I'm considering a formica galley counter and would like to do it as a
core-cell sandwich with glass on the underside. Can I epoxy bond formica or
do I need to introduce another material in between?

If you are talking about on the back side as a substitute for contact
cement Definitely yes. I have found it much more reliable. On the
front side or making joints no.

Jim Conlin wrote:
I'm considering a formica galley counter and would like to do it as a
core-cell sandwich with glass on the underside. Can I epoxy bond formica or
do I need to introduce another material in between?


--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

Jim Conlin wrote:
I'm considering a formica galley counter and would like to do it as a
core-cell sandwich with glass on the underside. Can I epoxy bond formica or
do I need to introduce another material in between?

Glenn Ashmore wrote:

If you are talking about on the back side as a substitute for contact
cement Definitely yes. I have found it much more reliable. On the
front side or making joints no.

A friend fitted a freezer last year and glued the fomica directly on to
the foam insulated lid. By this spring, she had a nasty hole in the
formica where some fairly small kitchen utensil had fallen on it during
rough weather. IMHO you should bond two layers of glass cloth at a 45 deg
angle to each other if possible to the underneath of the formica between
it and the foam core for impact resistance.

--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk [at]=@, [dash]=- &
[dot]=.
*Warning* SPAM TRAP set in header, Use email address in sig. if you must.
'Stingo' Albacore #1554 - 15' Uffa Fox designed, All varnished hot moulded
wooden racing dinghy circa. 1961

Glenn,

Have you done any thermal cycling to test the joint for shear. I would
like to use epoxy for this kind of thing cause I hate messing with
contact cement.

Regards, Ron

I could not worry about thermal cycling. I laid up an entire head, 3
FRP over foam composite bulkheads, in vertical grade formica using
contact cement. Rolled it with the J-roller till I thought my arms
would drop off. Trimmed to shape and tabbed them into the hull. This
was pro grade cement from Meyer laminates not the water based junk from
Home Despot. Six months later it was lifting at the edges and had come
loose in the curved corners. Ripped it all off and spent a miserable
weekend with remote air breather scrubbing the bulkheads with contact
cement solvent.

The next weekend I spread mixed some epoxy/silica to catsup consistancy
and vacuum bagged on new Formica. That was two years ago and after two
summers up to 105 and two winters down to 0 it is still solid.

Ron Thornton wrote:
Glenn,

Have you done any thermal cycling to test the joint for shear. I would
like to use epoxy for this kind of thing cause I hate messing with
contact cement.

Regards, Ron


--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

Glenn, thanks for your counsel. The noise i hear in the background is the
vacuum pump, bagging the galley counter.
I debated the foam sandwich approach, but for 4 ft^2, it seemed to have as
big a payoff as milking mice. Used 1/4" ply.
Jim

Glenn Ashmore wrote:

I could not worry about thermal cycling. I laid up an entire head, 3
FRP over foam composite bulkheads, in vertical grade formica using
contact cement. Rolled it with the J-roller till I thought my arms
would drop off. Trimmed to shape and tabbed them into the hull. This
was pro grade cement from Meyer laminates not the water based junk from
Home Despot. Six months later it was lifting at the edges and had come
loose in the curved corners. Ripped it all off and spent a miserable
weekend with remote air breather scrubbing the bulkheads with contact
cement solvent.

The next weekend I spread mixed some epoxy/silica to catsup consistancy
and vacuum bagged on new Formica. That was two years ago and after two
summers up to 105 and two winters down to 0 it is still solid.

Ron Thornton wrote:
Glenn,

Have you done any thermal cycling to test the joint for shear. I would
like to use epoxy for this kind of thing cause I hate messing with
contact cement.

Regards, Ron


--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com