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Glue - A Sticky Question

How to Choose the Right Glue for Your Project

I'm attempting to create some collages using metal (soda pop cans) on wood. Thus far, I've had problems finding a good glue.

Gorilla glue isn't tacky enough to hold the pieces in place and also bubbles out while drying if not perfectly placed. E6000 didn't hold. Super Glue works... sometimes.

Any suggestions?

Chris

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I would suggest you try clear silicone, either the stuff sold as glue or the stuff that comes in tubes used for caulking. As far as I can tell the silicone is the same regardless of the packaging.

You can usually glue slick materials such as metal or glass easily with silicone and its also great for gluing dissimilar materials together.

It will take 30 - 60 minutes to set up and 24 hours to completely dry, so you'll have to develop some system to hold the cans in place.

Assuming the cans are empty, you might want to consider a mechanical fastener alone or with glue. Pound a couple of braids or other nails or screws with small heads into the wood. Use two or three per can. Drill matching holes in the can and put a dab of silicone around the nail head. This should give you a much more secure bond.

If this doesn't work, another suggestion would be a two-part liquid epoxy, preferably clear. You can get epoxies that set under water, so there should be one suitable for your purposes. It might have a long setup time as well.

There are many very strong glues used for industrial purposes. Check the web or your local yellow pages for industrial supply houses and you should be able to find something there. Be sure to follow all directions exactly and work in a well ventilated area if you try to use this type of glue.

I hope this works for you.

For more information about crafting with glues, please visit Crafting with Glue and Slow Drying Glues

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