Stringy Hot Glue & Micro Pad glue

[LowThudd]

OK Steve, now I get what your saying. After having taken apart and repadding a couple instruments, some shellac and some hot glue, as well as redoing a couple of my own hot glued pads, I can see the difference. The glue I am using seems to hold fine, but easily scrapes out of the cup with a screwdriver. The pads on the B&H were glued in with some translucent glue that took quite an effort at removing(a dental pick worked best). Nasty stuff, I'm glad my glue doesn't do that.

I got a tube of Micro Pad and cork adhesive in a lot auction, just wondering if the stuff is worth keeping around in my case for emergency repairs. I am using standard contact adhesive for cork, so I really don't need it for anything. Just curious if it is actually usefull for much of anything.

 

[tictactux]

For testing unknown glues, I either try it with an instrument that needs a new pad anyway, or I glue an old, bad or otherwise unsuitable pad onto a coin or similar piece of metal, which has the advantage that you see what the glue is doing between metal and pad, if it oozes, strings etc. You can also see how well it can be cleaned up upon removal.

I have a hunch that the Micro glue is something like impact/contact glue, which is not really suitable for pads, except in a pinch. Don't heat it if it smells of solvents!

 

[jbtsax]

Micro pad and cork cement has been around for a very long time. It is actually liquid stick shellac made by mixing shellac flakes and alcohol. When the alcohol evaporates, it sticks every bit as good as melted stick shellac, but the downside is that it takes quite a while to "set".

Techs I know like to use that Micro product for brass waterkey corks which are pressure fit into the keycup as an added bit of insurance to keep the cork in place even if it dries out and shrinks. Just like stick shellac, a bit of heat will cause it to release. Because of the time it takes to set I find it impractical to use for pads, corks, felts, etc. since there are other glues that work faster and hold just as well or better.

 

[Steve]

There's one website out there that sells pad sets and microglue (i think it's shopforband.com) . So it's common for people to buy but as John put it, it takes a while to set.

But at that point I recommend http://www.MusicMedic.com,
or for somone wanting more
http://www.ferreestools.com/
or http://www.votawtool.com/

All these places sell to consumers

 

[Steve]

OK Steve, now I get what your saying ..... The pads on the B&H were glued in with some translucent glue that took quite an effort at removing(a dental pick worked best). Nasty stuff, I'm glad my glue doesn't do that.

For some reason this stuff has built in radar to jump out and stick to skin and transfer immense heat while it generates it's own heat to scorch your skin.

 

[LowThudd]

Thanks guys. I guese it would not work as an emergency repair glue. I guess I'll keep my little hot glue gun and battery powered Weller BP645 solder gun around for emergency repairs. Think I'll invest in a cordless glue gun. I've always wanted one, just couldn't justify it.