# Puzzle Joint Gluing Question for Oxford Shell
**URL:** https://forum.clcboats.com/t/puzzle-joint-gluing-question-for-oxford-shell/45313
**Category:** Builder's Forum
**Created:** [May 5, 2017, 10:30am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/puzzle-joint-gluing-question-for-oxford-shell/45313 "2017-05-05T10:30:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Rich\_Ryan](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Rich_Ryan)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2017, 10:30am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/puzzle-joint-gluing-question-for-oxford-shell/45313/1 "2017-05-05T10:30:19Z")
Is it recommended to simultaneously glue the Puzzle Joint \*and\* put the fiberglass tape over the joint (with brushed on epoxy) in one session? Thanks for advice!
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### Author:  [@Rich\_Ryan](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Rich_Ryan)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2017, 9:13am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/puzzle-joint-gluing-question-for-oxford-shell/45313/2 "2017-05-15T09:13:51Z")
Thank you both!
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### Author:  [@Guy\_Sacco](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Guy_Sacco)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2017, 1:36pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/puzzle-joint-gluing-question-for-oxford-shell/45313/3 "2017-05-06T13:36:12Z")
I am in the process of building an Oxford shell am at the stage of filling the seams. I followed the instructions concerning the puzzle joints. I used some thickened expoxy to lightly coated the puzzle joints and put them together. Then put plastic over the joint and tapped them tight with a hammer and block of wood. Once that was done I cut a piece of tape over the joinrt and wet it out with unthickened epoxy. Covered the joint with plastic and screwed a 3/4" piece of plywood over the joint down on the bench top overnight - the bench had plastic on it too. I did two panels at a time with this method and it worked fine.
Sharktown
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### Author:  [@Mark\_Nye](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Mark_Nye)
#### Post date: [May 5, 2017, 11:17am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/puzzle-joint-gluing-question-for-oxford-shell/45313/4 "2017-05-05T11:17:12Z")
I have not built an Oxford Shell but I have built 4 other CLC boats with puzzle joints. Generically speaking, you do not want to glue the joint together and put the glass on in one step. When you glue the joint together with thickened epoxy, a bit will squeeze out onto the suface of the plywood. You will want to gently sand that off and make everything smooth before coating with glass. Otherwise, you will have some ugly white spots on the wood.
One of the problems you will find with puzzle joints is that it is easy to end up with a joint that is not perfectly flush after the epoxy cures. If the alignment is bad enough, you end up sanding off a layer of plywood to make things smooth which leaves a cosmetic defect.
There is an alternate technique that Nick Schade advocates in the S&G Petrel/PP build manual that eliminates this problem. I would only use this technique if both sides of the joint will eventually be covered with glass. He uses CA glue to temporarily bond the joint together. First, you use your fingers to hold the edge of the joint perfectly aligned. Then, apply one dot of CA glue and hit it with a spritz of accelerant. Then move an inch or so along the joint and repeat the process until the entire joint is temperarily glued with perfect alignment. Next, lightly sand to remove any excess glue. Lastly, apply the glass just like you do with the other technique. When you wet out the glass, the epoxy will flood the puzzle joint making the bond permanent.
