Tips For Laminating/Bonding Precision Board Plus HDU

Tired of adhesives that expand too much or don’t cure properly? Check out our list of tips, and save yourself time and a headache!

Years of experience fabricating custom bonded tooling blocks and extra large Precision Board Plus sheets have taught us a thing or two about proper laminating techniques.

We have compiled this list of expert tips for bonding Precision Board Plus HDU using PB Fast Set, or PB Bond-240  (both adhesives also work great on wood, metal and many other materials):

  • Be sure to lightly mist the mating surfaces with water, or wipe with a damp rag prior to applying the adhesive.
  • A little goes a long way – only apply enough adhesive to change color of the board.
  • After application, the adhesive will start to bubble and thicken in approximately 1-2 minutes.
  • Apply as much weight as possible to the bonded piece, taking care to account for any movement it could make over time.
  • When edge bonding pieces that will be sandblasted, do not apply adhesive to the top of the joint. Because it will be blasted away later, this will make the sandblast process much easier.
  • When laminate bonding Precision Board Plus HDU to plywood or aluminum, be sure to apply the adhesive in ribbons that are parallel to the shortest dimension, with a diameter of 3/8″, approximately 5″ apart. Then apply a 3/8″ ribbon around the edge of the perimeter. This will seal against water, dirt or other debris from entering between the laminated pieces.
All of these tips can also be seen demonstrated on video here.