Sticking glass to mdf?

[woden]

Maybe this should go in the hand tools forum, I'm not sure...

Anyway, I making up a flat surface to flatten the backs of chisels and plane irons. To do this I'm getting an offcut of 15mm thick float glass from a nearby factory and will stick it onto a piece of mdf - well two 15mm thick pieces of mdf laminated together. This should result in a solid surface that won't flex and will be a bit more robust than just the glass on its own.

There's just one problem, I'm not sure what to use to stick the glass to the mdf. Silicon is one option I've been advised to go for but I'm not keen as this will leave a spongy bond and I want a steady surface. There's also some panabond stuff that I've got a tube of - it's harder than silicon and is more of an adhesive than a sealant. Even so panabond doesn't set hard.

Does anyone know of an adhesive I could use that will stick to glass but dry to a hard solid bond? Or has anyone any experience of doing this and found a spongy bond was OK?

 

[Shultzy]

woden, hi, why glue it at all. Rebate some 18mm mdf strips at 14.5mm and screw to the baseboard clamping the glass all the way around. You can put a bit of silicon near the corners but not really necessary.

 

[George_N]

A 15 mm slab of glass isn't going to flex much sitting on your bench top. I have a 10 mm piece that is approx. 150 x 450 and that is very stiff. An MDF backer is probably a good idea though, if only to protect the corners. In the past I have tried "No More Nails" adhesive (rubbish) and would probably favour contact cement (Evo Stick) if I did it again. Make sure the glass is grease free by wiping with acetone or meths before you try sticking it down and you should be ok.

 

[johnemtee]

How about double-sided tape?
If the tape won't stick to the MDF you could try varnishing it first.

 

[j]

I'd try contact adhesive. (The really smelly stuff)

HTH
J

 

[gav]

They do make an adhesive specifically designed for bonding mirrors? Would this work perhaps?

Gav

 

[LyNx]

Carpet Tape

 

[woden]

Thanks for the replies, just getting back to this now...

I think the contact cement seems like a good idea. The Evo stick contact cement is the stuff in the red tin with the screw cap, isn't it?

Rebate some 18mm mdf strips at 14.5mm and screw to the baseboard clamping the glass all the way around.

Maybe I'm not visualising that right but won't those rebated strips stop me from overhanging plane irons and chisels from the edge of the glass? The glass needs to be higher than the surrounding surface so that nothing stops whatever's being flattened from lying flat.


Has anyone ever tried gripfill with glass? It seems to stick pretty much everything else and it also sets hard.

I'd try contact adhesive. (The really smelly stuff)

Where you thinking of the Evo stick stuff George mentioned or something else? I take it that the spray on contact adhesive would be nowhere near strong enough to hold the glass - I plan to store the mdf/glass on its edge so the bond has to be strong enough to stop the glass sliding off.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Does anyone know of an adhesive I could use that will stick to glass but dry to a hard solid bond?

Why not have a word with a shop that sells glass and mirrors? Last year I made a bathroom cabinet for my daughter. I wanted flush mirrors on the doors and when I went to order the mirrors and ask their advice about adhesives, they offered to glue them to the doors for me. Don't know what they used but it worked and they haven't fallen off

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[j]

Yes, the stuff in the red tin with the screw cap, that's what I was thinking of.
I seem to remember using it at school for mounting a mirror. But then again, that's not actually sticking glass to wood, cos the mirror is backed with the silvering and then some coating on the back of that.

I'd be surprised if it didn't work though.

 

[Benchwayze]

You could use thinner 'fillet' around the glass, I suppose

Although, isn't 15mm glass a little skinny for this purpose?
I use a piece of 25mm plate glass, approx. 30cm square, and I hold it in place, on a board, with wooden cleats. No need for glue.

I accept that today, 25mm plate glass isn't going to be cheap, but it doesn't flex.
Just a thought.

John

 

[Shultzy]

woden, I should have said put the beading around 3 sides.

 

[engineer one]

when i bought my bit of glass last year, i asked for what dc had suggested, and got the green plastic type supports that keep sheets of glass apart.
works for me very well, and i use a piece of kitchen worktop under the glass.

paul :wink: