when using smooth on epoxy to glue your tip pieces on you need to be carefull if you use heat to cure.. too much heat can cause a delamination or limb twist. I use the "Gorilla impact tough CA glue" most of the time, but when using "smooth on" I use a 75 watt bulb and keep it 12 inches from the tip. it will still get hot enough to set the smooth on epoxy in an hour or so... heck as hot as it is now (95 plus) you don't need the light bulb..You said your smooth on was 1 1/2 years old, that may be a problem too, depends how it was stored.. it does have a shelf life once opened