Yesterday I used DAP water-based contact cement to attach a laminate
edge strip to one edge of a counter top that has a pine edge strip
(smooth but with no existing finish) already. The strip of laminate
already had a coating of that same contact cement that had dried long
ago, so I put an additional coat on that surface and also gave the pine
edge strip its first coat. After an hour or so, they bonded together
just fine.

Later in the day I put a coating of the same contact cement on another
pin edge and on another strip of laminate. They will *not* bond. I
applied another coat of the contact cement to both surfaces, but they
still would not bond.

What could possibly be the problem here? The contact cement is less than
a year old and appears to be fine: it is still a milky liquid with a
*faint* solvent smell. But even if it were approaching the end of its
shelf life (one year), how come it worked on one strip and not on the other?

Perce

Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
Yesterday I used DAP water-based contact cement to attach a laminate
edge strip to one edge of a counter top that has a pine edge strip
(smooth but with no existing finish) already. The strip of laminate
already had a coating of that same contact cement that had dried long
ago, so I put an additional coat on that surface and also gave the pine
edge strip its first coat. After an hour or so, they bonded together
just fine.

Later in the day I put a coating of the same contact cement on another
pin edge and on another strip of laminate. They will *not* bond. I
applied another coat of the contact cement to both surfaces, but they
still would not bond.

What could possibly be the problem here? The contact cement is less than
a year old and appears to be fine: it is still a milky liquid with a
*faint* solvent smell. But even if it were approaching the end of its
shelf life (one year), how come it worked on one strip and not on the
other?

I never have liked the water-based contact cements but that shouldn't be
the problem, just a comment...

If it isn't the cement, only one real thought comes to mind and that is
that the pine is porous enough you still don't have a good covering coat.

I'd probably try one more coat then get a new can of solvent-based
cement if that didn't cut the mustard...

--

On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:21:19 -0600, dpb wrote:

Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
....

I never have liked the water-based contact cements but that shouldn't be
the problem, just a comment...

If it isn't the cement, only one real thought comes to mind and that is
that the pine is porous enough you still don't have a good covering coat.

I'd probably try one more coat then get a new can of solvent-based
cement if that didn't cut the mustard...

I agree. I have not had the problem.

The main thing I have found is that you have to let the Contact Cement dry
for at least 15 minutes (up to about 30 minutes max) before sticking the two
parts together. Sticking them together before each piece dries often
prevents it from working. Contact Cement is different than other glues in
that respect. But, I think that's why it is called "Contact" Cement -- you
put in on both surfaces, let it dry, and then it works on contact between
the two pieces. Did you do that part -- i.e. letting both pieces dry first
before sticking them together?

"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote in message
...
Yesterday I used DAP water-based contact cement to attach a laminate edge
strip to one edge of a counter top that has a pine edge strip (smooth but
with no existing finish) already. The strip of laminate already had a
coating of that same contact cement that had dried long ago, so I put an
additional coat on that surface and also gave the pine edge strip its
first coat. After an hour or so, they bonded together just fine.

Later in the day I put a coating of the same contact cement on another pin
edge and on another strip of laminate. They will *not* bond. I applied
another coat of the contact cement to both surfaces, but they still would
not bond.

What could possibly be the problem here? The contact cement is less than a
year old and appears to be fine: it is still a milky liquid with a *faint*
solvent smell. But even if it were approaching the end of its shelf life
(one year), how come it worked on one strip and not on the other?

Perce

"Jay-T" wrote in
:

The main thing I have found is that you have to let the Contact Cement
dry for at least 15 minutes (up to about 30 minutes max) before
sticking the two parts together. Sticking them together before each
piece dries often prevents it from working. Contact Cement is
different than other glues in that respect. But, I think that's why
it is called "Contact" Cement -- you put in on both surfaces, let it
dry, and then it works on contact between the two pieces. Did you do
that part -- i.e. letting both pieces dry first before sticking them
together?

"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote in message
...
Yesterday I used DAP water-based contact cement to attach a laminate
edge strip to one edge of a counter top that has a pine edge strip
(smooth but with no existing finish) already. The strip of laminate
already had a coating of that same contact cement that had dried long
ago, so I put an additional coat on that surface and also gave the
pine edge strip its first coat. After an hour or so, they bonded
together just fine.

Later in the day I put a coating of the same contact cement on
another pin edge and on another strip of laminate. They will *not*
bond. I applied another coat of the contact cement to both surfaces,
but they still would not bond.

What could possibly be the problem here? The contact cement is less
than a year old and appears to be fine: it is still a milky liquid
with a *faint* solvent smell. But even if it were approaching the end
of its shelf life (one year), how come it worked on one strip and not
on the other?

Perce


Sticking them together before each
piece dries often prevents it from working.

As a matter of fact, contact cement instructions used to say to the
effect for a removable bond to assemble before it totally dries.

Jay-T wrote:
The main thing I have found is that you have to let the Contact Cement
dry for at least 15 minutes (up to about 30 minutes max) before sticking
the two parts together. Sticking them together before each piece dries
often prevents it from working. Contact Cement is different than other
glues in that respect. But, I think that's why it is called "Contact"
Cement -- you put in on both surfaces, let it dry, and then it works on
contact between the two pieces. Did you do that part -- i.e. letting
both pieces dry first before sticking them together?


At about 13 at my cousins they had a little old motorcycle and had to
fix the flat tire. They were saying how the damn tube patches never
hold. I watched them put on the glue immediately followed by the patch.
It took some time to convince them to try it my way (letting the glue
dry). When they finally let me do it they were amazed at how it stuck fast.

On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 15:05:22 -0500, "Percival P. Cassidy"
wrote:

Yesterday I used DAP water-based contact cement to attach a laminate
edge strip to one edge of a counter top that has a pine edge strip
(smooth but with no existing finish) already. The strip of laminate
already had a coating of that same contact cement that had dried long
ago, so I put an additional coat on that surface and also gave the pine
edge strip its first coat. After an hour or so, they bonded together
just fine.

Later in the day I put a coating of the same contact cement on another
pin edge and on another strip of laminate. They will *not* bond. I
applied another coat of the contact cement to both surfaces, but they
still would not bond.

What could possibly be the problem here? The contact cement is less than
a year old and appears to be fine: it is still a milky liquid with a
*faint* solvent smell. But even if it were approaching the end of its
shelf life (one year), how come it worked on one strip and not on the other?

Perce


I would not think contact cement is the best choice for wood. Yellow
wood glue beats a contact cement for wood. Edge clamps eliminate
nails or other fasteners.