transparent glue

[micky]

What transparent glue can be used to hold a piece of plastic to a picture of the same size (which is on paper, I think)? So transparent that it won't distort the image of the picture, and won't even be noticeable when looking at the picture?

My friend has a lady's compact, for face powder, that is about 80 years old, with a picture of -- I forget -- either Queen Elizabeth or the SS Queen Mary in it. The picture was covered with a transparent piece of plastic (or celuloid?) which recently came off, risking the safety of the picture.

He assumed that there were tabs in the plastic that fit slots somewhere in the compact to hold the plastic in place, but there aren't.

Now he figures there was a transparent glue between the plastic and the picture which finally gave way. Even though he sees no trace of the glue (it's transparent after all.)

What glue can he use that is transparent that will hold this light piece of plastic to the picture (which is on paper, I think)?

[nestork]

Mickey:

If there's any chance that this compact is an antique and worth some money, your best bet is to take it to any museum and ask the curator of the museum how that plastic cover would have been held in place. Museums do a lot of restoration work, and it's likely that if the curator doesn't know himself, he'd know who to send you to.

If there's no concern over losing value if it's an antique, I would suggest you take some ordinary white wood glue, apply it to a piece of paper (preferably with some printing on it so that you can better judge transparency) give it time to dry, and see what you think.

White glue is milky white when it's in liquid form, but dries clear.

PS: "White glue is milky white when it's in liquid form, but dries clear."

Which means, of course, that there can't be anything that's actually white in colour inside the glue when it's in liquid form. Otherwise, the dried glue would be white in colour as well. Truth is, white wood glue is white for exactly the same reason that clowds, snowbanks and the head on a beer are all white in colour. And, come to think of it, none of these things have anything inside them that's white in colour either. Post again if you want to know how that works.

[Wes Groleau]

I recommend not. The photo may well be ruined by the moisture in the glue before it dries. Usually those things had a sort of tiny "ledge" all the way 'round that held in the image and the plastic.

[EXT]

AND the plastic has shrunk slightly so that it is no longer held in place by the "ledge" or lip. The plastic was probably celluloid or if newer it could be acetate, both can become unstable after many years.

[TomR]

I suspect that any glue will ruin the photo. Maybe just use a touch of glue or clear silicone along the very edge of the plastic to hold the plastic to the sides of the compact, and keep the glue way from the photo altogether.

[micky]

Really? I'll ask him to look again.

So assuming it's like Wes says they usually are, smaybe he can cut a circle out of celluloid or acetate as big as the original piece was?? How would you all cut a circle like that?

With scissors? But how to round off the little places where it's too big? Sandpaper? File?

Where would you get the material? They used to sell covers for multiple pages of 3-hole paper, and some had a clear "plastic" cover (so you could see the cover sheet underneath it). He could cut a circle out of that. Will that stay clear for the next 70 years, or

50? Or 30?

A thinner material is found in the wallet inserts that hold ID, credit cards, etc. These are sold separately at dime stores. Some are very soft but others are stiff, allowing for how thin they are. Too thin?

What would you all recommend?

Is acetate better than celluloid?

[Stormin Mormon]

Some way to apply trace of glue around the edge, so the center of the photo is not moistened?