Glue for bodge wire? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: tchicago
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2022, 04:28:13 am
content: I have to route some rather long thin bodgewires to a few boards. And I want to attach them mechanically to the board at few spots along the wire.I saw some boards where the bodgewires are attached with neat drops of some glue. What glue is that? Of course I can use the hot snot glue, but it is messy and its dispenser is too bulky. The superglue is not good either because it is brittle and also leaves ugly spots as it evaporates and recondenses around the glue point, yuck.

author: Zenith
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2022, 08:02:53 am
content: When I saw that done years back by contractors making up prototype SMD boards by hand, they used sticks of a wax/glue stuff and melted it with a soldering iron. Hot snot glue wasn't a common consumer thing then.Why not try hot snot glue sticks and melting a bit on with a soldering iron? It seems better than the glue guns, which dribble all over the place. It's probably better if you have an old soldering iron or soldering gun you just use for non-soldering purposes.Beeswax melts at 62-63C, so that's a possibility, if it's easy to get.Silicone sealant is used a lot in electronics, but I recall it's an acid-free grade.There may well be a product specially for the job, but you'd have to order it, and you don't need much.I'd try hot snot and a soldering iron.

author: Ice-Tea
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2022, 08:46:39 am
content: I personally hate hotmelt for electronics, especially if the glue stick properties are not well known. Some of these start melting at a fairly low temp and you'll have hotmelt leaking out if you leave it out in the sun for a bit.I'm more of a crazy glue guy.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2022, 09:39:20 am
content: Loctite makes several adhesives for rapid fixturing of electronic parts. Here's one example:https://www.hisco.com/Product/1401791-30769I've seen both red and green varieties used.Color makes no difference to me. I've used fast setting cyanoacrylate adhesives from hobby and home improvement stores. UV cures might be a bit more expensive.

author: Terry Bites
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2022, 02:55:22 pm
content: Wire Dotswww.circuitmedic.com/products/wire-dots.html

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2022, 04:05:14 pm
content: UV curing glue works well, as it sets in a couple of seconds, so you can hold the wire in place and cure it as you go.You can get low-bloom cyanoacrylate thet looks better, and use an activator for very quick settgin

author: Kasper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2022, 05:03:26 pm
content: Quote from: Terry Bites on September 02, 2022, 02:55:22 pm+1 for wire dots. Easy to apply and easy to remove. I'm not sure what brand it was but that's what I used to use in avionics.

author: mag_therm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2022, 06:07:59 pm
content: https://www.henkel-adhesives.com/us/en/product/instant-adhesives/loctite_444.htmlFor kynar wire mods.It was called "Tak-Pak"

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2022, 06:16:13 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on September 02, 2022, 04:05:14 pmThe polymerization is base catalyzed. It does not take much, nor does it need to be a strong base (Lewis base is sufficient). As many people have discovered, it is very quick on your fingers. Wiping the wire with baking soda powder (NaHCO3) will be enough. There does not even need to be a visible amount of residual powder on the wire. Modelers do that for acidic woods. Household ammonia would probably work too. A commercial setting accelerator had a nice nutty smell, was volatile, and non-corrosive. I am not sure it is still available. I didn't mention using an accelerator since you will be handling the wire.