Bakelite Question

[PaulDoug]

Can you glue pieces of bakelite together? If so what with? I was thinking about it tonight and it seems to be, back when I was a kid, if something made of bakelite, broke we couldn't repait it. Do the newer glues work?

 

[snowman56]

A little ca and you can glue it to your hand.Have not tried to glue it together.

 

[PenMan1]

I just broke a $30 bakelite rod drilling it for a Majestic. I pumped it full of CA, let it dry, then turned it. It left an exactly straight line along the glue joint. I put the clip over it and gave it to SWMBO. She loves it, BUT I KNOW IT"S BROKE!!!!!

We'll see what happens. I'll likely smack it with a hammer.

 

[skiprat]

I'm half way through making a pen that has Bakelite CA'd to stainless steel and because the Bakelite was hollow, I'm also laminating little pieces together to close the hole.
No problems so far.....touch wood...er Bakelite:biggrin:

 

[mrburls]

I just broke a $30 bakelite rod drilling it for a Majestic. I pumped it full of CA, let it dry, then turned it. It left an exactly straight line along the glue joint. I put the clip over it and gave it to SWMBO. She loves it, BUT I KNOW IT"S BROKE!!!!!

We'll see what happens. I'll likely smack it with a hammer.

Andy, try the Colt 5 Star pen drill bits (make sure they are the pen bits). They go right through no problem. But I do use Pam cooking spray while drilling. Back out just 2 or 3 times to clean bit and respray with Pam. Have not cracked one yet or broke out the end. I drill at about 800-1000 rpm. And when you need a larger hole than Colt makes, just get as close to size as possible and finish with right size bit.

Hope this helps you out.

Keith "mrburls"

 

[PenMan1]

Andy, try the Colt 5 Star pen drill bits (make sure they are the pen bits). They go right through no problem. But I do use Pam cooking spray while drilling. Back out just 2 or 3 times to clean bit and respray with Pam. Have not cracked one yet or broke out the end. I drill at about 800-1000 rpm. And when you need a larger hole than Colt makes, just get as close to size as possible and finish with right size bit.

Hope this helps you out.

Keith "mrburls"

Thanks Keith!
I was using a Colt 5 star. I was making a Majestic (37/64.. I think) so I was being very slow and very careful.

I Didn't think about pam. I should have! There was a can sitting right next to the press. I use pam on marble floor tile as a CA glue up station. The pam makes the excess CA flake right off the tile, saving the workbench.

I wish I had invented pam! I use it for a million things!

 

[rsmith]

Bakelite doesn't glue to itself very well at all, since normal glue solvents won't penetrate it. Your best bet is to use a 2 part epoxy (slow curing)or extra thick CA with NO accelarant, on a pre-roughed surface. You may also want to scrub the pieces first with some sort of kitchen sink cleaner. This helps get the acid from the manufacturing process off the gluing surface that builds up over so many years with the patina.
Then again, you could get lucky and whatever you try may work like a charm...
If you find something that works really well, please enlighten us:biggrin: