NN

NoOne N Particular

03/03/2008 4:58 PM

UHMW plastic question

Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc
would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
anyway.

Thanks,

Wayne


This topic has 25 replies

LH

"Lew Hodgett"

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

03/03/2008 6:45 PM


"NoOne N Particular" wrote:

> Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
> UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum?

You have two (2) chances, slim and none.

You can try to scuff up the UHMWPE and aluminum surfaces with some 24
grit and a right angle sander, then apply some epoxy thickened with
micro-balloons.

May work short term, but don't bet the farm on it.

Lew


LH

"Lew Hodgett"

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

03/03/2008 9:07 PM


"Robatoy" wrote:

>
I have been fighting with that stuff for decades. In many commercial
applications, such as butcher shops, UHMW is an ideal product to
protect knife-edges from dulling and can be cleaned/sterilised easily.

You can attach UHMW to UHMW with heat, but cohesion at a molecular
level is nigh impossible in any other way.

So I resort to t-nuts, or drop-in slabs into a recess and I have even
used sliding dove-tails.

Think you are close to a solution that will allow clean up to meet FDA
sanitation requirements.

Form the recess so the corners are not trapped and drop the UHMWPE in
place.

Can be lifted out for cleaning thus cleaning the counter recess as
well as the UHMWPE piece.

Fit the cavity with a drain channel to the sink to make cleaning the
recess easier.

Another approach for free standing applications would be to fit a
piece, say 3/4 x 3/4 around the outside edges of the UHMWPE sheet,
similar to top construction, leaving the corners open.

Drop on top to use, lift off to steralize.

That will give you something to shoot holes thru for a while.

Have fun

Lew

Ft

Fred the Red Shirt

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

05/03/2008 9:15 AM

On Mar 5, 8:01 am, surplusdealdude <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Mar 3, 7:58 pm, NoOne N Particular <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece ofUHMWplastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc
> > would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
> > anyway.
> ...
>
> You can't glue it, period. Nothing sticks to it.
>
> The tape back stuff works fairly well - for a while, then it'll peel
> off.
>
> I always recommend that you use screws...

Can you heat weld it to UHMWP studs and then 'rivet'
it to something, using heat to mushroom the rivets on
the underside?

--

FF

jn

"joe"

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

04/03/2008 1:53 AM


"Nova" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:io1zj.2694$4D2.343@trndny06...
> NoOne N Particular wrote:
>
>> Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of UHMW
>> plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc would
>> deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth anyway.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Wayne
>
> For adhering plastic to metal "This to That" (Glue Advise) suggests:
>
> LaPage's Metal Epoxy
> J-B Weld
> Faststeel Epoxy Putty (if you have gaps to fill)
>
> http://www.thistothat.com/cgi-bin/glue.cgi?lang=en&this=Plastic&that=Metal
>
> --
> Jack Novak
> Buffalo, NY - USA
> [email protected]

I forgot about that site. Thanks for kicking that brain cell around.

jc

Ft

Fred the Red Shirt

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

03/03/2008 8:48 PM

On Mar 4, 3:45 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> ...
>
> I have been fighting with that stuff for decades.

Perhaps second only to PTFE in adhesive difficulty.

> In many commercial
> applications, such as butcher shops, UHMW is an ideal product to
> protect knife-edges from dulling and can be cleaned/sterilised easily.

How do you sterilize it? Last I heard, bacteria hid down in the
knife cuts where the sterilizing agent couldn't reach it.

--

FF

Jj

JeffB

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

03/03/2008 6:15 PM

I've used contact cement for adhering UHMW slider pads to my table saw
fence. It has been suggested that having a rough glue surface on the
UHMW plastic helps adhesion.
--
JeffB
remove no.spam. to email


NoOne N Particular wrote:
> Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
> UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc
> would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
> anyway.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Wayne

tT

tom(REMOVE)[email protected] (Tom)

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

04/03/2008 3:00 PM

On Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:58:10 -0800, NoOne N Particular
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
>UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc
>would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
>anyway.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Wayne


Try these folks
http://www.crownplastics.com/?OVRAW=uhmw%20tape&OVKEY=uhmw%20tape&OVMTC=standard&OVADID=2013969521&OVKWID=18959763021

Getting UHMW to bond to any surface is virtually impossible but these
guys make a tape with a peel and stick surface that works pretty well.
Good luck.

RC

Robatoy

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

03/03/2008 7:45 PM

On Mar 3, 9:45=A0pm, "Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "NoOne N Particular" wrote:
> > Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
> > UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum?
>
> You have two (2) chances, slim and none.
>
> You can try to scuff up the UHMWPE and aluminum surfaces with some 24
> grit and a right angle sander, then apply some epoxy thickened with
> micro-balloons.
>
> May work short term, but don't bet the farm on it.
>
I have been fighting with that stuff for decades. In many commercial
applications, such as butcher shops, UHMW is an ideal product to
protect knife-edges from dulling and can be cleaned/sterilised easily.

You can attach UHMW to UHMW with heat, but cohesion at a molecular
level is nigh impossible in any other way.
Adhesion, as you pointed out, can be done, but eventually will fail
under load.

So I resort to t-nuts, or drop-in slabs into a recess and I have even
used sliding dove-tails.

RC

Robatoy

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

04/03/2008 6:21 AM

On Mar 3, 11:48=A0pm, Fred the Red Shirt <[email protected]>
wrote:
> On Mar 4, 3:45 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > ...
>
> > I have been fighting with that stuff for decades.
>
> Perhaps second only to PTFE in adhesive difficulty.
>
> > In many commercial
> > applications, such as butcher shops, UHMW is an ideal product to
> > protect knife-edges from dulling and can be cleaned/sterilised easily.
>
> How do you sterilize it? =A0Last I heard, bacteria hid down in the
> knife cuts where the sterilizing agent couldn't reach it.
>
That is true for all work surfaces like that. Stainless is a good one
for 'ultra-clean'.
Bleach, however, cleans UHMW tops well enogh to pass inspection. If
the grooves are too deep, the top is discarded and replaced. Bandsaws
have pretty much stopped the art of 'cleaving', so deep grooves aren't
that common.
Sterilizing a bandsaw is a job-and-a-half.
UHMW wouldn't fly in a 'true' sterile environment, such as an
operating room.

I read a study once where a maple butcher block came up ahead of UHMW
in terms of 'clean'.
That one was cured properly from day one with oils.

se

surplusdealdude

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

06/03/2008 2:50 AM

On Mar 5, 12:18 am, NoOne N Particular <[email protected]> wrote:
> NoOne N Particular wrote:
> > Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
> >UHMWplastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc
> > would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
> > anyway.
>
> > Thanks,
>
> > Wayne
>
> Thanks for all the suggestions so far.
>
> A few people mentioned adhesive backedUHMWtapes. How do they get the
> tape adhesive to stick to theUHMW?
>
> BTW, I don't want to buy anything if I can help it. I have a small
> piece ofUHMWthat is about 3/4 x 1/2 x 6 inches long. I wanted to
> slice it thin on my bandsaw ( making a 3/4 x 1/8 x 6" piece ), cut it
> into three 2" long pieces, and adhere them onto the bottom of a piece
> of aluminum runner in a table saw jig.
>
> I have some different spray adhesives including the 3M #77 that someone
> mentioned (I think), and some "industrial" contact cement. May try that
> too. And maybe a piece of carpet tape or some other double back tape.
>
> Wayne

Wayne, the adhesives won't work because the UHMW molecule is
completely closeed - it won't even absorb water. The adhesives can't
bond to the molecules, so they cant bond to the plastic.

The self-adhesive solution only works because you have an atmospheric
bond - air pressure is holding the adhesive to the plastic. It's not
likely to last very long.

The company produced self-adhesive UHMW use a special process to bond
the self-adhesive to the plastic. I don't know what it is, but it's
unlikely that individuals can duplicate it.

I still think your best bet is using screws. Just make sure not to
over-tighten them and you should be OK.

Eric

RC

Robatoy

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

05/03/2008 6:03 AM

On Mar 5, 8:01=A0am, surplusdealdude <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> I always recommend that you use screws and countersink the holes so
> the screw heads are slightly below the level of the surface. =A0

When I have enough thickness, I will drill, at slow speed, a flat
bottom with a forstner bit, deep enough to accommodate a pan head with
a washer.
I find the countersink of a regular screw raises the plastic around
the screw head.

Hg

Hoosierpopi

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

04/03/2008 12:28 PM

On Mar 4, 10:00 am, tom(REMOVE)[email protected] (Tom) wrote:
> On Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:58:10 -0800, NoOne N Particular
>
Polyethylene-UHMW (Standard) Natural White Colored Sheet General
Purpose
Thickness Length Width Natural Stock # Natural Price Natural
Purchase Online Black Stock # Black Price Black Purchase Online
.005 12 12 KS-6393 $14.95 Adhesive Backed - - -
.007 12 12 KS-6406 $17.03 Adhesive Backed - - -
.012 12 12 KS-6414 $17.88 Adhesive Backed - - -
.022 12 12 KS-6404 $33.91 Adhesive Backed - - -
.031 12 12 KS-6403 $33.60 Adhesive Backed - - -

http://k-mac-plastics.com/uhmw-sheet-general-purpose.htm

Hg

Hoosierpopi

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

04/03/2008 12:30 PM

On Mar 4, 9:21 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Mar 3, 11:48 pm, Fred the Red Shirt <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> > On Mar 4, 3:45 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:

http://www.crownplastics.com/bondable.htm?snti=3-1
Bondable UHMW
UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight) Pressure Sensitive Tapes and
Materials (P/S)

Crown's UHMW pressure sensitive tapes and materials are supplied with
high quality rubber and acrylic based adhesives available with a Kraft
or Poly liner. We process and treat the UHMW so it can be bonded to a
pressure sensitive, adhesive backing, which eliminates the need for
mechanical fastening and reduces waste. This aggressive adhesive has a
high initial tack for ease of application and excellent peel for long
service life.

Pressure sensitive UHMW Tape with acrylic based adhesives have a low
coefficient of friction, are slippery, and ideal for applications that
require abrasion resistance, wear resistant surfaces, or low friction.


se

surplusdealdude

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

05/03/2008 5:01 AM

On Mar 3, 7:58 pm, NoOne N Particular <[email protected]> wrote:
> Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece ofUHMWplastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc
> would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
> anyway.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Wayne

Wayne, I work with this stuff all the time (sell it on ebay and
through distributors).

You can't glue it, period. Nothing sticks to it.

The tape back stuff works fairly well - for a while, then it'll peel
off.

I always recommend that you use screws and countersink the holes so
the screw heads are slightly below the level of the surface. Before
installing the piece, run a small xacto blade around the edge of the
countersink and remove the little lip that forms. Then, as far as
your wood knows, the surface will be smooth, because the wood will
glide right over the screw and the plastic edge.

Al

"Artemus" <[email protected]>

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

03/03/2008 7:49 PM

These guys sell adhesive backed UHMWPE films from .005" to .031" thick.
http://k-mac-plastics.com/uhmw-sheet-general-purpose.htm
If that's too thin you could try contacting them and asking about the adhesive.

Art

"NoOne N Particular" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
> UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc
> would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
> anyway.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Wayne

tv

"toolman946 via CraftKB.com"

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

05/03/2008 5:25 AM

Wayne... you didn't say what your application is, so I don't know if this
would work for you. But I've had good success adhering UHMW to wood and metal
with 3M two sided carpet tape. It's available (at your local big-box store)
in at least two thicknesses and the thicker stuff works better on porous
surfaces, like wood.

Good luck.

Michael

--
Message posted via CraftKB.com
http://www.craftkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/woodworking/200803/1

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

04/03/2008 8:15 AM


"NoOne N Particular" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of UHMW
> plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc would
> deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth anyway.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Wayne

Jet used to glue this material to the 3 clamping surfaces on their t-square
Bies clone fences. And it is on the bottom of the far end of the fence so
that it will slide easily on the TS surface. They no longer us this
material and have replaced it with another type material. Having said that,
mine have been holding on for 8 years but are showing signs of creep. Give
Jet a call and see what they recommend.

NN

NoOne N Particular

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

05/03/2008 5:18 AM

NoOne N Particular wrote:
> Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
> UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc
> would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
> anyway.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Wayne

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

A few people mentioned adhesive backed UHMW tapes. How do they get the
tape adhesive to stick to the UHMW?

BTW, I don't want to buy anything if I can help it. I have a small
piece of UHMW that is about 3/4 x 1/2 x 6 inches long. I wanted to
slice it thin on my bandsaw ( making a 3/4 x 1/8 x 6" piece ), cut it
into three 2" long pieces, and adhere them onto the bottom of a piece
of aluminum runner in a table saw jig.

I have some different spray adhesives including the 3M #77 that someone
mentioned (I think), and some "industrial" contact cement. May try that
too. And maybe a piece of carpet tape or some other double back tape.

Wayne

EP

"Edwin Pawlowski"

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

03/03/2008 10:16 PM


>> Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
>> UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc
>> would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
>> anyway.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Wayne
>
> For adhering plastic to metal "This to That" (Glue Advise) suggests:
>
> LaPage's Metal Epoxy
> J-B Weld
> Faststeel Epoxy Putty (if you have gaps to fill)
>
> http://www.thistothat.com/cgi-bin/glue.cgi?lang=en&this=Plastic&that=Metal

The say "plastic" but there are thousands of compounds of plastics. Nothing
sticks to polyethylene very well. Test it first (put a blob on the plastic)
so you won't be disappointed when the cured adhesive pops right off of it.

tn

tiredofspam

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

04/03/2008 9:50 PM

I don't know but I would try 3m 77 on both the UHMW and the other
surface. Epoxy definetly won't bond to UHMW..

Lew Hodgett wrote:
> "NoOne N Particular" wrote:
>
>> Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
>> UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum?
>
> You have two (2) chances, slim and none.
>
> You can try to scuff up the UHMWPE and aluminum surfaces with some 24
> grit and a right angle sander, then apply some epoxy thickened with
> micro-balloons.
>
> May work short term, but don't bet the farm on it.
>
> Lew
>
>
>

Hg

Hoosierpopi

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

04/03/2008 12:25 PM

On Mar 3, 7:58 pm, NoOne N Particular <[email protected]> wrote:
> Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
> UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc
> would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
> anyway.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Wayne



rubber adhesives
Rubber Adhesives for UHMW


Rubber based adhesive systems typically offer the highest adhesion and
shear properties in comparison to acrylic or silicone. They are best
used in ambient, indoor applications as rubber adhesives are
susceptible to UV and elevated temperatures. Since rubber adhesives
are very aggressive, they will work with a wide variety of substrates
and satisfy most adhesion requirements.

acrylic adhesives

Acrylic Adhesives for UHMW


Acrylic based adhesive systems are more versatile than rubber based
systems and provide a host of attributes such as UV stability, higher
temperature performance and good to excellent chemical resistence.
While rubber based adhesives have a higher initial bond, the acylics
go through a 24 hour cure cycle or "wet-out" period where over time,
the bond continues to improve. Acylic systems are usually a little
higher cost but offer longer life than rubber adhesives.

silicone adhesives

Silicone Adhesives for UHMW


Silicone based adhesive systems are primarily used for application
requiring very high temperature resistence or for applications where
the adhesive will be bonding to a silicone filled material. These
sysems typically do not possess high adhesion and would only be
recommended for thin films where thermal expansion or shear will not
not be an issue. Silicone adhesives are also high priced which may
exclude them from competitive situations.

http://www.crownplastics.com/adhesive.htm?snti=2-2-0

RC

Robatoy

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

03/03/2008 6:53 PM

On Mar 3, 8:14=A0pm, Nova <[email protected]> wrote:
> NoOne N Particular wrote:
> > Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
> > UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? =A0Screws e=
tc
> > would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
> > anyway.
>
> > Thanks,
>
> > Wayne
>
> For adhering plastic to metal "This to That" (Glue Advise) suggests:
>
> LaPage's Metal Epoxy
> J-B Weld
> Faststeel Epoxy Putty (if you have gaps to fill)
>

The guys are pretty clever with this stuff;

http://www.crownplastics.com/woodworking.htm?snti=3D4-10-0

Nn

Nova

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

04/03/2008 1:14 AM

NoOne N Particular wrote:

> Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
> UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc
> would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
> anyway.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Wayne

For adhering plastic to metal "This to That" (Glue Advise) suggests:

LaPage's Metal Epoxy
J-B Weld
Faststeel Epoxy Putty (if you have gaps to fill)

http://www.thistothat.com/cgi-bin/glue.cgi?lang=en&this=Plastic&that=Metal

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
[email protected]

ca

clare at snyder dot ontario dot canada

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

03/03/2008 9:22 PM

On Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:58:10 -0800, NoOne N Particular
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Anyone have any way to get a thin (no more than 1/8" thick) piece of
>UHMW plastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc
>would deform the plastic too much and I need the plastic to be smooth
>anyway.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Wayne
make a "track" or "channel" on the edge od the aluminum and slide the
UHMW in. Not too much, glue-wize, will stick to the stuff unless you
really rough it up.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to NoOne N Particular on 03/03/2008 4:58 PM

04/03/2008 8:19 AM


"Fred the Red Shirt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:444be140-8d45-49aa-b108-07f985b2bcc1@h25g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> On Mar 4, 3:45 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> ...
>>
>> I have been fighting with that stuff for decades.
>
> Perhaps second only to PTFE in adhesive difficulty.
>
>> In many commercial
>> applications, such as butcher shops, UHMW is an ideal product to
>> protect knife-edges from dulling and can be cleaned/sterilised easily.
>
> How do you sterilize it? Last I heard, bacteria hid down in the
> knife cuts where the sterilizing agent couldn't reach it.


IIRC the material is "sterilized" during the manufacturing process. The
sterilization component is mixed into the plastic for a life long resistance
to bacteria. These products are advertised on the packaging as being anti
bacterial. IIRC not so much easy to sterilize if it was not made for that
purpose in the first place.


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