Which Glue?

[Jeff Cord]

I've seen recommendations to glue leather pads to hold-fasts and metallic dogs.
What type of glue do you use to glue leather the metal?
Jeff

[Bruce Whitehouse]

Jeff,

I used contact cement to mount leather pads on my holdfasts last year . Worked great. Don't have to worry about them marking or denting my work now.

[Bob Strawn]

The easiest thing about gluing a pad on a vise, is the clamping part.
Contact cement is good. I think however I might end up using my new favorite glue, Ecopoxy. (http://www.ecopoxysystems.com/products.html)

I have a couple of entries about it on my blog (http://toolmakingart.com/), here (http://toolmakingart.com/2009/12/04/food-safe-glue/) and here (http://toolmakingart.com/2010/03/20/ecopoxy-update/), it is odor free, marine grade waterproof, has an unlimited shelf life, is rated as food safe and is forgiving on mixing ratios. Rather nice using polycarbonate epoxy.

Bob

[John Coloccia]

I've had to stick down leather several times, either for jaw faces or a little cushioning for various sanding blocks. I've always used contact cement. The reason I used contact cement has nothing to do with the holding properties. In my case, I'm doing things like wrapping 1" and 2" dowels with leather to make round sanding blocks, and the contact cement grabs instantly. I don't even know how I'd approach it if I had to put down a glue and then somehow get it to conform and clamp it in place while it cures.

[Stephen Shepherd]

Use a fresh cut clove of garlic to etch the metal prior to gluing the leather to the metal with hide glue. You can put a drop of glycerin in the hide glue to keep it flexible.

Stephen

[Keith Westfall]

I don't even know how I'd approach it if I had to put down a glue and then somehow get it to conform and clamp it in place while it cures.

On something like this, (round or odd shaped), wrap it with black electrical tape pulled tight. It will clamp it down into place.