Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Gluing Felt to Brass

Just a quick question:

What is the best way to glue felt to brass? Titebond, PVC-E, burn shellac, bubblegum? Never tried it yet, wondered if anyone else has.

Thanks!

A mix of alcohol with shellac which is burned to get rid of the alcohol. it makes a heavy paste that glues leather or felt to metal.
Not sure it can hold well on brass, which is greasy, I've used it on bronze or iron.

There are modern polyurethane adhesives to glue brass/wood Pattex (Henkel) have such product but the reference escapes me.

find that one : http://www.woodwriteltd.com/supplies.htm
which may be similar.
They state the glue is acid which is a good thing for oily supports.

I recall reading something a few decades ago about gluing felt to metal with tar.

Where does one buy tar? (Have to admit, I've never tried)

I'll use epoxy because it's readily available - there's always one form or another of that in my shop.

I've used contact cement, which worked good.

I can imagine epoxy doing a good job of sticking felt to brass. However, with felt being a material which wears and which will probably need to be replaced in the future, it should never be glued with an epoxy, in my mind. Inside pianos, reversibility should always be the determining factor in selecting adhesives.

I do not believe that I have ever run across the necessity of gluing felt to brass in a piano. What is this for? Sometimes that affects the choice of adhesive.

I have used tiny amounts of Gorilla glue to get hard to stick surfaces to adhere. It does not lend itself to easy removal and requires sharp blade scraping if it needs to get redone. A trick with this glue is to stay well inside the perimeter of what you are gluing because it foams a bit when it sets up. About 20 minutes after application, you press down on the felt and the bubbles in the glue pop. Because it is fairly thick at this point it will not wick into the felt, hardening it.

I'm contemplating a future damper job, and am looking once again at Supply's brass damper heads for verticals. Just was a passing thought. I would have simply called, but I thought I might try to pool a little more collective wisdom with this forum, as well as the fact that I may have need for gluing felt to brass for some other reason.

Regards,

I suspect that PVC-E would work well for that. But you should ask Jurgen what he recommends.

That is a 2 parts composite glue for the brass damper dowels. I will get you the ref. used in rc planes and similar hobbies.

Hi Thomas,
The best adhesive that I have found for this application is the solvent based ones like Duco cement. They grab quickly like animal glue and can be removed with heat or lacquer thinner(but not at the same time!).

My favorite brand is Scotch maximum strength adhesive which I carry with me all the time. It works great gluing individual felts as well as keytops.... both ivory and plastic (Just don't get any on the surface of the plastic key). It works really well for rubber buttons on case parts, but you have to have nerves of steel because it will burn a lacquer finish on contact.

SO a RPT can glue felts and ivories with contact cement ?

The "stop" felts on the bottoms of the pedals on quality grands are one example of gluing felt to brass, and they are indeed difficult to keep in place.

Try the green latex contact from Lepage...or any other maker

To be be clear, I am not talking about contact cement which is neoprene rubber based. Solvent adhesive is like the airplane glue we used when we were young.

Just a quick jab at this one...

Attended a manufacturer-class a while back, and the instructor addressed the issue of gluing leather (and felt) to the trapwork levers under grands. Such as the contact point of the pedal dowel and the lever for the shift mechanism. That pesky round one that keeps shifting, for instance. Contact cement does not stop it from sliding.

PVC-E glue (...like Eileen's Tacky Glue) and just a dab of SuperGlue (cyanoacrylate) to kick the glue and hold everything in place. One dot on the lever for the CA glue. Minor amount of glue on the leather or felt. Press together. Holds immediately and does not wick into felt or leather. Been using this with good success.

Some traditionalists will use the technique of old; a shellac stick (such as now used for repairing finishes) heated with a flame and dabbed on the metal, quickly place the leather or felt. Hold for 7 to 10 seconds, as the shellac cools. This is also a long-lasting technique.

Both of these work for me.
Yr. mileage may vary,

Yes I see, no I dont find it adapted to pianos, as it cannot be cleaned really , on ivories and porous materials, niet, to me...
Some day parts may need to be repaired.
PVC E or Vynil is yet not so ideal but the solvent based leave a messy surface , in RC planes or such the ungluing was not part of the job if I recall correctly.

Sorry but your assertion reminded me of some Scotch re glued ivories I had find in some customer's place !

The only thing I like with that glue is the smell !

THe burnt shellack is easy, may take some time to dry as there is yet a little alcohol within. commercial "shellack" sticks are containing a part of wax usually.

my concern is more with the oily surface of brass. Bronze is more dry.

Thank you all for your responses so far.

@Kamin:

You have mentioned that brass is inherently "oily" or "greasy". Is this something that you feel can be removed, or is simply inherent with the material?

Thank you again,

Thomas , no it is inherent to the material, hence its use when it may be easy to dismount, or when there is friction (agrafes for instance)I dont know what this "oily"
(I suppose it is more a self lubricating material than something really oily, may be some one knowing more about that material can chime in)

I any case I believe it is very difficult to glue on brass, more than on copper or bronze. a little like aluminium may be.