Conturo Glue Pucks

[egyhenger]

Hello FOG!

This is my very first post here. I am lurking around for a while but I am planning to get a Conturo now and I am searching for information about it.

Never used a machine with hot melting EVA/PUR glue. I guess Festool's glue pucks also have shelf life. If that so, how long they usually last?

Thank you for the answers in advance.

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

I can't offer an opinion about the shelf life of Festool's PUR Conturo adhesives, as I've never used them in mine.
However, as far as I'm aware, I don't think there is a shelf life on the EVA glue pucks......I've got some on the shelf in a colour that I've use very rarely and I've had them for many years and they still melt & adhere perfectly well.

You mention the PUR adhesive, but do bear in mind, if you plan on using them and the EVA pucks, you will need to ensure all remnants of the previous adhesive has been removed before using the EVA and vice versa....

 

[Packard]

I was one of the earliest adopters of PUR hot melt glue guns and their glue sticks. The glue gun was wireless and beautifully built and designed.

I intended to use this for my picture framing business. Wait time between gluing and finishing a frame cut heavily into work flow. The greater strength promised from the PUR glue and the quick setting offered greater production.

That all went down the tubes on my very first attempt. The glue left a black line at the joint (picture framers use pre-finished molding primarily, so that was a game killer).

At the time, I was told that the glue sticks had a 6 month shelf life. I don’t recall throwing out the glue sticks, (I don’t even remember where I put the gun). I got mine about 28 years ago, so if I find them, they will go directly into the bin.

A little Google research shows that I was not one of the earliest adopters—the PUR guns arrived in the 1950s and I got mine around 1998 or 1999. At that time they were available from industrial supply houses only and they required minimum glue stick purchases. It was a good idea that quickly turned bad.

Obviously, all my experience is very old and probably not applicable. The black glue line might still be true. If that would be a problem, check on it first.

I would note that PVA glue formulated for picture framers (“Corner Weld”) has an extremely short open time and will set in just a couple of minutes. Light handling is possible in a hour or so. I was still using white glue (Elmers) at the time and it did not have the short open time.

I recently tested the Corner Weld vs. Woodworker’s Three, and got similar strength results for both. However, rubbing the mitered ends of the joint on the Corner Weld glued joint would grab after about 30 seconds. I did not have sufficient patience to get a result for the WWIII glue.

The short open time is an advantage for picture framers where glue ups are very quick. It would be a huge headache for almost any other type of work. I would glue the joint and add the underpinning. The underpinning added enough structure that within 30 minutes I could go onto finishing the frame. The PUR gun was my attempt to avoid buying an underpinner (about $2,500.00 at that time.)

For those unfamiliar with underpinning machines, they drive V-nails into the underside of a joint. The video explains it better than I can:

 

[tjbnwi]

The EVA does not have a shelf life, PUR shelf life is 12 months.

A strong work of caution about the PUR (polyurethane reactive), you absolutely must use the rinse agent to flush the PUR. DO NOT let the PUR cure/set up in the Conturo. If it does the glue system is not salvageable.

The new models of Holz-Her edge banders (floor models) create nitrogen that surrounds the glue jet so the PUR cannot cure in the machine, prior to this innovation the edge banders had to be flushed after each use.

Tom