How To Apply Tolex: Choosing the Best Glue for Tolex

[@SlipperyJack60]

I had a good search around in the UK for some ammonia based adhesive and the only one that I could find was Wickes Multi Purpose Flooring Adhesive. £9 for 2.75 litres. The safety data sheet is from Bostik which lets on who manufactures the stuff. I found that it did a fantastic job and was really easy to work with. Leaving it to go tacky beforehand was the best way to use it, especially for the corners that are sometimes reluctant to stay down. I ended up with a fantastic finish. As a tip, you really don't need much on the wood or tolex, it sticks really well. I put a bit too much on on some places and you can see that the tolex is slightly raised on that area.

[@biggstile]

This was helpful. You showed the exact type of glues I was considering and some good tips for that water-based contact adhesive. For guitar amps with tolex the contact adhesive seems the best, however everybody I know who recovers square edged boxes, especially things like vacuum tube testers for electronics equipment, uses the PVA. I'm not sure exactly why they think it's better.

[@neoterra7072]

Excellent. Thanks. I recently used a solvent based adhesive and experienced shrinkage issues. I'm in the USA and will look for the water based contact adhesive with ammonia and latex.

[@markstaub5250]

Thanks. Just the info I need for my project.

[@kendipietro6855]

I've had great results using Wilsonart's H20. It's a water-based contact adhesive and has no unpleasant odors. The directions you provided are pretty much exactly how I use it and here in the US it costs a little over $50.00 per gallon (roughly four liters).

[@ModulusAmps]

Cool, thanks for sharing Ken

[@davidjennings9253]

One word of warning to your followers. If you are only building one amp don't buy your latex adhesive in too large a container. It does not have a very long shelf life and any unused adhesive will go off in the can. If you find that you have a lot left over, decant it into a smaller container so that there is not much air in there. If it is in a flexible container squeeze it until you remove all the air before putting the lid on. I bought mine in a gallon container and only really needed about half a pint for my amp and 4 x 10 speaker cab. A few months later the rest had gone off solid and was thrown away.

[@ModulusAmps]

Hi David, we haven't had that problem here and we buy in large qty's. What brand of glue did you use?

[@davidjennings9253]

@@ModulusAmps Copydex and when I contacted them about it they advised that its best to buy in smaller qtys unless you are using it all the time.

[@JasonVanzant]

Thanks for the instructional video. I liked/subscribed, lol. I would love to see a video of you covering an entire cabinet. Loved your speaker comparisons as well.

[@ModulusAmps]

Thanks! Got a 4 x 12 cabinet that we will recovering. Will film some of the process.

[@lorencing]

Nice demo, thanks!

[@kevinlawrence3935]

Thank you!

[@ericohman]

Excellent!

[@bg9711]

good video btw!

[@mattstereo]

I'm building a 112 and am using tolex, what brand of water based contact adhesive would you recommend in the UK?

[@davidrichardson446]

Is "Copydex" the same sort of adhesive, it contains both ammonia and latex but does it react to the heat gun in the same manner?

[@ModulusAmps]

Yes. Copydex works with heat

[@Steve_be]

I must give that water based glue a look. Steve beale

[@ModulusAmps]

I can supply you a pot next time you have a job.

[@LeddingtonGuitars]

So.... what specific brand glue do you use then?

[@frlango6082]

All of the above

[@bg9711]

With the water based contact adhesive, how does it react with strong sunlight - in NZ, the temp gets quite high so if it can be reset with a heatgun is it likely to react to strong sunshine too?

[@ModulusAmps]

It shouldn't fail once properly set.

[@stupot7281]

The other day , after sliding a head chassis out of the head cab i noticed all the tolex peeling back Shocking

[@ModulusAmps]

Thats fairly common with loads of cabinets unfortunately

[@KC9KEP]

Will this work with cotton tweed fabric? Or will the adhesive soak thru the fabric and spoil it?

[@ModulusAmps]

Yes should to, but I would experiment, you may need to wash the tweed in a Thin PVA solution to stop it unraveling at every cut position