Glue for resin or fiberglass?

Mary Beth van der Horst

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Jan 28, 2020
Posts
844
Location
Myrtle Beach, SC
Business
Mary Beth's Custom Framing Studio
I have a simple refitting I should have said no to. Woman brings in a mirror and its frame(probably a thriftstore find) and just needs it reinserted. It's round, and it seems to be made of some synthetic material like resin or fiberglass or some craziness. I can tell it is hollow--there are air gaps inside the rabbit. The other confounding thing is that the mirror sits in a false lip which isn't even--it ranges from 1/8-3/8". It's a trainwreck of a frame. I'm kindof nervous to put a screw into this stuff, but the original hanger is still screwed into the back panel. I'm pretty certain at this point that the mirror was just glued into place. It's got some weight to it however, so I'm a little nervous about what kind of glue will hold best. Not knowing exactly what type of material the frame was made out of makes it harder. Do you guys think an all-purpose caulking will work? Are there glues out there that are better for resin vs fiberglass? I know they are very different things but maybe can use similar adhesives?

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Isn't it always the simple ones that turn into a giant pain in the a**.
 
Try out this site. It gives advice on adhesive compatibility.


That said, you can still return the piece to the owner and decline the job.
 
I think I would call the customer and apologize that you cannot do this and explain why it can't be done.
I would say something like, I won't charge you for the time I worked on this as I cannot complete this in a safe and secure way and guarantee the integrity of the frame and mirror.

Better to do that, then mess it up and make it your responsibility.
 
My favorite adhesive is E6000, it's an industrial strength glue that takes about 24 hours to fully cure.
 
My favorite adhesive is E6000, it's an industrial strength glue that takes about 24 hours to fully cure.
I love that stuff! I try to keep it out of the frameshop bc I heard the solvent fumes will dissolve the core of foamcore if it is in close proximity, but it would have certainly been appropriate for something like this mirror. I think I ended up repainting the lip, caulking it, curing it, shoving a piece of cardboard in as a tight plug, and calling it a day.
 
Loctite makes a great high grade polyurethane adhesive that is our go to whenever we have something questionable. It comes in a tube just like standard caulking and is available at Home Depot.
 
Is this the stuff??
loctite-general-purpose-construction-adhesive-1390595-64_1000.jpg
Yes, that will work. They also make a quick tack version but it is a lot more expensive. If you do not want to make a trip to Home Depot you may find it a your local hardware. Another alternative which should be at your hardware is Liquid Nails Polyurethane Adhesive. Be sure it is the poly version not the standard Liquid Nails. Good luck!
 
Yes, that will work. They also make a quick tack version but it is a lot more expensive. If you do not want to make a trip to Home Depot you may find it a your local hardware. Another alternative which should be at your hardware is Liquid Nails Polyurethane Adhesive. Be sure it is the poly version not the standard Liquid Nails. Good luck!
Good to know! Thanks for the recommendations!
 
I have a simple refitting I should have said no to.

Its too bad you didn't say no to this. No matter what you do, that frame is prime for failure. Be prepared to have to replace that train wreck with a frame/mirror of their choosing once this one fails.

If you can get out of this job, run, run, run, run, run.....................................
 
Its too bad you didn't say no to this. No matter what you do, that frame is prime for failure. Be prepared to have to replace that train wreck with a frame/mirror of their choosing once this one fails.

If you can get out of this job, run, run, run, run, run.....................................
Y'all primed me for honest pessimism on this one. I got it done, but made sure to explain to the customer I was offering NO guarantees and it wasn't built to be dissassembled, painted, and refitted like we did. She was pleasantly understanding.
 
Y'all primed me for honest pessimism on this one. I got it done, but made sure to explain to the customer I was offering NO guarantees and it wasn't built to be dissassembled, painted, and refitted like we did. She was pleasantly understanding.

Good for you letting the CX know that it is what it is with no guarantees.
 
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