Is it possible to by “100% non-stick” spatulas for spreading glue? (ideally made from teflon/FEP)

[John Smith 47Participant @johnsmith47]

Hello

Is it possible to buy a spatula made for Teflon (or something similar that is totally non-stick) for spreading glue?

Thanks

J

[John Smith 47Participant @johnsmith47]

[Robert ButlerParticipant @robertbutler92161]

No, glue is very sticky.

Robert Butler

[John Smith 47Participant @johnsmith47]

Posted by Robert Butler on 24/01/2022 21:49:25:

No, glue is very sticky.

Robert Butler

I have a plastic Plastic Spatula Set from Pinflair.

https://www.pinflair.co.uk/pinflair-plastic-spatula-set

I think they made from PP (or PE??). Either way, I am finding that glue is quite hard to remove if you allow any, albeit accidentally to set/start to set. Part of the problem is that they have slightly frayed. Either way, they are certainly don't shed glue anything like as well as PTFE/FEP would.

Kitchen spatulas seem to be mostly made from Nylon or silicone rubber, neither of which would be OK.

J

Edited By John Smith 47 on 24/01/2022 22:28:00

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

You can buy packs of thirty or so plastic spreaders from various vendors very cheaply, use once then throw away? No good for the environment, of course.

Rob

[John Smith 47Participant @johnsmith47]

Posted by Grindstone Cowboy on 24/01/2022 22:25:17:

You can buy packs of thirty or so plastic spreaders from various vendors very cheaply, use once then throw away? No good for the environment, of course.

Rob

> No good for the environment, of course.

Exactly.

[Andrew StewardParticipant @andrewsteward85018]

I make glue…

wooden splints, cheap as chips and not as bad as plastic, just throw them away.

as someone else said, glue is sticky.

when dry / cured you may be able to peel it from the Teflon but no just don’t do it.

[Robert ButlerParticipant @robertbutler92161]

I have a plastic Plastic Spatula Set from Pinflair.

Give them a try then or do as suggested earlier!

Robert Butler

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I've never seen them in the UK, at a justifiable price, though ebay shows US laboratory suppliers with them, so that might be somewhere to start. https://www.coleparmer.co.uk/i/ptfe-coated-lab-spatula-w-1-5-flat-taper-x-1-25-flat-round-ends-1-pk/0636911
You can buy sheet PTFE and make your own, it cuts an planes OK with woodworking tools, but it's not a cheap material.
https://www.directplastics.co.uk/ptfe-sheet

I save up my ice lolly and Magnum sticks from the summer

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 24/01/2022 22:45:29

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

Posted by John Smith 47 on 24/01/2022 22:26:56:

Posted by Grindstone Cowboy on 24/01/2022 22:25:17:

You can buy packs of thirty or so plastic spreaders from various vendors very cheaply, use once then throw away? No good for the environment, of course.

Rob

> No good for the environment, of course.

Exactly.

 

When using complex chemical mixes for critical applications – any 2 pack glue/paint/filler/rubber/etc – using one use disposable mixing cups, stirring sticks, gloves, applicators is better than buggering up the cure and effect by reusing old ones. Shop rags are the same, you don't know what it was soaked in before you tried wiping down your expensive new paint job.

Edited By Nicholas Wheeler 1 on 24/01/2022 23:32:02

[John Smith 47Participant @johnsmith47]

To get clear, my understanding is that absolutely nothing will stick not a nice smooth surface of PTFT (Teflon) or FEP (its transparent close cousin).

I find my Pinflair spatulas are rather useful and can help with spreading adhesives, particularly the thicker stuff, broadly flat. Depending on what you're doing, it's also useful having a choice of widths… However like I say, I am finding that adhesive does slightly stick to them, worse where they are slightly frayed… And it would be nice to be able to use super-easy to clean ones made from PTFE/FEP/similar. 
Also even though if others here think it's fine to b*gger up the environment with spatulas (even if they are plastic?), the Pinflair ones also cost me c. £7.00, so I'm keen not to just chuck them out for both reasons.

J

PS On another none, re rags, when not using disposable paper, I actually use a load of lint-free (pale blue) microfibre cloths to wipe stuff down with, including say very small amounts of epoxy adhesive (which will then set hard) which I then throw into a washing machine and re-reuse. They look a bit rough, eventually of course I will throw them out if/when they get too damaged, but it works great for me.

Edited By John Smith 47 on 25/01/2022 00:41:03

[John Smith 47Participant @johnsmith47]

Posted by peak4 on 24/01/2022 22:43:13:

I've never seen them in the UK, at a justifiable price, though ebay shows US laboratory suppliers with them, so that might be somewhere to start. https://www.coleparmer.co.uk/i/ptfe-coated-lab-spatula-w-1-5-flat-taper-x-1-25-flat-round-ends-1-pk/0636911
You can buy sheet PTFE and make your own, it cuts an planes OK with woodworking tools, but it's not a cheap material.
https://www.directplastics.co.uk/ptfe-sheet

I save up my ice lolly and Magnum sticks from the summer

Bill

Re buying sheet solid PTFE, I rather tempted. But it's not cheap stuff. What thickness do you think would suffice? 2mm? 3mm? I have no idea how flexible and/or physically strong the stuff is.

J

EDIT:
I still haven't managed to find any sensible-looking, reasonably wide PTFE (/PTFE-coated?) spatulas, but I did find these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CrafTreat-Teflon-Bone-Folder-Set/dp/B07QXNTJSV

They certainly CAN be used to apply glue…

Although the Ergo Square doesn't have a handle it it might have had merit in boing thinner & much more flexible… but either way, being PTFE I guess they would be dead-easy to wipe clean. Might work (??)

Either that or yes, buy a load of lollypop sticks. At least they wouldn't be quite so bad for the environment as  innumerable, single use, plastic spatulas!
 

J

Edited By John Smith 47 on 25/01/2022 01:11:30

[John Smith 47Participant @johnsmith47]

Btw, what are the pros & cons of using a notched adhesive spreader?

I suppose the idea is to helps you get the correct thickness of adhesive on.
On the down-side, your adhesive layer ends up with lots of lines through it…

Have you ever used them?

[Pete.Participant @pete-2]

Posted by John Smith 47 on 25/01/2022 00:36:47:

Posted by peak4 on 24/01/2022 22:43:13:

I've never seen them in the UK, at a justifiable price, though ebay shows US laboratory suppliers with them, so that might be somewhere to start. https://www.coleparmer.co.uk/i/ptfe-coated-lab-spatula-w-1-5-flat-taper-x-1-25-flat-round-ends-1-pk/0636911
You can buy sheet PTFE and make your own, it cuts an planes OK with woodworking tools, but it's not a cheap material.
https://www.directplastics.co.uk/ptfe-sheet

I save up my ice lolly and Magnum sticks from the summer

Bill

Re buying sheet solid PTFE, I rather tempted. But it's not cheap stuff. What thickness do you think would suffice? 2mm? 3mm? I have no idea how flexible and/or physically strong the stuff is.

J

EDIT:
I still haven't managed to find any sensible-looking, reasonably wide PTFE (/PTFE-coated?) spatulas, but I did find these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CrafTreat-Teflon-Bone-Folder-Set/dp/B07QXNTJSV

They certainly CAN be used to apply glue…

Although the Ergo Square doesn't have a handle it it might have had merit in boing thinner & much more flexible… but either way, being PTFE I guess they would be dead-easy to wipe clean. Might work (??)

Either that or yes, buy a load of lollypop sticks. At least they wouldn't be quite so bad for the environment as innumerable, single use, plastic spatulas!

J

Edited By John Smith 47 on 25/01/2022 01:11:30

Wrap a small bit of clingfilm around the spatula, spread your glue, remove clingfilm and replace.

[Alan CharlestonParticipant @alancharleston78882]

Hi,

It is possible to powder coat teflon onto a metal base. If you got a stainless steel spatula with the dimensions and flexibility you required a powder coating firm should be able to put a teflon coat on it for you.

I use a piece of scrap teflon sheet to mix epoxy glue on. The wet glue sticks to it but easily peels off when it has cured.

If you want the glue to not adhere to the spatula when you are smoothing it out, your best bet is to coat the spatula with a liquid which the glue won't stick to. For example, the packet my silicone sealant came in recommended dipping the tools your using in water with a bit of detergent in it. Just be careful the liquid you use doesn't interfere with the adhesion properties of the glue – silicone oil would be a definite NO I would guess.

Regards,

Alan C.

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Perhaps the answer is to go back to biodegradable glues – hide or pine resins or bluebell mucilage or egg proteins spread with wood or cardboard spatulas and then composted.
Lots of tool coating options but always a danger they'll interfere: candle wax, car ceramic coating polish? Heat will soften many glues – a steel spatula warmed afterwards? Some glues have a clean-up protocol – acetone for epoxy? keeping within the working time of glues helps too. Another approach may be to use two part glues with one applied to each surface by spray or glues that have a setting method such as UV light or himidity, Application with a smooth non-porous applicator – PTFE or glass roller?

Which also begs the question whether the end product is recyclable and biodegradable

pgk

Edited By pgk pgk on 25/01/2022 06:37:01

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Why not use some scraps of ABS or rubber, it seems none of your glues will stick to that, allow to set and peel it off any residual glue so you can use again.

Just cut a strip from a Poly Prop bottle or container and put it back in the recycling after use.

Notched or comb spreaders give a more measured and constant film thickness. If you use a flat spreader it is hard to tell if you have the same amount of adhesive over the whole surface. A notched one will leave a constant height bead and remove the rest of the adhesive between notches so when you put the parts together those beads spread to an even thickness. I used notched spreaders a lot for work.

These days Vegans may not approve of some of the old adhesives PGK suggests

 

Edited By JasonB on 25/01/2022 07:51:56

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Posted by John Smith 47 on 24/01/2022 21:19:56:

Hello

Is it possible to buy a spatula made for Teflon (or something similar that is totally non-stick) for spreading glue?

Thanks

J

Actually, you might want to consider what the English Ashes team use to coat their gloves with as nothing sticks to that.

I heard that Novac J is being considered as a batting coach for the English cricket team as it took almost two weeks to get him out.

For spreading epoxy, nothing beats an old credit card.

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

The main requirements are that the spatula should be flexible and very smooth. The peel strength of most glue is fairly low so with a flexible spatula the spatula can be peeled off the glue.

regards Martin

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Posted by JasonB on 25/01/2022 07:18:09:

These days Vegans may not approve of some of the old adhesives PGK suggests

Forget the hide glues and eggs then – how about human donated mucilage? Finally a benefit from collecting Covid snot ( could also save all the norovirus product from cruise ships and bring back biosolid housing)

 

Edited By pgk pgk on 25/01/2022 08:46:04

[Michael Cox 1Participant @michaelcox1]

I save the wooden stirrers from Costa coffee for mixing epoxy adhesives. The small tubs of milk supplied with a cup of tea in some cafes I also take home and wash. These make excellent pots for mixing small quantities of Epoxy adhesive.

Mike

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Use non-stick glue.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Another difficult requirement from John: 'Is it possible to buy "100% non-stick" spatulas for spreading glue? (ideally made from teflon/FEP)' Tall order: 100% non-stick, effective on any glue, and ideally made from a particular type of plastic (why?). The answer to this requirement is a straight 'no'.

First problem is the 100%. Glues work in different ways: a mechanical bond by penetrating and setting in crevices; solvent welds; chemical bonds; or electrostatic. (And maybe others.) A super-smooth chemically unreactive spatula will resist bonding, but glue will always adhere slightly to the spatula. And super-smooth surfaces soon get scratched.

Second problem is that glues have to be mechanically strong themselves to stop joints breaking in the weak layer between the two glued surfaces. As glue tends to set on the spatula, it's easy to create a strong hardened layer of glue that's very difficult to remove.

So it's usual for spatulas to be more or less disposable. Depending on the glue I use either wooden Lolly-sticks or plastic spreaders. Plastic spreaders work best I think, but when glue gunks up quickly lolly-sticks are easily replaced. Being able to shape lolly-sticks with a knife can be helpful too.

Dave

 

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

Posted by Michael Cox 1 on 25/01/2022 09:36:13:

I save the wooden stirrers from Costa coffee for mixing epoxy adhesives. The small tubs of milk supplied with a cup of tea in some cafes I also take home and wash. These make excellent pots for mixing small quantities of Epoxy adhesive.

Mike

Great idea using the small milk tubs, I will remember that. I also use the wooden stirrers, they make great lagging strips for small stationary engines.

[Michael Cox 1Participant @michaelcox1]

Just a thought. Why not use a metal scraper and cover it with self adhesive tape ( parcel tape, PVC insulating tape, Tuff tape etc). Use the coated scraper and then wipe of excess. After the curing time of the adhesive just peel of the tape and the scraper is ready to use again.

Mike

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