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Chuck · 09-15-2008, 04:06 PM

I attempted to do a tambour door repair, a-la "silvertwinkie.com" (Repairing tambour doors), and ran into a little trouble.

I used some fabric that is like the "duck cloth" mentioned, but a little bit lighter. It really seemed to soak up the contact cement...right through. ok...well, then I applied it to the back of the tambour slats, which appear to be just cardboard, or similar. the first door I did seemed to work ok...I haven't actually checked it yet, but on the other, it seems that the slats just absorbed all the cement. I let them set up for the indicated time (~20 min), and it seemed to be "gone". so i applied another thin layer, let it sit just a few minutes, and put the pieces together. After sitting overnight under some weight (a stack of plywood shelves), I checked it thismorning, and the handle piece just came right off.

. I didn't have time to mess with it much, but I'm not optimistic that the rest of it is thoroughly stuck together.
having never worked with contact cement before...I know alot of you have done laminate countertops, and such....I thought maybe you might have some tips. how much is too much? how tacky is "tacky"? is it too humid in my basement? maybe some other glue would work better...I know the guy that made that nice photo essay said that "spray glue" didnt' work. but there's "spray glue", and then there's "spary glue", kwim? that 3m stuff is supposed to be pretty dern sticky, from what I'm told.

purman · 09-15-2008, 04:20 PM

You can get Pray adhesives that will work great... Don't get the general purpose stuff
Get the 3M Hi-strength 90

I have worked installing cabinets in houses this stuff will stick down countertops and the veneer on the sides of the cabinets.. I have also put pool table felt down with it... It won't soak in like rubber cement does and will hold as well or better...

It's has been used by most cabinet installers for year and works great....

LI Pets · 09-15-2008, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by purman

Get the 3M Hi-strength 90

....

When you use this do you have anytime to move the veneers around or is the type of adhesive that locks instantly?

InsideOut · 09-15-2008, 06:06 PM

Here's the stuff we use for this sort of thing 3M Hi-Strength 90 Spray Adhesive

It only needs to dry for about a minute, then you put the two pieces together, but once you do, that's it. No moving them. The best way is to use a "slip sheet" or dowels to help get the two things lined up properly...

There's also Super 77, also by 3M...it works about the same, but isn't quite as strong sticky-wise.

Only other bit of advice is "Beware of OVERSPRAY" it gets on everything and is a PITA to get off. Use Bestine (Xylene) for clean-up.

Shari

LI Pets · 09-15-2008, 06:56 PM

What I'm trying to do is put a veneer in the metal coves around the sink and above the windows, but it needs to be adjusted I can't just drp it in.

I need 2-5 minutes

purman · 09-15-2008, 07:38 PM

I'll have to think about that one Bob.. Yeah the 3m once it touches it is glued hard...

Chuck · 09-16-2008, 07:23 AM

I thought thats the way the brush-on contact cement was supposed to be: "instant bond". well, in this case...it ain't. I checked the doors thismorning...after 36 hours, I can still peel the fabric off the slats.

do you suppose they carry the super-90 at HD or Lowe's?

actually...now that I think of it, there might actually be something like this around the office. Shari, do you think they might use this stuff for mounting boards? (archictectural firm...)

purman · 09-16-2008, 07:28 AM

They should, that's where i have gotten it...

Lumatic · 09-16-2008, 07:40 AM

I know exactly what you are talking about with the tambours. Here's what has worked for me through trial and error on about a dozen doors. First use aluminum tape strips about 6" apart crossways to the direction of the tambour. After letting the contact cement set overnight use at least a 2nd and maybe a 3rd coat letting them set in between. Let the whole thing cure for a couple of days before you mess with it. PS, I use nylon packcloth not duck.

purman · 09-16-2008, 07:46 AM

I think the spay will work first time... Like i said I glued pool table felt to the slate with the stuff.. You only have to wait about 1-3 min for it to dry... It doesn't soak in like rubber cement.. Watch for over spray.. it does come of with most solvents....

Also I wouldn't use just plain rubber cement.. If thats what you want to do go to lowes or a hardware store and get the stuff for putting down counter tops with... It will bond a lot better than rubber cement.. thats made for school kids....

GET THE TOOL MAN TAYLOR STUFF....

Chuck · 09-16-2008, 07:51 AM

I used contact cement. not "rubber cement". it supposedly IS the stuff for gluing down countertops.

tphan · 09-16-2008, 08:20 AM

Chuck- I think contact cement doesn't work so well on real porous materials, it soaks in too much and doesn't get very sticky- as you've noticed. I too would give the spray stuff a try- I've used something called "Stick-it", from (really!) Blowoff.com to glue a piece of soft fabric to the bottom of an ottoman, and it worked well. As posted, the over-spray has to be managed- this is really sticky, messy stuff but it works on just about every material imaginable. Good luck- tim

InsideOut · 09-16-2008, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck

do you suppose they carry the super-90 at HD or Lowe's?

actually...now that I think of it, there might actually be something like this around the office. Shari, do you think they might use this stuff for mounting boards? (architectural firm...)

Yup and yup. We usually use the Super 77 for presentation boards at the office, but have the Hi Strength 90 at home for more heavy-duty uses. I've seen it at hardware stores & art supply stores all over town.

Shari

Chuck · 09-16-2008, 08:44 AM

time to raid the model shop....

Frank's Trailer Works · 09-16-2008, 08:58 AM

The key to the spray is fine overlapping strands of the glue. You want to create a web one both surfaces. Do not try to cover the surface as if you painting it on. It needs to dry 100% before you stick them together. That might be 1 minute it might be 10 all depends on the humidity. You can test by using the back of you hand... gently press your hand into the glue, if your hair sticks, wait. Do not rush the glue, for if it is not dry enough it will come apart later. Once the surfaces touch, that is it, so be lined up. A file will cut off the excess around the edge. Make sure to roll out the surface with a j bar roller. You can also wait too long and all the solvent will evaporate out of the glue and the bond will not take place.

thecatsandi · 09-16-2008, 11:53 AM

I have yet to find a 3M product that has not worked well. Thier glues work great! choose your stickyness and go for it.

We use thier glues for interiors.

Chuck · 09-18-2008, 08:47 AM

Ok, well, the model-shop raid was a success!!

(turns out, we buy super-77 by the case. there was a half-can of "90" left; the model shop guys told me that they prefer the 77, but anyway...)

So, it seems to have worked nicely. It didn't soak in at all; just worked exactly as advertised.

So now I need to cut down one of the finished doors by a couple of inches. I'm thinking a jig saw with a fine-toothed blade would be the thing...masking tape on the laminate side, to deter any chipping. sound good?

Fyrzowt · 09-18-2008, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck

So now I need to cut down one of the finished doors by a couple of inches. I'm thinking a jig saw with a fine-toothed blade would be the thing...masking tape on the laminate side, to deter any chipping. sound good?

Use masking tape, but cut with the door upside-down. Remember that most jigsaw blades cut on the pull stroke and tend to splinter on top. You can however buy "push" stroke blades.

Fyrzowt · 09-18-2008, 09:51 AM

Chuck,
On review, if you have access to a table saw or a circular saw you may get better results with a smoother/straighter cut.
If you wind up using a circular or jig saw, clamp a guide to the door so you can keep the saw on the mark.
Good luck.
Dave

Chuck · 09-18-2008, 10:50 AM

no table saw. I do have a circular saw, and I was thinking of that + a plywood blade (fine-tooth). I'd have to cut it upside-down, though...might have to with either saw, as the width of the base plates is probably wider than the distance between the cut and the protruding metal handle of the door.

and yep, I have a clamp-on straight edge, just for such purposes.