Tube Amp Archive

Hi all,

I applied tolex over the past few days. Did the last piece yesterday (top and sides). I had to leave it in the garage overnight (the wife doesn't like the glue smell, even from the water-based Weldwood I was using) and the sides didn't stay properly adhered, presumably because it's really cold in there.

So I've got air bubbles under the sides.

Is there a way to repair this? Heat guns to soften contact adhesive, pricking with pins to make little holes to let out air, etc ?

Thanks in advance!

Well I got impatient and decided to try pinholes and a heat gun - short answer, worked great!

Not sure if it was re-setting the glue so much as shrinking the vinyl... went from amateur hour to crappy-mass-market-production-line quality in no time though, so I'm quite pleased!

Glad you solved it.

FWIW contact cement type adhesive, whether solvent or water based can be made tacky enough by carefully heating the surface (you don't want to melt the vinyl though) and applying localized pressure, anything from bare hands to a roller to a putty blade .

Now if you used white carpenter's glue , which works very well but only when drying already in the proper place (that's why wood pieces are hard pressed together until they dry) then there's not much you can do.

If very large bubbles, (think palm sized) , you can cut a small slit, inject some glue, spread/massage it around , press flat and allow drying, pressing flat down again, say, 2 or 3 times to make certain.

The slit itself will be almost invisible.