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Tiki Central / Tiki Carving / For the Love of Tiki

Post #676007 by For the Love of Tiki on Mon, Apr 29, 2013 8:28 PM

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First drill out your somewhat oversized holes - about 3/16 larger than the rebar you intend on using. I used 1/2" rebar so, I drilled the holes at 5/8" and then reamed them out a bit more. I went extra deep (a strong 9") because the tiki is so top heavy. Usually, 4" or so would be plenty deep. Be sure to clean out the holes so that you will get good adhesion. Safety Precaution: Be sure to wear eye protection and gloves when working with epoxy. Apply the epoxy into the hole and then insert the re-bar - making sure that you don't have any air pockets. The epoxy gun with the nozzle makes this a lot easier - but if you don't have a gun - you can also do it by mixing the epoxy (2 parts) then applying it directly onto the rebar as you slowly "screw" or "turn" it into place. If you hear an air pocket "pop" inside the hole, then slowly reverse the rebar and pull it out some - add some more epoxy onto the rebar, then re-insert it into the hole - using the same turning technique. When it goes in all the way, some of the excess epoxy will kind of bulge out - this is the desired result. Take what epoxy is left over and spread it with a putty knife to seal the wood where it will make contact with any concrete.

I like to give it until the next day for the epoxy to come up to full strength.