Uhmw

[Rick Gooden]

Just wondering what is the best way to glue UMHW to either plywood or hardboard?

[Bill Huber]

Screws.....

[Dino Makropoulos]

What Bill said: screws.

A new VHB Double sided tape by 3M works fine to.
We use the VHB ( very high bond) to hold parts in place for...screws.

[dave rollins]

Rick
Here is a couple of websites that you might want to check out for info on gluing.
http://www.garlandmfg.com/plastics/bonding.html This is a manufacturer of UHMW parts.
The second is a site that has info on bonding different materials together.
http://www.thistothat.com/
Hope this helps
Dave

[Alan Schwabacher]

Your chances of gluing UHMW-PE increase if you run a torch over it just before gluing. You don't want to melt or char the surface, but you do want the flame to play directly on the plastic briefly. This chemically modifies the surface to help various things stick much better. Epoxy definitely will not adhere well to UHMW-PE without this treatment, but sticks reasonably well after. The problem is that you can't see whether it is treated well enough, and if you wait after treatment, the advantage goes away. Screws are more certain.

Edit: The Garland citation above describes the process.

[Frank Drew]

What are people using this material for?

[Don Abele]

I use it for all sorts of parts on jigs - runners, fences, etc. It's extremely slick and very durable. It's the same stuff that's found on most table saw fences (and that a lot of cutting boards are made of).

In all the years I've worked with it (I still have quiet a bit left of the 4x4 sheets I bought eight years ago) the only method I've used for attaching it to anything has been mechanical - either screws through it into wood or metal or bolts/nuts through and through. I've seen many methods for joining it otherwise, but none as quick, easy, or guaranteed as mechanical.

Be well,

Doc

[Tom Veatch]

What are people using this material for?

Wherever a fairly rigid, machinable, durable, nonstick/self-lubricated surface is needed. The facings on my tablesaw fence are UHMW. I made the body of my zero clearance insert from 1/2" UHMW.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=66630&d=1182307643

Jigs/fixtures that need a low-friction surface are candidates for UHMW application. Your imagination is the limit. But it doesn't glue well. Mechanical fasteners are almost a requirement.

[Frank Drew]

I see, thanks.

[Dave Anderson NH]

UHMW-PE is an ultra high molecular weight polethylene and as such is considered a low surface energy plastic with a surface energy below 25dynes/cm. In most cases mechanical bonding with screws or nuts and bolts is the prefered method. Pressure sensitive and other adhesives can be used successfully however. In order to use epoxy or urethane based adhesives the material must be corona treated. The Garland citation using a flame is the only useful method for the home user and will be successful if done right. About 5 or so years ago 3M came out with a series of pressure sensitive adhesives designed specifically for use on low surface energy plastics and coatings such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and Polane (a urethane coating). These are designated as the 300LSE series. If you go to the 3M website (www.3m.com/bonding (http://www.3m.com/bonding)) you can search for some of the part numbers for the various thicknesses such as 9471LE#, 9473LE, etc and find out all you want to know.

[Rick Gooden]

Thanks to all. You've got to love a place with the cumulative knowledge (and civility) of SMC.

Rick

[Tom Walz]

It can be welded. We used to use it to make “L” shaped frames for our filter systems. It is not particularly good structurally. The back frame was 3’ h x 3’ wide and we had to weld on a bracket on each side to keep it rigid.

It also softens at a pretty low temperature. We had a filter unit returned because the frame bent. We hung two filter housings from the top and the customer put it behind a machine. In the summertime it got warm enough that the UHMW softened and bent under the weight of the filter housings. Pretty embarrassing. Now we sue ¼” aluminum bent once.

UHMW is nice material to cut and drill. Not sure how to weld it. We had the supplier do that.

[glenn bradley]

Another vote for screws. Your wood will change with humidity. If the UHMW is film glued it will distort as the wood moves. IMHO.

[glenn bradley]

What are people using this material for?

As stated, miter bars for jigs, surface coverings for 'slip'. I read an article where a guy had covered the bottom of his sheetgoods storage with it to make sliding heavy panels in and out easier.