JMKNYC Report post Posted October 22, 2016 Hi! I have been reading for a while, but this is my first post. I am making soft bags and attempting to glue seams before sewing. No matter what adhesive I have tried to use, how long I let it dry, etc,, it always gums up the machine needle and breaks the thread. I have tried; weldwood, 3m 30nf, aqualim and double sided leather tape. I have a Consew portable walking foot and am using #69 thread. Even though I am using a walking foot, if I don't glue (and even if I use bulldog clips), the layers shift and I end up with things that are uneven by the time I get to the end of a seam. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colt W Knight Report post Posted October 22, 2016 What kind of thread are you using? Bonded nylon or polyester? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tugadude Report post Posted October 22, 2016 No experience with machines but all of the glues named and the tape are rubbery/flexible. Even after drying. So maybe try a "hard" glue, one that isn't gummy when dry. Maybe someone can recommend one. I have issues sometimes with the double-sided tape if I get it too close to the edge of my work because it is very gummy and interferes with burnishing. Same for Weldwood. Great adhesives, just keep back a little. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TinkerTailor Report post Posted October 22, 2016 (edited) Leave the project for a day or two for the glue to set. I sew through standard stinky hardware store contact cement, lepage blue here in Canada, all the time and so do many others. Them Yankees use weldwood heavy duty contact cement i believe. Follow the directions on tack time as well. Seams put together too early stay gummy forever. You need to let contact cement chooch before you stick it together. Most important is to let it dry. And that tape sucks. Edited October 22, 2016 by TinkerTailor Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MisterSmith Report post Posted October 23, 2016 I've always had the best luck with Barge cement. Its common with boot and shoe makes, and is typically available at local hardware stores, tandy, and springfieldleather.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Windrider30 Report post Posted October 23, 2016 I hand sew everything but what i use is either contact cement and let it sit over night or my preferred method as i am impatient is double sided tape that tandy used really love that stuff...though falling in love with tandy's water based contact cement Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
plinkercases Report post Posted October 24, 2016 Lepage contact cement as well being a canuck (Tandy water based is ok too and am trying the lepage VOX free) and I know when I rush the tack time and/or sew to soon after assembly... sticky times ahead on sewing and messes up trying to get a good edge. I am learning patience and try to work on two or more projects and staggering them so I have one at a fun stage all the time while others are "waiting". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnv474 Report post Posted October 24, 2016 I hear good things about Fabri-Tac, as far as not gumming up needles. Otherwise, ensure glue/cement is dry (1 hour minimum, overnight is better)m Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TinkerTailor Report post Posted October 24, 2016 3 hours ago, johnv474 said: I hear good things about Fabri-Tac, as far as not gumming up needles. Otherwise, ensure glue/cement is dry (1 hour minimum, overnight is better)m I used to "Step over dollars to pick up pennies" as they say when it comes to glueing. I have learned over time that there are times where going faster now slows you down later. Glue ups is one of them. The contact cement I use has a minimum open set time of 15 mins and a working time of 60 mins if I recall. That is a 45 minute window to stick the stuff together. If you cant get it together in 45 minutes, the problem is your head, not the glue..the glue up plan needs to change...Outside this window, if you assemble the parts the glue either doesn't dry or is too dry to bond. Every contact cement lists this on the label. Follow it. The 15-20 min wait time for my contact cement is about double the time it takes for the glue to stop being tacky. I used to just stick it together as soon as it isn't tacky, and I ran into glue drying troubles, and needed to leave it overnight. Now I set a timer for 20 minutes to give the glue lots of time to chooch, then I stick it. Press/hammer/roll the glue joint hard right away and keep on moving. It is stuck. Not coming apart. When I wait 5 mins for the glue I can still pull it apart an hour later. Try it yourself with your glue. Do one glue joint your usual way and then again but this time, set a timer for the minimum plus 5 mins and see how strong it is in an hour compared to your usual. I do wait an hour or so before machine sewing, but not overnight. I sew by hand right away. By waiting the full time before assembly, I also saw a reduction in the amount of stringy, never ending glue boogers and edge finishing problems. On the edge issue, cutting close and then trimming after glueing and sewing makes for a nicer edge and also gives you the opportunity to move the cut line parallel to crooked stitch lines and make it look right...... Use small pinholes in the stitch lines to align pieces if the edges are not cut even and you can't use those. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colt W Knight Report post Posted October 24, 2016 5 minutes ago, TinkerTailor said: Press/hammer/roll the glue joint hard right away and keep on moving. I feel like this step is often overlooked when when using contact cement. If you let that glue set a bit, then really press it together, it isn't going to cause any troubles. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
