Okay, now that I got the poetry outta th' way, who has a recommendation for a good glue for this stuff? I haven't been active in the sign business for a while. Redwood was still king when I did my last sandblasted sign so I'm having to switch gears. This is the first time I've tried to use HDU so any other advice would be greatly appreciated too.
Jack "Did I spel that write?"
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
Gorilla Glue!
Posted by Jack Keith (Member # 4499) on :
Thanks, Jane. That's kinda what I was thinkin' bui I wanted to hear it from someone who knew.
Jack "Did I spel that write?"
Posted by Laura Butler (Member # 1830) on :
Gorilla all the way.
Posted by Mark Yearwood (Member # 2723) on :
West Systems Epoxy here. The best marine grade epoxy around in my book.
We got a big blob on the shop floor and after it dried, we had to take a chisel and break it off. It took part of the concrete out!
Plus you can get their fillers and make it thicker for different applications.
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
I use gorilla glue for attaching backer boards and edge glueing etc.
West Systems epoxy for laminating sheets together or attaching metal hardware, metal backer sheets etc.
Posted by Joe Endicott (Member # 628) on :
West Systems and/or Gorilla Glue. Depends on what you are using it for, and personal preference.
West Systems is some tough stuff. Very good, but it also dries very hard, and pretty fast. If you join two pieces of HDU end to end with West Systems, and then you blast it, it will not blast where the epoxy is. It leaves a ridge. We have done this, but we then had to chisel away then ridge, then texture (we used a circular saw blade) the surface a bit to hide the line. The thickening fillers are very handy though. Not to mention, you get to mix it yourself, and who doesn't love to play mad scientist?
Gorilla Glue, also very good. But, it dries soft. You can cut it. If you get drips, or as usually happens, it expands out around the joints, it cuts off and sands easy. It won't leave a ridge either if used to join as I described above.
Posted by Jack Keith (Member # 4499) on :
Thanx to Laura, Mark, Wayne, & Joe!
I really appreciate you all takiing time to answer. Great info on the expoxy.
BTW, Mark. Great stuff in SignCraft. You are one of the list I keep of graphic heros! Your work has consistently challenged me to stretch farther and do better. Thank you!
Jack "Did I spel that write?"
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
What Joe E said.
I always use epoxy to glue things back to back. Gorilla glue can expand too much and I don't trust it to not push apart two panels. But for edge gluing HDU especially for sandblasting, Gorilla Glue all the way. Since it expands it will fill small gaps.
Posted by Jack Keith (Member # 4499) on :
Thanks Dave;
This has helped a bunch!
Jack "Did I spel that write?"
Posted by Steve Purcell (Member # 1140) on :
All of the above - plus, PL construction adhesive.
Posted by Jay Nichols (Member # 2842) on :
Joe, would you care to give some details on your technique for texturing the joint with that circular saw blade?
