Reply To: Glue for clamp pads
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Hi Paul,
I just did up my clamp pads the other weekend. I would recommend a medium to thick cyanoacrylate glue (a.k.a Super Glue or Krazy Glue 🙂 ). One thing I no longer do though is buy my CA glue from stores like Home Depot and such. The reason is because each manufacturer’s idea of thick and thin can differ, and sometimes the glues aren’t even labeled by viscosity. I’d rather not be left guessing each time I need more glue. I’d buy a brand that specifies different viscosity and stick with that brand, like one of these:
http://www.hobbylinc.com/ca_super_glue
I used this stuff:
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/hlc/hlc106.htm
Sometimes the pad face of the clamp itself is not truly flat (mines were concave just a bit). That’s why I prefer the gap filling property.
Since I’m not able to perfectly align the pads upon first contact, what I did was apply glue zig zag style the way Mr. Sellers lays PVA glue in the work bench videos, and then place it as precisely as I can using very light pressure only (practically just letting the tackiness do the holding), align it, and then press doown squarely. CA glue has an “activation film thickness”, and to an extent you have time to align before pressing the film down to thickness (we’re talking 3 or 4 seconds). This way it was much less stressful than using activator, which is a one-shot deal. I did use activator afterwards, not before. I just misted alcohol over the whole thing.
One other thing: do NOT use double sided tape! It may feel nice and sturdy at first, but you will then get to watch as the pads slowly creep off their surfaces as you tighten the clamps while gluing up your workbench top. Don’t ask how I know….*head hanging in shame*