Advantages:
No waiting for slow resins means that your
fiberglassing job is finished as fast as you can do
the procedure. And, since the cloth stays where you
put it, there are none of those time consuming repairs
that are often necessary, when a section of cloth
lifts during curing, as when using typical methods.
With new UFO
thin, you can fiberglass right over bare foam. Any
other Instant destroys white foam. For surfaces other
than foam, HOT
STUFF original can be used.
With HOT
STUFF, the whole job can be done without the
long lasting odor of typical polyester resins. With UFO,
there are no fumes at all.
All fibers are completely surrounded and there is no
need to fill the weave. Smooth finishes are
accomplished by applying easy to sand and lightweight
automotive paint primer. The extra resin (of any type)
that it takes to fill the weave adds nothing
significant to the overall strength but adds a lot of
unnecessary weight and is miserable to sand. Do not
put polyester resin over HOT
STUFF or UFO.
Often the polyester resin will never cure.
Because all the fibers are completely surrounded with HOT
STUFF or UFO,
cutting, drilling, or sanding doesn't cause fraying
and sanding doesn't create all of those little
fiberglass needles.
1. UFO
Thick and Thin are the ONLY instant glues that
won't attack white foam.
2. Use only fiberglass or Kevlar when
applying over foam.
3. Use no polyester resin to fill the weave
(see "Finishing")
4. Use SPRAY
'N CURE to speed curing.
Special note: for working with foam:
SPRAY
'N CURE accelerator will not attack expanded
foam products.
Spray a very light coat of 3M 77 spray contact
cement over the entire area to be glassed. "very
light" means just that! The contact spray should
cover the surface with little pinhead sized dots, not
a coating. So spray from 18 inches to 2 feet away and
don't linger on any one spot. The 3M 77 will stay
tacky for hours, so there is no rush.
Pre-cut your fiberglass to the approximate shape
needed, allowing a little to hang over the edges. Lift
the cloth into position and lay it on the surface. It
doesn't matter if it isn't perfectly aligned. Starting
from a side having more access than is needed, lift
the cloth and replace it in the desired position. The
cloth can be lifted again for realignment if
necessary. When placement is satisfactory, pass a flat
hand over the whole surface to adhere the fiberglass
to the surface below and to smooth it out completely.
The cloth will now stay put over unusual contours and
even when inverted.
Both products have a very thin consistency. Tip the
working surface and start at the top. As one area of
cloth is saturated, the glue moves on to another area,
so a small amount of glue goes a long way and weight
is held to a minimum. The object being glassed should
be held or propped so that the area where glue is
being applied allows the glue to run downhill without
puddling. Apply the glue in horizontal passes
following the glue from the previous pass down towards
the lowest portion of the object. As you apply the
glue you'll see the saturated areas instantly become
more transparent. When finished, check to see that all
of the fiberglass has the transparent appearance.
Apply glue to any missed areas. Spray a light sprits
of The Glue Guy's SPRAY
'N CURE over the entire surface. Note: For best
results, spray from 2-3 feet above and with the bottle
to the side of work.
The purpose is to mist on a very small amount of
accelerator while avoiding dripping onto the work. Too
much accelerator may cause a bumpy surface as the glue
cures too quickly. While these bumps are easily sanded
off, it's best to avoid them. After accelerator has
been applied, wait 30 seconds to a minute, then
lightly touch the surface. If cured, lightly pass your
hand along the entire surface. Re-spray any tacky
areas. Note: You will notice that the cured fiberglass
may feel very flexible, especially in areas where
rigid support is not present directly below.
(Fiberglass done with UFO
over bare foam is a good example as the cured cloth
can be dented if poked.) Full cure takes 24 hours and
at that point the cloth will be completely set. This
does not mean you have to wait to handle and work on
the piece, just handle it carefully to avoid dents
while preparing the surface for painting. Keep in mind
that this is a thin lightweight system.
With the fiberglassing done, you're ready to prepare
the surface for painting, etc. Do not put polyester
resin (commonly called "fiberglass resin")
over HOT
STUFF or UFO.
Often polyester resin will never cure and extra resin
(of any type) that it takes to fill the weave adds
nothing significant to the overall strength while
adding lots of unnecessary weight, and typical resins
are miserable to sand. Smooth finishes are
accomplished by applying easy to sand lightweight
Hobby Poxy SMOOTH 'N EASY finishing resin
(Cat#H-58) - or automotive paint primer. Note: if auto
primer is used, take care to avoid a heavy first coat.
Solvents in excessive wet primer might seep through
pinholes to attack a foam core underneath.
THE HOT
STUFF FINISH:
Note: We suggest you familiarize yourself with
this method first on a scrap piece before attempting
on a real project. For use on natural, unstained,
wood surfaces only.
Now you and your customers can have the finish to end
all finishes on table tops, cabinets and just about
any flat surface that can be worked horizontally. A
few minutes of testing this HOT
STUFF method on a scrap piece and we think
you'll agree that the finish you can get is beautiful,
almost bullet-proof and very fast.
This method should only be used outside or in
well-ventilated area as the curing fumes of HOT
STUFF can be uncomfortable. If ventilation is a
problem, try our new UFO
(User-Friendly Odorless) Thin type. UFO
has no fumes or odor. All applications of HOT
STUFF or UFO
should be done over a drop-cloth to protect the bench
or floor.
UFO
Thin or HOT
STUFF Original (Red Label) and NCF-Mild
Accelerator
Set the unfinished piece horizontally and wipe off all
wood dust. Vacuuming is best. Apply UFO
Thin or HOT
STUFF to a small area and, using a business
card, move the liquid around to cover as much area as
possible. Repeat until the surface has been coated.
Once the whole surface is coated, instant curing is
done by misting on a light spray of NCF-Mild
accelerator. Best results are achieved by holding the NCF-Mild
bottle about three feet above the work and spraying
lightly. Care should be taken not to hold the bottle
over the work. This is to prevent a drip from falling
onto the curing UFO
Thin or HOT
STUFF and causing a foaming effect. Let stand
for a minute, then repeat this curing procedure to
make sure all is cured. Test the area to make sure
it's all cured, by lightly passing your hand over the
work.
Block sand with 320 grit 3M "Tri-Mite"
silicon carbide paper. Do not wet sand. Keeping the
work dry is essential.
After wiping off and vacuuming all dust, repeat the
whole procedure once or twice more to achieve the
depth you desire. Finer, 400 to 600 grit paper can be
used now between coats. Usually two coats is enough
for a beautiful finish.
When all applications and sanding have been done,
check carefully to see if any areas have been sanded
through the UFO
Thin or HOT
STUFF, to the wood. If so, touch up the raw
area and blend in. Take care not to sand through the UFO
Thin. Rub with fine steel wool to a satin luster.
Follow with polish and wax for a high gloss finish, if
desired.
Return to top
Assemble the parts first. All alignment will be done
before HOT
STUFF or UFO
is applied. With the parts aligned and held firmly
together, apply a small amount of HOT
STUFF or UFO
to the joint or crack. The size of the part and it's
porosity play an important role in knowing how much to
apply. UFO
Odorless 'THIN' will not attack foam, making foam
bonding possible (UFO
Odorless 'THICK' is the better choice for bonding
foam, however). Fiberglass skins, right on the foam,
are practical and easy with UFO
Odorless 'THIN'.
Apply SUPER
'T' in a spiral pattern to one part, assemble
and align parts, then hold firmly for 10 to 25
seconds.
SPECIAL
'T'and new UFO
Odorless 'THICK'
These are very thick glues with greater gap-filling
capabilities and have a slower rate of cure than SUPER
'T' making it possible to bond parts which fit
very poorly (limited contact area). Because the rates
of cure are so slow (50 - 60 seconds), many seconds of
alignment time are possible after joining the parts.
The amount of time varies, of course, with the
material being bonded. Apply SPECIAL
'T' or UFO
Odorless 'THICK' in a spiral pattern to one part,
assemble and align parts, then hold firmly for 50 to
60 seconds. Using NCF-M
or NCF
reduces cure time to 5 to 10 seconds and, at the same
time increases the strength, depending on the
material.
Use NCF-M
or NCF
or SPRAY'N
CURE accelerators with HOT
STUFF, UFO
Odorless 'THIN', SUPER
'T', SPECIAL
'T' and UFO
Odorless 'THICK'. Important: NCF-Mor
NCF,
when sprayed on a surface or object, dries instantly
and leaves no visible residue. Don't try to keep area
wet. SPRAY'N
CURE evaporates slowly, allow 50 to 60
seconds(at room temperature) for complete drying of SPRAY'N
CURE.
1) For
small parts, spray NCF-M
or NCF
or SPRAY'N
CURE lightly on one part, assemble parts and
apply HOT STUFFand new UFO
Odorless 'THIN' to the crack or joint. For larger bond
areas, assemble parts first, apply HOT
STUFF and new UFO
Odorless 'THIN' to all sides, then spray NCF-M
or NCF
on the crack or joint where HOT
STUFF or UFO
Odorless 'THIN' was applied and wherever glue appears
along the edges. NCF-M
or NCF
and SPRAY'N
CURE make curing really fast, so, keep in mind
that penetration is lessened as cure speed gets
faster.
2) Very
large areas are best bonded using SUPER
'T' or SPECIAL
'T' or UFO
Odorless 'THICK'. First check the fit of parts to be
bonded to see that they line up as you desire. This is
important because bonding time is reduced. Spray NCF-M
or NCF
or SPRAY'N
CURE on one part and set aside. Apply SUPER
'T' or SPECIAL
'T' or UFO
Odorless 'THICK' to the other part in a spiral
pattern. The more porous the material, the tighter the
pattern should be as some "soaking-in" may
occur. Assemble and align parts then hold firmly for
ten seconds. Never directly apply any of the HOT
STUFF glues to an area which has been sprayed
with NCF-M
or NCF
or SPRAY'N
CURE, curing will begin too quickly for a good
bond to be made. When working in temperatures below 50º
F and for hard to bond materials, use NCF-M
or NCF
or SPRAY'N
CURE with all HOT
STUFF glues. If too much NCF-M
or NCF
or SPRAY'N
CURE is sprayed on wet glue, cure is too rapid
and glue may appear to foam up or turn white. If this
occurs, use less accelerator. A light spritz is all
that is necessary.
Never Mix Glue &
Accelerator in the same container!
Use Super Solvent as a solvent for Hot
Stuff instant glues.
1) To open-
puncture tip with safety pin
2) To
remove glue from skin- Wet a soft cloth with solvent
and apply to glue for 30 seconds. Wipe clean. Repeat
as necessary. Wash with soap and water
3) To break
existing bonds- Apply solvent directly to bond. Repeat
at one-two minute intervals until bond can be
separated with gentle force.
4) To
remove glue from surfaces or fabric- Apply solvent to
glue. After one minute, apply again and rub gently
with soft cloth. Repeat until glue is removed. Wash
with soap and water.
Note: US-1 may
discolor fabric or paint finishes. You should always
test on a sample or inconspicuous area before usage.
Return to top
All HOT
STUFF glues have extremely good shelf lives.
See how shelf lives vary depending on bottle quantity as
follows:
------------------- at Room Temperature
-------------------
| 1/4 oz |
6 months |
| 1/2
oz |
9
months |
| 1 oz |
11 months |
| 2
oz |
Over
1 year |
| 1/4 lb |
2 years |
Place new, UNOPENED bottles in the
freezer at or below 32ƒ to DOUBLE shelf life. Store
used bottles at room temperature. This is because used
bottles contain air from your workroom and that air
contains moisture which condenses to water reducing
shelf life. Always keep bottles upright when not in use.
NCF-M,
NCF
need no special storage except to avoid high
temperatures (Store below 80ƒ and keep original cap
tightly screwed on).
Return to top
Hold bottle upright to drain glue from the upper spout
back into the bottle, before opening. Cut 1/16 off the
end of the spout. To increase flow, cut spout tip off an
additional 1/16" until desired flow is obtained.
Note: once opened, do not plug the hole with pins
etc. when storing. This increases the likelihood of
future clogging. The spout should be sealed with the
special snap-on overcap. Anything put into the spout has
trace moisture on it and causes these glues to cure.
Keep bottle upright when not in use. Store bottles which
have been opened at room temperature. Replacement
spouts are available 2 per box.
Return to top
Hands:
Wet a paper towel with SUPER
SOLVENT and wipe hands clean. Repeat if
necessary. NOTE: Do not use this method while wearing
fingernail polish. Then wash hands with soap and water.
Clothes:
It is rare for SUPER
SOLVENT to affect colors, but to be safe, test
material for color fastness first in an area that
doesn't show. Wad the material so the spot of glue is at
the tip and put a rubber band around the material to
hold it in place. Place a small amount of solvent in a
small container and submerse the glue spot. Let set for
a few minutes then, when the glue is soft, work it
gently until gone and wash or have cleaned. Repeat if
necessary. NOTE: Do not use this method while wearing
fingernail polish as cloth could become discolored.
Surfaces:
It is advisable to test on a hidden area first to
confirm surface is not affected by solvent. Apply SUPER
SOLVENT directly on the cured glue then cover the
area with a piece of wax paper or a plastic bag to keep
it wet. Let set a few minutes then wipe up softened
glue. Repeat if necessary. NOTE: SUPER
SOLVENT should not be used while wearing
fingernail polish as cloth could become discolored.
Return to top
1.
TOO MUCH GLUE FOR A GIVEN BOND AREA
The symptom:
Cure time can be increased to several minutes or
longer.
The problem: What is actually happening is that
too much glue has been applied for this size job, the
glue is cold or gaps are present that require the next
thicker version of HOT
STUFF or UFO.
Note: This result is
also a symptom of trying to use HOT
STUFF in the same way the gap filling types
are used. That is, applying glue to one part before
assembly. Always assemble parts first. Then apply HOT
STUFF THIN.
The solutions:
1) Use less glue, (approx. one drop per square
inch of bonding area). Keep glue at room temp.
2)If the material is very porous like cork, for
instance, spray one part`with NCF-M
or NCF
accelerator before assembly. Then proceed as in #(1),
above. Note: either of the gap filling glues, SUPER'T'
or SPECIAL'T',
would be the better choices for a very porous material
or for objects with large gaps.
3) Use NCF-M
or NCF
or SPRAY'N
CURE accelerator (see "HOW THEY'RE
USED" section).
2. ROUGH SURFACES
The Problem:
Rough surfaces allow only a small fraction of the two
mated parts to come in contact. The remaining area is
pure gap. The higher the ratio of gap to contact area,
the slower the cure.
The solution: SUPER'T'
gap filling , SPECIAL'T'
ultra gap filling or UFO
Odorless 'THICK' adhesive should be used for this job.
Normal cure times for these glues are 10-25 seconds
and 50-60 seconds, respectively. Spraying one part
with NCF-M
or NCF
or SPRAY'N
CURE accelerator before applying one of the gap
filling glues to the other part speeds curing greatly
and increases bond strength.
3. SURFACE
CONTAMINATION (foreign materials on bond area)
Surface contamination would include oxidation, oils,
dirt, water and any acidic material. Bond strength and
curing speed can be adversely affected by any of these.
The problem:
Some materials have slight traces of various oils on
their surface. These oils can be within the material
or deposited on it in a number of ways. Plywoods, for
example are sometimes coated with a mold release to
aid their manufacture. When not cleaned off, bonding
may be difficult. Skin oil from handling can be a
factor, especially when highly acidic. Woods
containing large amounts of pitch can be adverse to
good bonding. Dampness reduces bond strength
dramatically.
Note: oils can include collected deposits from the
air, especially in oily or smoggy environments.
The symptom: Slow or weak bonds may be expected
when surface contamination is present. Contaminated
bonding surfaces can be compared to bonding two
painted parts. HOT
STUFF glues have up to 5000 p.s.i. strength, but
the joint is only as strong as the adhesive quality of
the paint or oxidation or oil. In other cases,
especially where acidic materials are concerned, slow
bonds will always occur. And although, bond strength
may be affected, the difference isn't as great as with
the other contaminants. Dampness reduces bond strength
dramatically.
The solution: Always make sure bond area is clean and dry.
Visible oil and dirt should be cleaned off with soap
and water, bathed in a solvent or wiped with a solvent
dampened cloth.
Note: some materials may be adversely affected by
certain solvents.
Oxidation may be removed with a light abrasivrating
qualitie. If oil traces are suspected but not seen,
use NCF-M
or NCF
or SPRAY'N
CURE accelerators. All have a cleaning effect
as well as accelees to insure a strong and immediate
bond. Use NCF-M
or NCF
or SPRAY'N
CURE accelerators on pitchy or green (uncured)
woods.
Return to top
If HOT
STUFF glues are stored cold, (see storage
info), always allow bottle(s) to come to room
temperature before opening. Using these adhesives cold
causes cure times to be minutes instead of seconds and
shortens shelf life of the remaining contents of the
bottle.
Once a bottle has been opened, never return it to cold
storage. Moisture drawn into the bottle from opening
and use will condense in cold storage and reduce shelf
life.
Return
to top
SEVEN SECRETS for Instant Glues: This text deals
with the clogging of delivery spouts of any brand of
instant glue, which some users seem to be plagued with.
If you constantly find that your spouts clog please read
on.
Some
Good Reasons for Clogging
Background:
The key
word is "Instant", which, for our
purposes, means it will cure rapidly if given any
incentive. This characteristic is, after all one of
the reasons you use these glues. The incentives that
the user inadvertently provides at the spout tip are
the reasons for clogging. There are many such
incentives listed below one or two of which, we
hope, will be the cause of any clogging you may be
experiencing.
1) Storage
New,
unopened containers of any instant glue may be
stored in the freezer (at or below 32 degreesF. to
double shelf life. Always allow the container to
warm to room temperature before opening. Once
opened, never return to cold storage.
Why ?
Moisture is one of the catalysts. Opening a cold
bottle or placing a previously opened bottle back in
cold storage causes the warm air that has entered
the bottle, (carrying moisture with it), to condense
the moisture into water. This has a negative effect
on shelf life causing the contents of the bottle to
thicken and eventually harden and causes the spout
to clog very frequently. The thicker these glues
become, from the original viscosity, the more
frequently clogs occur. Note: This is not to say
that the gap filling versions are more likely to
clog.
2)
Application
Keep the
tip of the spout from touching the work, especially
if dust, from sanding, is present. Each time the
spout touches foreign matter, the glue is
effectively being told to cure. Foreign matter, if
sucked into the spout, can also cause the contents
of the bottle to thicken and eventually harden.
3) Sealing
If an
overcap is provided, use it to reseal the bottle
between uses. The overcap prevents dust or
accelerator overspray etc. from settling on the
spout. Never wipe off the spout tip with anything.
Lint from cloth or paper products sticks to the tip
and causes clogging. If you have a problem with
clogging overnight or over the course of several
days, here is a SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING HOT
STUFF glues: If our special sealing ring
(located 3/8² down from the tip of an unopened
spout) has not been trimmed off, try tipping the
bottle and squeezing slightly to fill the spout with
glue. As the beginning of a drop appears ready to
come out, snap the overcap in place. Then store the
bottle upside-down and your spout will remain
unclogged, ready to use up to several weeks.
4) Accelerator
Overspray
Always
make sure that accelerator OVERSPRAY doesn't touch
an exposed spout. Set glue aside or reseal with the
overcap before spraying accelerator.
5) Foreign Objects
Avoid
putting pins or nails or anything into spout to try
to keep it clear. The trace moisture on these
objects is carried into the spout and makes clogging
more frequent. Instead, trim off the tip a little
with a knife.
6) Age
or Foreign Matter
Shelf
life is determined, to a great extent , by the
quantity in the container. As a rule of thumb, a two
ounce bottle has a one year shelf life at room
temperature. As the bottle ages and passes it's
expected useful lifetime, the glue begins to
thicken. This can also occur because of improper
storage or because of foreign matter being
introduced into the bottle, as explained above. If
you are very familiar with these glues, you know
that even glue thickened because of any of the
reasons above, is still usable as gap-filling
versions. The older (thicker) the glue the more
often spouts tend to clog.
Replacement
spouts are available for most glues. It is always a
good idea to have an extra on hand for when you have
accidentally ruined the current working spout.
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