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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Serge_Krauss on February 27, 2017, 09:38:01 PM
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I just used some old SIG Core-Bond to join pieces of pink foam for a sanding tool. Since I "inherited" it, I don't know its age. The directions called for a thin coating of each surface, and indicated about an hour time before it would be tac free and ready for the two pieces to be brought together. It also said that application tools could be cleaned with soap and water, until the stuff dried.
I took only a minute to coat the surfaces, then closed the can and took my brush upstairs to clean. I used dish detergent (not soap, as suggested) and water. The brush immediately took on a grotesque, stiff shape and lost it's flexibility. White particles appeared, some of which could be picked out, but all of which were sticking to the brush hairs - as shown. I was back in the shop within 20 minutes, and the parts were already dry. When I joined them, the bond was strong immediately. I had used this brush months ago with Brodak's butyrate dope, but is was very soft and flexible at the start.
So my question is whether anyone knows what happened to my nice art brush. Was it residue of butyrate, use of detergent, or just plain old Core-Bond setting up much faster than expected?...or something else.
Thanks, guys, for your thoughts!
SK
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I never used what I considered my good brush with any type of contact cement. The SIG Corebond on a slow rat wing let the sheeting come loose after a couple of years. Must have been the moisture in the basement at the time.
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Have you tried cleaning the brush in Acetone or Laquer tinner ?? Just curious to see if it would help .
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I would clean the brush with adhesive remover. One of the professional products is Rapid Tac, which I use.
There are many others. The brush is worth saving.
I have suspended brushes so they don't touch the can bottom in different chemicals. Might take some time.
CB
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I'm out of adhesive removers, but today I did try soaking in acetone. It helped some, seeming to get the particles to be less tightly held and leaving fingers a bit sticky after using thumb nail to scrape some off. The stuff did not dissolve though in the relatively short time (15 minutes?) I left it immersed in acetone. I also lost hair, when working this. While the brush seems softer, it has not "agreed" to re-assume its intended shape, with straight hairs.
I think these are particles of the adhesive. I may try a longer immersion tomorrow. Photo below is how it looks now. Thanks for the hints, guys!
SK
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When all solvents are exhausted, try laying the paint brush on a steel surface and pulling a wire brush along the handle and in the direction of the tips of the bristles, pushing the wire brush down so as to force the brush wires into the bristles. It will cause some damage, but can pull the specks of adhesive out of the bristles.
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Thanks, Tom. What a great idea! I used a wire brush and got really good results. Then I dipped the brush into more acetone and brushed more. The core bristles were a challenge, but now, shaggy as it looks, the brush is "good to go." The composite view below shows the brush after apparently late use of water and detergent, soaking with acetone, and using the wire brush. Big change for the best with the brush.