@Davek Well done, David. Re: hitting screws. Been there, done that more than once. (I’m a slow learner.)
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Hot Glue all the way no screws to damage the bits and you can use it to level the product if need be a little.
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I use hot glue but not under the piece, I use it beside the piece. I use hot glue working on my lathe as well to hold a tenon to the bottom of a bowl for instance. I build the table for my longmill with the Y-rails 3/4" higher than the work surface with t-tracks. The work piece is hot glued on the edge to a piece of 3/4" MDF. A 2" strip of glue every few inches is all I need. Then I use holddown clamps in the t-track to clamp the MDF inplace. This makes it easy to position/reposition.
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Sorry, yes, I know this is a glue post, but frankly, I like the double-sided tape a lot more than glue-based hold down. I’ve tried carpet tape from Ace Hardware with great results, albeit way too expensive. It is easier to find reasonably priced woodworker’s tape from other sources, and I’ve also used it with success. I find it reduces the number of things to keep around, is time saving, etc.
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I mostly use hot glue for work holding, especially when surfacing. The key to easy removal of hot glue is denatured alcohol. Wet the area around the glue. This breaks the surface tension of the glue and makes it super easy to remove.
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Unfortunately, the double sided tape I have been using for years has recently changed. It used to be a fiber mesh with a really skookum adhesive, it is now a thin clear film with a not so skookum adhesive. I know there are other brands available but none local.
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Recently I used XFasten Double Sided Sticky Tape, Removable, 4-Inches x 20-Yards.
It is lighter weight than the XFasten Double Sided Woodworking Tape.
The latter is too thick. Both have aggressive stickem.
I was cutting out Xmas trees from 3mm Birch plywood
using a 1/16" downcut endmill.
The former worked great. It kept the little pieces from popping out, and I was able to cut below the bottom surface of the Birch.
I still prefer thick CA glue and activator for
solid hardwood.
I just want state that the CA glue + tape works great for me. It is important that the tape that is used sticks well to the spoilboard. In my case, I’ve used MDF as a spoilboard and found that not all MDF has the same holding abilities, denser is better. I’ve also learned that the CA glue can go bad over time so use fresh when testing. I’ve had great success with Fast-Cap 2P-10. McFeely’s has the Fastcap 2P-10 - Part-2 Activator Spray - 12 Oz for $16 and Fastcap 2P-10 - Part-1 Medium Adhesive - 10 Oz for $39.
@thankjun FWIW, CA glue will keep almost indefinitely if you keep it in the freezer.
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Does it freeze and need to thaw?
@_Michael No, Michael. It does not freeze. Scary thought, yes?
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I was thinking it probably didn’t but I wanted to double check. Thanks for another tip!
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Has anyone got any good tips for keeping the CA glue tips clear after use. I find each time I have to augur it out somehow to use it, no matter what I try and do to drain the tip back tot he bottle and cover it. Eventually I can’t use the bottle anymore and it’s got lots left.
I have been using this CA glue from Amazon for several years and never had the nozzle clog although I have had to change the supplied tip about half way though the 4 oz bottle:
Starbond 4 oz. Medium CA Glue (Premium Cyanoacrylate Super Glue) with Extra Cap and Microtips for Quick Fixes
yes ,sounds good but how will that effect the mdf??
It really doesn’t. The hot glue peels right off the spoil board. Besides, the spoil board is a consumable. The slats of mine get replaced every few months or less depending on how lazy I’m being measuring the thickness of my stock.
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Update:
Ive been keeping my super glue in the freezer since @gwilki suggested it and it works great for me.
Great tip Grant, thanks again!
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I use painters tape from 3M and contact cement a lot cause its cheap and easy.
I was putting the tape on both the spoil board and stock, then the glue, then positioning and then some weights, let it dry and you’re good to go. This works, takes a bit of time, mostly ensuring the tape will line up.
Obviously, this does introduce some tolerance issues depending on your stock and milling needs, etc. So don’t use this for something needing supper accuracy unless you have a plan for that.
When I’m in a hurry, I now have a new quick-fast method.
- Tape on spoil board.
- Contact cement on tape. Smoothed out a bit depending on need, more for a stronger bond, thinner for less bond and quicker dry time.
- Tape on cement (obviously with tape tacky side up). Hold the first end of the tape in position, deploy the tape it using the roll and keeping some tension and press it down into the contact cement.
- Cut the tape. I use a craft knife to start the tape cutting, then just rip.
- Position tape so both tapes are lined up and nicely flat against one another. Perfection is not needed.
- Put stock down and position while the contact cement is still wet. Easy to adjust position subject to how close the contact cement is to the edge of the tape.
- Add some weights if needed and let dry a bit. Dry time depends on amount of glue and how tacky you let it get before the second layer of tape. Quite surprising how strong this is even if the glue isn’t fully dry.
So, this just works and is fast and I don’t have to be picky with lining up the tape on the spoil board and stock. I often have large stock about 500-700mm square on my 30x30 Longmill and it’s quick-fast.
for #3 don’t you need contact cement on both pieces of tape for it to work?
Contact cement on the two surfaces to bond is the standard method and it appears to be what he was doing before too.
His new method is the quick and dirty method. Not sure how well it works but it’s probably ok.
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