contact cement

[gene]

What is the best way to apply contact cement?
I priced a canister of cement hose and gun but it is around 550.00 That will buy a lot of 5 gal pails and I was interested in what others do . Thank you

[Ger21]

Spray gun and 2 gallon pot. We sometimes spray 10-15 gallons a day this way. We use Binks 2001 guns.
Also, by buying five 5 gallon cans at a time, we save about $20/can over buying single 5 gal cans.

[bleeth]

I use a siphon pot and buy it by 5's. Those precharged canisters are pricey and IMHO are only worth it for a field job if you can't lay your hands on a larger portable compressor. You can get away with the cheapos at Big Box or HF but there guns aren't as good as the pro varieties and you will get some that dump fast. I just picked up a couple at a local wholesale supply house for around 45 each and they spray clean.

[MogulTx]

Are you guys using the flammable variety or the non-flammable style.... ( I have a process that requires the stout stuff.) I would be interested to see how well the stuff sprays. It would reduce my labor a great deal. We currently brush apply, due to the structure that it goes on to....

[bleeth]

The correct spec product, whether low emission, water based, or solvent based, all spray fine. It's not rocket science. Talk to any commercial supplier (except the "customer service order takers" who don't know squat).

[MogulTx]

Thanks Dave.

I will check with my floor products supplier ( who sells me the contact cement that we use). And will ask him about spray tech for this type product. Thanks for the post!

Monty

[gene]

Does the water base do as good as the solvent base or does it spray better?
My suppliers tell me that they have a red or clear but have said nothing about water base. is there anyone who uses the siphon cup guns? what is the best thing to clean up tools and such with Thank you

[myxpykalix]

I don't use contact cement however it would seem to me that even if you have to pay more for it you would be better off buying it in smaller quantities then the $550.00 size because if something happens like weather or something where you don't use it for a long time and it goes bad you won't lose hundreds of dollars.:eek:

[jerry_stanek]

I worked for a company that had several canisters for spraying as they had maybe 4 or 5 people spraying at a time. The other place had the spray pot set up but you had to take your work over to it and some of it was pretty big to move about. As for it going bad I have a canister that is about 3 years old now and almost gone but still good. the 5 gallon buckets would have dried up by now.

[Plyoboxwarehouse]

5 gallon bucket and cheap quart cup conventional spray gun from Northern Tool. I thin out the glue slightly to spray finer.

[Ger21]

Never used water base. The solvent based sprays great with a decent gun.
We mostly use the red, because it's much easier to see. We usually only use clear for paper backed veneers, where the red would show at the edges.

[RickW]

I occasionally use water-based contact cement. I use 3M Fastbond 30, and apply it with a short-nap roller.
It works well, but takes a really long time to set if the temperature is below about 50 degrees.
Rick

[Ajcoholic]

Late to the party but Ill add my 2 cents..

I used to brush and roll contact... takes too long and hard to get a very even coat.

Tried spraying using a small pressure pot - very messy as the overspray was horrible, and cleaning the gun was also time consuming.

I have been using the prefilled canisters (the size of a 20 lb propane cylinder) for about ten years now. No way id ever go back.

They are always ready to spray - no need to clean anything, I just use an old toothbrush and some thinner to give the tip of the nozzle a quick cleaning so its ready to go next use. There is always glue in the hose and pressurized, ready to use (just lock out the trigger when not in use).

Once the hose and gun are bought, the tanks are not too bad cost wise and the convenience out weighs for me the old way.

I can spray in the shop where ever I am working with just a bit of cardboard to catch the stuff that sprays off the edge. Nothing gets airborne, no mess.

[johnh]

I agree with Andrew.. I use PB925 red, great stuff. Works at temperature extremes, hot or cold. Unbelievable bite. Durable, long lasting hold on a variety of materials. Ready for shop or field use anytime.

A little goes a long ways with this stuff. It might look like about 6-7 gallons in that tank but it lasts well beyond many 5 gallon pails the way we use it here anyways.

[jerry_stanek]

Those are the tanks that we used. Our supplier some times run a deal buy three tanks and they throw in the gun and hose.

[Chuck Keysor]

Great information! I had never seen the spray adhesive that Andrew referenced. I found this on the net, at least showing what this product is. Chuck

http://www.industrialprotectivefilms.com.au/premierbond/images/msds/StarStuk%20PB925.pdf

[Mark Owen]

What is the primary purpose for having this much adhesive on hand? Are you guys laminating or veneering on a regular basis? I assumed that most shops today used off the shelf laminations or pre-veneered sheets.
I have used CC in the past to do small veneers but nothing large and certainly not full sheet.

Regards
Mark

[kevin]

I use water based with a foam roller have been for over 10 years .Its a dream to work with

I have posted a few times how water based is far superior
Also I post this from experience .
I agree only buy what your going to use .I would be curios to hear from Dave his thought being commercial I'm sure he goes through a lot

[gene]

Does the cement in the spray containers go bad if not used up within a certain amount of time?
What do you thin solvent base contact cement with?
In Ga i have been quoted 95.00 for a 5 gal container.

[Ger21]

As long as the pot is sealed good, it can last a year or longer, as long as the solvents don't evaporate. I've had a pot in my garage for about 10 years now. I only use it once or twice a year, and I've only had it get thick once.

The 5 gallon cans are ready to spray, with no thinning necessary. But I have thinned it with acetone or lacquer thinner when it's gotten a bit thick. Be sure to mix well right before spraying.

$95 is about right. We buy about 200-300 gallons/year, and pay about $81 if we buy 5 cans. But our single can price is right around that $95 mark. We use Wilsonart 950.

[gene]

Thank you everyone :)

[Ajcoholic]

Does the cement in the spray containers go bad if not used up within a certain amount of time?
What do you thin solvent base contact cement with?
In Ga i have been quoted 95.00 for a 5 gal container.

Contact cement should be thinned with the proper contact cement thinner. Although Lac thinners will dissolve it, it is not the correct solvent.

The companies I deal with sell CC thinners in 5 gallon pails also. It is a slower evaporating, more oily feeling solvent than acetone or lacquer thinners. High in toluene I believe.

[johnh]

We've got a discussion of a couple different contact cements going on here. But if your question was about shelf life of the pre-charged (bbq style) cannisters... I have left my canister set with gun and hose attached and charged for 2 years without using it. Picked it up, pulled the nozzle booger, and sprayed like day one. I've also left it in the back of a work van for weeks on end at unreal cold temps and it still continued to work just fine.

Special Note; Do not turn off the canister valve until the canister is empty and you are transferring the hose to new canister. That pressure is what keeps it from setting up.

[ntraub01]

This is quite a timely discussion for me, thank you all for your contributions and though I was not the original question poster the information has been great.

I'm working on approximately 10 - 48x96 plywood moulds/forms for a 40' long custom bent, 1/2" thick plexiglass barrier and need to adhere felt on the surface of the form. We can go old school and roll the contact adhesive but I would like to get some dollar figures on a sprayable option before we decide either direction.

I've read all of the posts and have done quite a bit of google searching for the Starstuk, precharged type canisters, but have NOT found many suppliers for that or a similar type adhesive here in the midwest. Could those of you who are using the precharged canisters please share a supplier/contact you would recommend.

Thanks for all of your assistance,

Nicholas

[Ajcoholic]

I purchase my tanks and gun/hose from Richelieu Hardware

I had a set from Formica previously that I bought from the distributor of Formica laminate.

[johnh]

I get mine from A & M Supply

[jTr]

Nicholas,
I've not used the product, but have seen it in a mid-west distributor's catalog:
Holdahl Company
Closest distribution center to you is in Omaha, NE
1-877-316-7857
http://www.holdahlcompany.com/

Website not real friendly for navigating, but good idea to call anyway, as you'll need to set up with a rep and establish an account. Once you get the catalog, You'll see they have quite a wide variety of products for the woodworking industry.

Jeff