I did some archive diving here a while ago, looking for the best adhesive to hold my DVC silicone pawpads to the internal structure of my feetpaws/handpaws.
It's a bit tricky because 1) the forefeet are actually going onto ABS pipe, which I used to construct the frames of my stilts, and b) the hind feet are going on to a pair of mostly-dead FiveFingers, on which I wore the soles so bald you could probably polish glass with them. I needed an adhesive that would conquer the smooth surfaces as well as the unusual rubber in use in the Vibrams.
I decided on 3M Marine Adhesive/Sealant 5200. Now: it is amazing how well it holds to both the ABS and the Vibram. I think I'd have to actually cut it off to get it to let go.
What it doesn't hold is the silicone pawpads. Shear seems to be OK, and that's the main reason I'm not grumbling right now about cutting the sealant off of everything it did attach to, but any amount of pulling, and - pop! - off it comes. I think it'll hold fine under normal use, in which my pawpads will not be getting yanked on, but I'm a bit worried about having to manipulate the pads for sewing, as I'll be stitching fabric right through the edges. DVC embeds fabric in their pads for that very reason, and I don't want to settle for gluing - I don't trust a glued seam on a foot not to come loose and get full of dirt.
I'll be touching up the pulled areas with Shoe Goo, but be warned: 5200 is amazing stuff, but its weeks-long cure time (18 days in my dry, cold climate) and inferior hold do not make it worth my while in this application.
It's a bit tricky because 1) the forefeet are actually going onto ABS pipe, which I used to construct the frames of my stilts, and b) the hind feet are going on to a pair of mostly-dead FiveFingers, on which I wore the soles so bald you could probably polish glass with them. I needed an adhesive that would conquer the smooth surfaces as well as the unusual rubber in use in the Vibrams.
I decided on 3M Marine Adhesive/Sealant 5200. Now: it is amazing how well it holds to both the ABS and the Vibram. I think I'd have to actually cut it off to get it to let go.
What it doesn't hold is the silicone pawpads. Shear seems to be OK, and that's the main reason I'm not grumbling right now about cutting the sealant off of everything it did attach to, but any amount of pulling, and - pop! - off it comes. I think it'll hold fine under normal use, in which my pawpads will not be getting yanked on, but I'm a bit worried about having to manipulate the pads for sewing, as I'll be stitching fabric right through the edges. DVC embeds fabric in their pads for that very reason, and I don't want to settle for gluing - I don't trust a glued seam on a foot not to come loose and get full of dirt.
I'll be touching up the pulled areas with Shoe Goo, but be warned: 5200 is amazing stuff, but its weeks-long cure time (18 days in my dry, cold climate) and inferior hold do not make it worth my while in this application.