regluing ivories: Duco v. Duro v. CA

[J Patrick Draine]

Clyde Hollinger wrote:

> Bob,
>
> I used to use CA to glue on the miscellaneous ivory keytop, because it was quick.
> I stopped using it when I found some of the ivory heads popping off again in a
> year or two, which caused me to think the bond was too weak.  Maybe it was the way
> I did it; I put the glue on the key and accelerator on the keytop, then held them
> in position for ten seconds or so, and that was it.
>
> About six months ago I started using Weldwood Contact Cement, which I buy in a
> little 3-ounce bottle at the hardware store.  It comes with a no-good brush
> inside, attached to the lid.  I get cheap artist brushes from the craft store,
> which cost aout 98 cents for a pack of five or six, and I use each one only once.
> Put a thin coat of glue on the keytop and a thin coat on the key, and after they
> dry a few minutes press them together.  So far I've been pleased; in a year or two
> I'll be able to tell better how this holds up.
>
> Clyde Hollinger
>

Perhaps "a thin coat" is "the ticket." I don't use contact cement, because I've often
seen it leach into the ivory, leaving it an ugly, mottled gray (smells bad too).
Perhaps this was because too much was used; I'm not sure.
Last year I "accused" Steve Brady of advocating contact cement for this repair in his
repair manual (pp. 56-57). He clarified that he advocated use of "Duco cement." I was
confusing it with "Duro Contact Cement." He was right, I was wrong.
I do use CA on occasion, but don't use "thin" -- it will eventually fail. I usually
use medium viscosity.

Patrick Draine