5
9. Prepare to glue the tubes into the blank sections by masking
off the interior of the tube ends with painter’s tape. Make
sure that the tape extends at least 1" into the tube and that
it is pressed tight to prevent any glue squeeze-out from
adhering to the tube.
10. Apply epoxy to the outside of each tube, with a liberal amount
at the end that is to be inserted first.
11. Slide each tube fully into its blank section, using a twisting
motion to spread the adhesive. Make sure to insert the Lower
Tube so that the threaded end is at the end of the blank
opposite the center grain-alignment line. Allow the
adhesive to fully cure.
Fig. 1.
12. Using a disk or belt sander, sand the ends of the blank
sections square. Sand right up to the tubes, but take care
not to sand off the finish. The ends must be square to the
tubes and parallel with each other.
13. Remove the painter’s tape from inside the tubes. Locate
the center grain-alignment line on the outside of the blank
sections and use a permanent marker to make a small dot
on the end of the blank aligned with those locations. These
marks will help you maintain grain alignment once the
exterior marks have been turned away.
Fig. 2.
When working with epoxy, make sure
the area is well-ventilated, wear nitrile gloves and use an
applicator. Avoid contact with skin or clothing.
Do NOT use cyanoacrylate (CA) glue. As it cures, it will
leave an unsightly residue on the inside of the Tubes
and the dial of the Hygrometer.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
