UHMW plastic question

[NoOne N Particular]

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

[toolman946 via CraftKB.com]

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

[surplusdealdude]

ofUHMWplastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc

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.

[Robatoy]

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.

[Fred the Red Shirt]

ofUHMWplastic to stick to either wood or preferably aluminum? Screws etc

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

[surplusdealdude]

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