1 or 2 part glue kit?

[Johnshan1]

I put a patch on last season on my 8' roll up zodiac and it has been leaking again as of late.

I used the one part glue in a tube from West Marine.

Are the 2 part glue kits more powerful? The stuff I have been using just seems like rubber cement and not a perm fix.

I have a couple other patches on the boat that the previous owner did, they are rock solid and do not leak at all. It appears the glue used on them was much darker in color then the one part I am using.

So- are the one part glues more a temp fix then the 2 part glues? I want this thing to be fixed! Thanks for any help.

-John

 

[nobrainsd]

Re: 1 or 2 part glue kit?

One part glue is only for emergency repairs. Gluing isn't hard, but getting a strong bond requires a little more effort. Check out the instructions on this web page. http://www.shipstore.com/SS/HTML/INFO/INFOGLUE.html

Don't even consider cutting corners. Be sure to use glue that is less than a year old, has been stored properly (not on some shelf with direct sun exposure) and be sure to mix correctly. Humidity has a huuuge influence on bonding. It is hard to tell from how the air feels just what the humidity is. Don't go by the humidity listed in the paper or some other weather report. Your local conditions may vary widely. I bought a cheap $12 hygrometer. Don't even consider trying to glue near the water. The use of MEK on PVC material is absolutely required, acetone and other solvents won't prep the surface for bonding properly. I have split cans of glue, but used them up quickly. Storing partial cans of unmixed glue and accelerator is generally not a good idea. The glue is hygroscopic and any moisture will give you a weak bond. I generally use Sta bond two part, but there are a number of two part glues out there (Polymarine, Weaver, Zodiac...) . Avoid old stock! If your local marine supply doesn't have what you want you might try NRS online. They rotate their stock and sell smaller cans. http://www.nrsweb.com/

 

[akrifle]

Re: 1 or 2 part glue kit?

I had a tube of one part glue............ The raft shop guy took a lot of time telling me how to repair.

First the one part is for emergencies....I'll take it up the river hunting.

I did not want to spend $33.00 for the two-part Zodiac brand glue and another $10 for a bottle of MEK, but I'm glad I did, and glad I did it inside the garage with the heater on 72 degrees. Nor did I want to wait 72 hours.

It worked perfect! Tested it out last night.

 

[Johnshan1]

Re: 1 or 2 part glue kit?

Thanks guys. I wish the 2 part glue was cheaper, the only thing I can find it $30.