWEVER, it may be that all this horrid styrene and so on will start to disintegrate before the glue goes….

Ashley

[Charles OatesParticipant @charlesoates31738]

Trevor, sending a little bag of white powder in the post, that could be fun😁.

Paul, I've just one model left in my possession from over 30 years ago, nearer to 50 in fact, no sign of the cascamite failing, but I have heard of other instances like yours. I'm guessing there are some environmental factors that I know nothing about. I have a model with a lot of plasticard that has rotted/gone brittle after only 10 years, the climate in southern Spain probably hastens that. We will have to wait quite a time to see how the newer glues last, and I don't expect I will last as long as my boats.

I forgot to add that I don't get a skin or breathing reaction to cascamite, super glues…..that's another story.

Chas

[Andy GreigParticipant @andygreig96027]

Hi all

I bought some Cascamite from Jewsons (builders merchant), they did not stock it but they can order it in.

30 years to go brittle – speaking personally that will be well past my sell by date.

What condition will some of todays 'wonder' glues be in 30 years, most probably have not been around for that length of time. Some of you may have experience – so tell us – what lasts.

Andy

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Cascamite is still readily available in the UK Link and is marketed as either 'One Shot' which is a joint adhesive and 'Structural' which is a gap filler.

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

That's a kind offer Trevor.
I am not sure I can PM you if you don't have a public profile which reminds me I must do mine!

Tim

[Trevor Drabble 1Participant @trevordrabble1]

Tim ,

Have sent you trial PM to see if it works .

Trevor.

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

Hi Trevor
​It works
​Thanks
Tim

[Andy GreigParticipant @andygreig96027]

I followed Paul T's link, and looking at the prices, (not sure but will go and check) I am sure I bought a larger quantity, and paid a lot less from Jewsons.

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I just looked it up on Ebay, and there are pages of it from packets to tubs!

Bob

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