Hot Melt Tips04 Apr 2008 12:11 pm
An Adhesive for Every Purpose: Choose the Right One the First Time
Hot Melt
- Known as hot melt or thermoplastic resin
- Has fast bonding capabilities
- Typically at temperatures between 275 to 375F
- Used for packaging, printing, bindery,interior assembly applications among others
- Available in a variety of forms to include stick, chip, pellet, wafer, block, pail and drum
- Must be processed in a hot melt unit
- Offers a strong surface bond to a wide range of substrates
- Non toxic and non flammable
Animal Glue
- Protein based adhesive
- Must be applied at 150F
- It is a good cross between hot melt and white glue.
- Offers good open time before making lamination between porous substrates
- Repulpable and biodegradable
- Available in gelatinous form that must be processed in specific heated machinery
PUR Hot Melt
- Known as Moisture Curing Hot Melt
- Available with short or long open times and fast set times
- Bonds a wide range of substrates
- Cures to a strong, flexible bond
- Available in cartridge, slug , pail and drum form
- High and low temperature resistance
White Glue
- Known as polyvinyl acetate (PVA).
- A non-waterproof adhesive often used for interior woodworking jobs, where a waterproof joint is not required.
- Usually packaged in plastic squeeze bottles, these inexpensive, milky-white glues dry clear and are fast setting.
- Bonds paper, fabric, cardboard, cork and leather, as well as wood
- Can withstand a moderate amount of strain and cleans up easily with soap and water
- Non toxic and non flammable.
- Inexpensive milky-white glues are fast sitting and dry clear
Woodworkers’ Glue
- Also called carpenter’s glue
- Has a faster grab than white glue (set time is usually within 15 minutes)
- Is usually tinted an off-white or yellow
- Woodworkers’ glue is used in applications where better water resistance, heat resistance and ease of sanding are desired
- Non toxic and non flammable
Instant-Setting Glue
- Known as Super Glue (cyanoacrylates)
- This glue creates a strong, instant bond with a small amount of glue
- Regular cyanoacrylates will bond almost all non-porous materials such as ceramic, some plastics, rubber, metal or synthetics
- Comes in gel form
- Should be handled with extreme care and kept off of skin
Epoxy
- Epoxy is designed primarily for the bonding of non-porous surfaces, but can also be used effectively on wood
- Available in clear, white or metallic finish
- Most epoxies come in two parts: a resin and a hardener (or “catalyst”) which must be mixed together before the adhesive is used
- Once mixed, the material will set permanently in a specified length of time—most will permanently bond, even under water
- The bond will withstand most solvents when curing is complete
- Excellent for sealing gaps and will withstand vibration and shock
- Can be used on pipes, radiators, wood, metal, ceramic tile, china, marble, glass and masonry
- Since epoxy is toxic and flammable, use extreme caution when handling
Polyurethane Glue
- Is a one-part adhesive offering the strength of an epoxy without mixing
- Generally requires 4 to 24 hours to fully cure, but it does bond to most materials
- Cures in the presence of moisture, so wetting one or both materials to be joined is required
- Good for a bond between either similar or dissimilar surfaces, is commonly used in woodworking
- Waterproof, sandable, paintable and stainable
Contact Cement
- Can be used on many surfaces, but the joints may come apart under a heavy load
- Good to bond laminates to countertops and cabinets, or to glue plastic foam, hardboard or metal to wood
- Instant adhesion makes contact cement difficult to use. It bonds immediately without clamping and resists water, temperature extremes and fungi
- Contact cement is most effective when one or both surfaces are porous or semi-porous
- Contains solvents that should be allowed to flash off before assembly
- Non-flammable versions are available
Resorcinol Glue
- Is two-component adhesive of liquid resin and powdered catalyst
- Used in wood joints, it cures under pressure in 10 hours at 70° F.
- Ideal for exterior structural applications because of its waterproof and weatherproof qualities
Silicone Rubber Adhesive
- Ideal for strong, flexible joints on wood, dissimilar surfaces such as metal, rubber, glass, ceramics, brick, wood and polystyrene foam
Plastic Resin Glue
- Known as powdered urea formaldehyde glue
- When mixed with water, it makes highly water-resistant bonds
- Frequently used for furniture repair, it is applied to clean, close-fitting surfaces and cured under pressure for at least 10 hours at 70° F
- The finished glue is non-toxic and impervious to most materials
Construction Adhesive
- Known as mastic, which is also a general term for any thick adhesive
- Used in heavy-duty bonding and construction applications
- Mastics are usually applied with a caulking gun or trowel
- Reduces the need for screws, nails and other fasteners in construction
- Flexible and waterproof qualities make them ideal for outdoor applications
- Can be used to join flooring and sub-flooring, paneling, drywall and roofing, molding, tile, masonry and concrete, metal and wood