how and when to use contact cement

• contact cement 101 — the video's intended audience: a crafter or home-owner
• contact cement 101 — gluing wood veneer to plywood
  • I really like his method for applying pressure. An optional improvement might be to coat that edge with a thin layer of polycaprolactone, so it slides a little easier.
• contact cement 101 — gluing EVA foam
• contact cement 101 — gluing wood veneer to MDF
• from what I've read, there isn't anything like a "cure time" found with other glues — as soon as the two sides make contact, and pressure is applied, a permanent bond is formed
  • the manual for DAP's WeldWood says "Contact Cement bonds permanently when sufficient pressure is applied, and reaches maximum holding strength in 7 days."
  • Contact cement is designed specifically for adhering laminates to table tops, and for floor tiles. In these situations, there's almost no opportunity for off-gassing, so the bulk of the curing has to happen before the surface is attached.
• Contact cements are famous for having extremely strong fumes [2]. There do exist contact cements that aren't as bad (known as "no VOC" versions (TODO — are either "water-based" or "non flammable" basically equivalent to "no VOC"?)). However, there are mixed reports about how good they are — some people believe no-VOC versions definitely don't work nearly as well as the traditional versions, while other people insist they work just as well. You'll have to decide that for yourself.

tips and tricks

This article mentions four of the most common problems when using contact cement:

1. not allowing the adhesive to dry fully before assembly
2. waiting too long before assembly
3. applying too thick a coating of adhesive
4. not applying enough adhesive

Also, "When used on a porous or semi-porous material such as wood or plywood, a first 'priming' coat of contact adhesive may be needed to preseal the material. Otherwise, some areas may absorb too much adhesive to form a strong bond. This prime coat is followed by a second gluing coat. Following the label directions concerning drying times, application thickness, and using the proper tools."

TODO — what are the SOLUTIONS to those above "four common problems"? Unfortunately that document doesn't mention solutions much.