Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

Hello,

Every now and again I feel that I could use some medium strength adhesive when it comes to making slightly loose knobs/buttons stay put on radios.

Sometimes the buttons can be so loose that they fly off their stem when an adjacent button is pressed!

Is there an adhesive available that can firmly keep something in place while not being too strong that it would make something impossible to remove? Conventional super glue would be out of the question.

PVA is something that I had on my mind but I am yet to try it.

Any thoughts?

Re: Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

Copydex

Re: Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

PVA is dirt cheap and works well enough, though I've found the degree of adhesion to be unpredictable (maybe I'm not very good at using it). Domestic contact adhesive like Bostik or Uhu creates a relatively soft bond which can be broken with a bit of pressure. Hot melt glue bonds can be broken if you can apply some heat. Nail varnish can be used as a weak locking compound.

Re: Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

I use some stuff called "Tiger Seal" - it's really intended for the car industry (attaching external trim, badges etc) but has a whole range of other applicatiions where you need something which is sticky but remains very slightly flexible.

https://www.u-pol.com/uk/en-uk/produ...t-and-adhesive

Re: Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

Silicone RTV also works fairly well too.

Re: Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

BluTak?

Re: Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

"Studio Gum" (the replacement for "Cow Gum" ) is a rubber solution that is not as strong as Evostik. It makes a resilient bond that can be broken without too much force. Difficult to find in the shops but available in tins on-line.

Re: Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

Thanks for all the replies so far! Copydex is something I've seen before at Wilkinsons but the website lists it as a discontinued product.

I'll give it a try.

Re: Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

Lots of eBay traders still seem to be selling Copydex: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Copydex-G...l/264252230249

Re: Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

It's worth noting that Copydex, Cow glue etc are water-based and this could be a potential problem if the parts being glued are un-protected metal.

I've seen Copydex cause rust around the heads of drawing-pins, sufficient for it to bleed-through a layer of art-canvas.

Re: Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

I have found that double sided adhesive tape cut to the required width works well
with push on knob and caps.

Re: Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

Cow gum and studio gum are petroleum-solvent based. That is why they were widely used in graphic arts before computer DTP became the norm. Unlike water- based adhesives, they do not make paper crinkle. When applied to both surfaces and allowed to dry, the items to be attached will stay put, yet can be pulled apart and repositioned without damaging either item.

Re: Medium Strength Adhesive?
 

I will say silicone-sealant to stop push buttons flying off, but can be prised off if needed. With silicone, you have low modulus and high modulus, the former is soft and squidgey, the latter is harder and adheres better. I prefer the latter, and as an adhesive, neutral cure is sticker than acetoxy.