Interesting new glue? happy ending in the end

[AES]

Mods: If this is in the wrong place please move:

The following could be of interest if you haven’t seen it before.

During a quick visit to the local DIY Emporium yesterday I was confronted by a new video display extolling the virtues of a new adhesive – well in this form it’s new to me anyway.

In common with many I guess, in the past I’ve had some dental work done which involved some sort of liquid synthetic “glue” which was hardened off very quickly after the application of UV (Ultra Violet) light.

This product appears to use the same/similar materials, and while certainly not cheap it seems to be much more within the price range of average DIY users than I think the professional dentist’s stuff would be. Remembering that the environment inside the mouth is fairly challenging (mixtures of hot, cold, acid, alkaline, etc) I was interested in the possibilities – especially since like many of us, I frequently get a list of “can you repair this dear?” from the boss upstairs.

The basic kit I bought consists of a syringe-like device which holds a “pencil” containing 5 grams of clear liquid glue. The pencil is fitted with a metal tube nozzle of about 2 mm outside diameter (less than 1/16th inch) so it should be good for getting into confined spaces. Also included in the kit is a small UV lamp powered by 2 replaceable 3V button cells. The kit is rounded off with a small abrasive file (which looks remarkably like a ladies nail file to me) and 2 paper sachets of degreaser (isopropyl alcohol). The whole thing is packed into a rather natty foam-lined hinged tin box and includes a quite informative Instructions leaflet (see pic below):

According to the promo video it’s brilliant for just about everything (WTWSTWT? - !!), and a lot of emphasis was placed on repairing different plastics, including building up small holes & cracks in stuff like plastic cans, a vacuum cleaner bag clip, a car rear light lens, plus repairing the stripped thread where a bolt screws into a part from a piece of flat pack wooden furniture.

As per the data sheet this stuff will glue just about all types of dissimilar materials, and after hardening (which apparently takes 3 to 6 seconds of UV light application) the hardened glue can be filed, milled, bored, polished, and painted. Its allowable temperature range is listed as –40 deg to +150 deg C (5 to 300 deg F) and it has a hardness of shore D 80 – 85 (that’s a hardness system I’m not familiar with and so far I’ve not had time to look it up on the Internet, sorry). Working temps are stated as in the range +10 to +40 deg C (50 to 104 deg F) and storage life if kept in the closed tin at room temperature is given as at least 12 months.

At 24.90 Swiss Francs (about 22 Euros; 17 quid; or 25 USD) it’s certainly not cheap (nothing in Switzerland is, I can assure you!). But thinking of the difficulties I’ve had in the past with some repairing stuff, especially various plastics, and some of the quite tricky gluing up jobs that crop up on new stuff from time to time, it certainly seemed worth a punt to me.

I have a couple of repair jobs in mind for this stuff but won’t be able to get around to them for a couple of weeks or so yet. But if anyone’s interested I’ll post again with details of successful (or otherwise!) repairs later on.

In the meantime here are some pix of the bits of this kit:

I also noted that spare UV lamps can be bought at 4.95 Swiss Francs each, and that as well as the transparent glue supplied, the glue is also available in black, white, and light or dark brown (supposed to represent various woods they say). Plus red I think. Sorry, I didn’t notice the cost of these separate glue pencils.

I’ve no idea if this stuff is available elsewhere than here and in Germany, nor if it is of any interest to Forum members, but it was certainly both new and interesting to me, so I hope it’s of some interest/help to others.

The manufacturer’s details are:

DJ CIRRUS GmbH
D-50389 Wesseling
Germany

Web site: http://www.soliq.info

AES

Edit: I forgot to say that I have no commercial or other connection whatsoever with this product - it's completely new to me.

 

[Claymore]

Looks like it would be pretty useful stuff.....in B&Q stores they used to sell some UV activated car body filler which you basically filled your cracks and like this stuff used a UV light to set it (or as I did take it outside the garage into daylight) I repaired loads of motorcycle fairings with the stuff and saved me quite a few quid.
Thanks for the links
Cheers
Brian

 

[custard]

I've used a similar dental adhesive for tying salt water fishing flies. It's exceptionally hard, completely clear, and doesn't yellow in sunlight...and I caught a Tarpon with it while fly fishing in Florida!

 

[bodgerbaz]

Hmmm, thanks for that Andy. Have you bought some to try out?

It seems to have had mixed reviews on Amazon.de with people saying it didn't seem to cure and that the LED seems underpowered.

 

[Droogs]

Gruetziwohl Andy,
Seems to be a pretty good idea, I'll certainly be on the look out here in Jockland, could com in useful for some of the things I do. Have a Jaegerwust for me, damn I miss those little sausages and a nice St Galen brot

 

[AES]

Thanks for the comments gents.

@Claymore (Brian): I didn't know about that B&Q stuff. Thinking of the forces that a bike fairing can experience, if it worked for you, which it obviously did, then this stuff I've found should work too. I'll advise.
@Custard: Being an ignorant I had to look Tarpon up. Bloody hell! If it could hold that lot then this UV stuff should be good. As above, I'll advise.
@Bodgerbaz (Barry): Yup, I bought a kit but haven't had time to try it yet. I now have 3 jobs to try with it (including a "honey do") so next week will be the time. As above, I'll advise results asap. Re weak UV light. I unpacked a kit in the shop before I bought and noticed that I could hardly see the light. The bloke showed me it was actually working when he cupped his hands around it but you could still hardly see it. (He also said he's had good feedback from customers though he hadn't tried it himself). When I got my kit home (I didn't buy that demo kit) I noticed the UV light on mine was MUCH brighter than the one in the shop - perhaps the batteries were flat in that one? Maybe a reason for the adverse remarks on Amazon? Dunno, but with weather like we're having right now (bright sunshine, clear blue sky & 24 deg C at end of 1st week Nov!) I should be able to do Claymore's trick and just take the jobs outside to cure if the built-in UV light isn't up to it.
@Droogs: Gruezi auch mate. Yup all sorts of excellent bangers (and ham) here but they can't do decent breakfast bacon to save their lives! Bread's good too, though personally I prefer Tessiner (and Zopf) to St. Galerli. You'll like this one no doubt - I was born and brought up in the SE, just outside London. A few years ago my (Swiss) wife and I took a motor caravan up Scotland (yup, it rained and was grey most of the time). Personally I could only understand about 1 word in 3 up there but she remarked how nice and clear the local English was. Bloody hell, I was thinking of divorce :?

Cheers all

AES

 

[AJB Temple]

I wonder if this is similar to the adhesive that glass repairers use. That sets in a couple of seconds under UV lights too. Not tried it myself but must be readily available?

 

[AES]

Short answer AJB? I dunno. As per the OP, apart from the dentist, this is completely new to me. More after I try it next week.

Meantime, I've now looked up the hardness measurement I quoted in my OP:

It seems to be a system of comparing durability, mainly in "soft" stuff like rubber, etc. See:

http://www.smooth-on.com/pdf/durometer_with_logo.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shore_durometer

HTH

AES

 

[AES]

Well Ladies & Gents, despite my initial (theoretical) enthusiasm, I must now conclude that you'll be better to "keep your money in your wallet". Why?

I've now had the chance to try it out on 3 different jobs and I just couldn't get the glue on any one of them to harden off properly, despite the UV lamp looking quite bright. I even changed the supplied button cells (2 x 3v CR2032) with 2 fresh ones that I had in stock, and still it was "never mind the 3 to 6 seconds that the blurb talks about, 3 to 6 minutes seemed to do little more than harden off the top surface" - of a thin (about 1 mm) layer of the stuff. I even took one job outside in yesterday's (v bright) sunshine for at least 10 minutes and was still able to wipe the (now slightly jelly-like) glue off the job with a paper towel!

In short I found it a waste of money and shan't bother with this product any more. I'm still debating with myself if I can be bothered go back to the shop and ask for my money back or not.

Sorry if anyone was enthusiastic about the possibilities following my OP.

Cheers

AES

 

[bodgerbaz]

Oh what a shame.

It sounded like a great product and thank you for bringing it to our attention . . . and for being the guinea pig ;-)

Enthusiasm for anything in such a cynical world is brilliant and I'm just sorry this one didn't quite work out for us all.

Thank you for your efforts though

Barry

 

[Droogs]

Thanks for letting us know the outcome of the trial Andy, it's a pity the glue's carp when used with the supplied light. I wonder if it would work better with one of those bug light things you see in butchers etc.

 

[AES]

Thanks for the comments gents.

I was also disappointed, especially as I had an accident with my camera a few weeks back (I don't ever use my mobile phone for pix). I tripped over with the camera when it was fitted with a monopod. Even though the monopod was folded up, as it landed on the ground it had enough leverage to crack the (plastic of some sort) camera body all around the area where the metal screw insert is moulded into the body. I thought this glue would be ideal for strengthening the cracked plastic around the insert.

But Droogs' idea of the UV lamp butcher's fly catcher is a good one that hadn't occurred to me. It just so happens that we have a little domestic version of one of those which is quite useful when sitting on the patio in the evenings, so before I give up entirely with this glue I'll have another go with that and report back.

If no go I guess I'll just have to go and ask for my money back.

Cheers

AES

 

[bodgerbaz]

. . . it just so happens that we have a little domestic version of one of those . . . "

Ah, the man who has everything . . . . well, apart from a working monopod !!!

Barry

 

[AES]

Thanks Barry (I think)!



AES

 

[bodgerbaz]

;-)

 

[Eric The Viking]

Thanks for the comments gents.

I was also disappointed, especially as I had an accident with my camera a few weeks back (I don't ever use my mobile phone for pix). I tripped over with the camera when it was fitted with a monopod. Even though the monopod was folded up, as it landed on the ground it had enough leverage to crack the (plastic of some sort) camera body all around the area where the metal screw insert is moulded into the body. I thought this glue would be ideal for strengthening the cracked plastic around the insert.

But Droogs' idea of the UV lamp butcher's fly catcher is a good one that hadn't occurred to me. It just so happens that we have a little domestic version of one of those which is quite useful when sitting on the patio in the evenings, so before I give up entirely with this glue I'll have another go with that and report back.

If no go I guess I'll just have to go and ask for my money back.

Cheers

AES

You might appreciate this, bein' photography'n'all:

Some older lenses (e.g. Pentax's excellent SMC Takumars - I still have a few) were made with Thorium in the glass, and left untreated the radioactive decay causes yellowing of the glass. The cure is to expose the lens to a strong UV source (apparently sunlight on its own isn't enough, which surprises me, but anyway).

This topic has exercised a few photographic forums, and apparently one solution can be had from Ikea, in the form of a "JANSJÖ" LED work lamp. Quite independently I bought one of them recently, and I came across the UV thing whilst looking for disassembly info on the web (want to adapt them as wardrobe lights, possibly).

Apparently the lamp is a strong UV source, but I was surprised that it had a plastic 'lens' in front of the LED. removing it widens the beam, but it also gets significantly brighter. I think the 'lens' is actually a UV filter too (probably why Ikea had it fitted in the first place).

Anyway it's cheap, and would be ideal for the application, if it kicks out enough UV. Might be worth a punt, as it's a very much stronger LED than the one in a key fob, UV or otherwise.

HTH,

E.

 

[tomf]

Are you sure that the UV led torch is actually UV and not black light? I would have thought they would have had to include some anti uv glasses or screen to protect your eyes when using it or does it say in the instructions to close your eyes ?

 

[AES]

Thanks ETV. I may give that a try if Droogs' idea with the "fly frier" doesn't work (I haven't had a chance to try yet).

No tomf, I'm not sure if the lamp supplied with the kit is UV or black light (and don't know how to tell the difference either). I can only say that the Instructions sheet with the kit calls it UV, and it also says don't look directly into it otherwise damage to sight may occur.

More when I've tried the fly frier, meantime thanks for the suggestions.

AES

 

[Eric The Viking]

"Black light" is simply a layman's term for UV (ultraviolet). It means exactly the same thing.

Lamps used for things like banknote checking are deliberately low power UV for safety. I don't know about fly killers, as the lamps are some distance from people (usually) and you don't stare at them (unless you're making BBC2 bumpers!).

For this application you want the UV focused into a tight beam, with enough to work but not so that the scatter is dangerous.

UV curing isn't new. I had display cases made up out of perspex back in the 1990s (for trade shows). The modelmakers used an excellent UV-curing glue that didn't cause bubbles and left an almost invisible join. It was cured with a fibre-optic light pipe, from a strong UV source, and they needed eye protection and training to use it.

You could, of course simply expose it to an arc welder (MIG, TIG or stick). That would certainly work, but you risk sunburn yourself.

Serious idea: try a photographic flashgun. They kick out quite a lot of UV. The tubes usually have a UV-blocking coating (they usually look very slightly yellow), but it isn't close to 100% effective. My Metz 45CT4 kicks out enough energy to make laser-printed paper smoke if you hold it in front of the gun and fire it (good party trick).

Try hitting it with several full-power flashes, close up & with as few diffusers/filters on the front as possible...

 

[AES]

Thanks for all that ETV. Apart from the use of UV light (& IR) in non-destructive testing of parts in the aircraft industry I have little knowledge in this area.

I'm not sure what BBC2 bumpers are (I guess I shouldn't ask!) but your point about a focussed beam is interesting - the "torch" supplied with the kit just has a small apparently semi/spherical plastic lens in the front. I must look closer. And BTW, the light from the torch just looks like a normal small torch light beam (except that it's blue/violet in colour) and doesn't seem particularly focussed but has a more a general spread from what I can see without looking too closely.

Yeah, I've heard of that special glue used by model makers for display cases but have never seen/tried it. Which was one of the things that attracted me to the kit in the first place.

Several thoughts there in your post which MAY mean I don't have to go back to the DIY emporia and hassle for my money back! So thanks.

Anyway, as per my last post, more when I've had the chance to try a few things.

AES