Bike Forums - Contact Cement Good Enough?

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- - Contact Cement Good Enough? (https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/640133-contact-cement-good-enough.html)

on Formica Counter tops ..

the little metal tubes wont off gas the volatile solvents until punctured ..

Quote:

Originally Posted by noglider (Post 10732353)

Maybe. But maybe not. How about a side-by-side test? I can use both types of glue and patch two patches. Then test them, somehow. How? You can do the same. Interested in an experiment? I'm curious to see what we find.

Was this experiment ever done? I'm curious, too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grand Bois (Post 16993676)

Was this experiment ever done? I'm curious, too.

I'll do the experiment. Phone would y'all like me to do it? I have a bucket of tubes to patch now. I've been using Elmer's rubber cement for a few years now. In fact, my oldest bottle congealed, and I had to toss it. But it's so cheap, I feel I'm ahead of the game.

I try to keep an unopened tube of glue in my on-the-bike patch kit. That way, I'll know it's likely to be there and not dried out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbslider (Post 16978658)

I presently have a stock of rather large patches (25mm) which I am using on 25mm tubes. So the patches don't just plot down on the tube, you need to bend and roll them to get full contact area.

There is a readily available item available now that I'm not sure was around when this thread was started that will help with your large sized patches.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...EYj8ZSCAq5Hmpg

The above is a generic rendition.

I would suggest accepting the advice of a bike scientist to confirm actual specific requirements for your particular application.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTGraphics (Post 16993333)

Contact cement works but does eventually get hard dries and you can peel the patch off.
I buy these cans one will last years! and I patch a lot of tires for the kids.
Vulcanizing fluid melts the patch and tube together making the bond.
I buy vulcanizing fluid here at Gimplers
For the road you can find small tubes around but I patch at home and swap tubes on the road so the can works for me.
I keep one small tube and some patches with me on road but try not to use those tubes of vulcanizing fluid.

How long would you guess "eventually" is?

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaplang (Post 16994718)

How long would you guess "eventually" is?

In my case its not a guess when you think its really stuck on you can peel it off if you try after a few months the contact cement gets to the point the patch comes off quite easily.
A patch applied with vulcanizing fluid will not come off like that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaplang (Post 16993133)

If anybody is interested here is my story.
i was having the same problem with the tire cement as everyone else. Dried out in the unopened tube when I needed it.

what I did.
purchased a bottle of rubber cement at my local Office supply store .
took a bicycle tube and punched a small hole in it.
sanded the spot , applied a thin layer of some of the rubber cement, let it dry and then applied a patch.
Immediately filled the tube with air to see if the patch would stay on. It did and did not curl at all
put the tube with air in the sun for a couple of hours to see if the patch would come off from the heat. It didn't. Not even close.
Tried taking the patch off with my fingers. It could be done but it would not be easy.

conclusion.
the rubber cement is working just as well as the glue that comes with patch kits. It is acting just the same with an applied patch.

now I have to find a small air tight container to hold some of the rubber cement in my bike bag.

any ideas on that?

george

Old thread, which i came across researching patching tubes with contact cement, and as far as your conclusion, I have used Elmer's rubber cement for patching tubes, and have not found it as good as standard rubber patch cement, and with Slime as cheap as 5.99 for 8oz, Elmer's is maybe just couple dollars cheaper.

The variable aspect missing in your testing is that not all tubes or patches are the same. In much experience I have found a definite difference btwn 20'' tubes, with some being made of a dull softer rubber than others which seem to be somewhat shiny and feel kind of plasticized. In addition, some patches do not stretch as well as others. I have found these [no affiliation with me] to be the best inexpensive ones, which I cut in half).

And while I am here, as for using contact cement, the name is also used for rubber cement, while what I had in mind is Dap 00272 Weldwood contact cement, and while there is a (poor) instructable on using contact cement for patches, yet a comment testified to what I suspected, that the patch will not hold under pressure, which is because both the cement and the patch must be able to stretch. Perhaps it might work if patching an inflated tube and holding it firmly till set, but that is desperation.

Of course, there are those who will tell us you can use deodorant and clear mailing tape for patching (highly dubious!), or even bubble gum and saran wrap (no way) and God knows what else.

As for small containers, you can thoroughly clean out and dry small toothpaste tubes, or even buy them for about a dollar.

If you can buy (24=) 48 good patches and rubber patch cement and empty tubes for about 10.00 total (thank God) then there is no much need for other measures, but seeing as I have a good amount of contact cement I though I would research the viability of it

Amazon: Rema patches: https://www.amazon.com/Rema-F0-P-16m...a+patches+bulk

and: https://www.amazon.com/Rema-F0-P-16m...a+patches+bulk

Enough for 6-10 years, never go bad. For glue I have been using tire patch glue from Walmart, about $6 for 8 0z, lasts 4-6 yrs. Though not specifically "cold vulcanizing" I have been unable to pull patches off that have been glued down with this stuff. Victor 00599V

I used to use Weldwood type contact cement back in the '70s to put tubulars on rims, they held pretty well with extremely rare roll-offs but with a flat were not
hard to get the tire off the rim and putting a spare on, there was enough residual tack to get you home. Came in quart cans.

The little tubes in patch kits are one use, ie once the seal is punctured, they go bad in a few months. They also seem to go bad over several years even sealed.

There is that temporary self adhesive patch to get you home, thats a lower standard to meet, in that case yea rubber / contact cement can be subsituted..

then put a New tube in when you are back home..