Ultra Cat Adhesive & bentwood lamination

[Louis Reed]

Hello Creekers,

I am getting ready to make eight chairs and plan to make the chairback slats out of bentwood curly maple. I have some Ultra Cat resin adhesive from joe the woodworker. I emailed his website and he is on vacation until the 15th. Anyway I mixed up a small batch according to the container directions for my mockup. It seemed very watery, I thought it should be more like the viscosity of yellow glue but I was afraid if I added more powder it would limit my open time. I took my first trial glue up out this am. Some parts of the lamination seemed starved for adhesive.
Creekers, what are your thoughts ? I'll cut up more maple while I'm waiting for you input.

Thanks,
Louis Reed
In the sierra foothills

[Jason Beam]

I believe the consistency should be like heavy cream ... thinner than glue, but not milk-thin.

When I used mine to veneer a panel, I worried that it was actually too thick to get spread over the entire panel I was gluing up - it barely made it, but I worried. In the future I think i'll go a little bit thinner. Mine was about the thickness of yellow glue, or a little thicker, actually. It still held fine, though.

[Louis Reed]

Thanks Jason for your responce. I will mix my next batch more like a yellow glue viscosity. After doing a test set yesterday I'm not as worried about the open time. It went together quite fast.

Thanks again,
Louis

[Louis Reed]

"Joe the Woodworker" sent me a reply to my am email while he's on vacation ! Can you believe this guy...

He confirmed my mix was too thin and should have been more like yellow glue in viscosity.

I have read on line he is really good about getting back to those that email him.

Louis

[Steve Jenkins]

Louis,
you don't say how you are spreading it but I have found that an "Adhesive roller" from the depot works great. for narrow pieces I just cut the roller down with a hand saw or bandsaw to the width I want. The nap is kind of like velcro and lets you put on a really nice even coat.

[Louis Reed]

Steve,

Thanks for the tip. Would I find it in the paint dept. ?

I have been using 2" wide foam brush. Can you reuse the roller, if so how do you clean it ?

Louis

[Jason Beam]

I used a "Brayer" for mine. Worked fantastic - and i don't think it "consumed" quite as much glue as the regular paint rollers do. I got mine at Michael's - a large craft chain. I think it was called a "speedball roller" or something like that.

I should mention: it's rubber (they make various hardnesses, including felt, i think) and it cleans real real nice. You can almost leave the glue to dry then chip it off easily, too. But I was paranoid and rinsed it.

[Louis Reed]

Jason, thats a good idea. I like the rubber type that can be cleaned and reused as I have about 40 glu-ups to do.

I think there is a Michaels in Roseville. I'll go by tomorrow.

Louis

[Chris Padilla]

Get the foam roller from Joewoodworker...I got the 6" and 4" plus spare rollers because I never forget to clean my roller after a glue-up....NOT! :D

I've heard and read about the Brayer but have yet to try one out--I'm sure it would be fine being a little harder/firmer.

[Louis Reed]

Thanks Chris,

Since I'm new to this area of woodworking, I think I will get a few different types to check ease of application and clean up.

Louis

[Steve Jenkins]

the adhesive roller I use is in the paint dept. and it can be cleaned. If the glue is waterbased just wash it out with water. It doesn't have a thick nap.

[sean m. titmas]

for doing large surface laminations i spread the glue with what the painters call a hot dog roller. its the same size as a hot dog and comes in either a disposal version with a plastic handle or a clean up version with metal handle. it has just the right nap to lay a sufficient layer of adhesive down. i buy the disposal version at $1.50 each in bulk from the Sherwin Williams supply house. they even hold up when used with West epoxy.

[Louis Reed]

Steve I tried washing out a foam brush with water, then soap and water, not much luck. Does the water have to be really hot ? I didn't try that.
I went out today and bought a rubber roller Chris recommended. I'll try that tomorrow. He said he just lets it get hard then peals it off.

Louis

[Jamie Buxton]

On the ureaformaldehyde I use (Unibond 800), the wash-up water temperature makes a big difference. Cold water doesn't cut it at all. Warm-to-hot water works well. My shop only has cold water, so I use paper mixing cups and throw-away rollers.

[Bill Houghton]

that when I read this, I was wondering what an "ultra cat" is (don't cats all think they're ultra?), and why you would want to glue a cat into a bentwood lamination.

Sorry I can't help with your actual question.

[Chris Padilla]

Bill, check it out here:

Ultra Cat Pre-Catalyzed Resin Veneer Adhesive (http://www.veneersupplies.com/product_info.php?cPath=86_40&products_id=187)

[Steve Jenkins]

Steve I tried washing out a foam brush with water, then soap and water, not much luck. Does the water have to be really hot ? I didn't try that.
I went out today and bought a rubber roller Chris recommended. I'll try that tomorrow. He said he just lets it get hard then peals it off.

Louis

I was referring to the adhesive roller and yes hot water works better.