Epoxy or glue for a powder horn?

Felix

Felix

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Hi guys,

I'm just wondering if there is a recommended type of glue or epoxy that can be used to fix a split in the spout of a powder horn.

I just ordered it and even though track of the wolf is willing to replace it I don't want to pay the shipping to send it back if I can fix it for cheaper.

It is a very small split at the spout of the horn and I notice that when I put the stopper in it gets wider. Does anyone know a good fix for that? Or should I send it back to prevent future issues?

Thanks!
 
If it's of horn construction, I would bind the area under consideration with fine cord over a thin coat of epoxy. Usually about 1/16 to 1/4 above and below will do quite nicely. Once it has been tightly bound, apply a thin coat of epoxy with a popcicle stick well into the thread from the top. Wipe off the extra and be sure that no surplus has worked its way into the inside of the neck. It will set up super strong and will last forever.
I've used Bohning string serving Dacron material for bow strings, as it comes in colours other than just black. Looks pretty snazzy too if I have to say so myself.

Cheers,
Ricky
 
Skip the epoxy. Not gonna be much use, unless you can get it to cover both faces of the split. Otherwise, it's just another chunk of stuff scabbed onto the outside of the horn surface.

If the crack is fine, and mates up pretty well, I'd try a thin CA glue, wick it in to the crack, bind the end and let sit for a few minutes to set up. If the crack does not mate up well, a mixture of sanding or scraping residue from the horn, and some of the same CA glue, will fill cracks and hold up pretty well.

You can use the Super Glue from the grocery store, if you don't mind the cost, but for the same money, you can buy a 1 oz bottle of thick or thin CA glue from a Hobby Shop, and actually have enough that you get used to having the stuff around.

I suppose serving it up with hide glue and wet rawhide, would be an 'appropriate technology' repair, though.


Cheers
Trev
 
I'd get a new horn. If the stopper is spreading the gap, then the stopper is probably a bit too big (or the spout is too small) and it will eventually split again with either glue or epoxy. Get a new one, and sand down the stopper enough so it fits snug but not to tight to cause a split next time.
 
Rub some floor wax on the stopper so the glue will not adhere and insert it into the spout to open the crack. Mix some Accraglas and color it to match the horn as close as possible then apply it to the crack while the horn is warm or hot to the touch so the Accraglas runs well into the crack. If you can later scrape the plug a bit so it doesn't fit so tight then you can remove it and bind or clamp the outside of the horn to minimize the crack. If you can't or don't want to scrape the plug down then leave it in place for about 12 hours until the epoxy has pretty well set. Clean off any residual on the outside and you will have almost a perfect fit for the plug inside the spout. The plug should not be so loose as to fall out on it's own but should not fit tightly such that a strong pull is required to remove it: apparently the old-timers often pulled it out with their teeth when reloading.
 
Wax the stopper as a release agent and then insert into horn to spread crack.
Drip some crazy glue into spread crack then remove and insert plug a few times to get the glue down into the crack.
Then remove plug and wipe any excess glue off of the surface with a cloth dampened with some methanol alcohol or krazy glue remover.
This type of fix will be nearly seamless and will require no colour matching epoxy. The liquid nature of crazy glue will insure a complete coverage of the cracked area,thick epoxy will not.
 
trevj said:
You can use the Super Glue from the grocery store, if you don't mind the cost, but for the same money, you can buy a 1 oz bottle of thick or thin CA glue from a Hobby Shop, and actually have enough that you get used to having the stuff around.

Trev
Click to expand...
+1, the regular 'krazy glue' is too thin and will drip and run. The hobby stuff 'zap-a-gap' for balsa is the ticket, it won't wick away as much and leave more in the joint.
 
Wow excellent advice guys, thank you!

I contacted Track of the Wolf and they are actually sending me a replacement one for no charge :)

But I'll still fix this one and that way I'll have two powder horns.
 
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