RE: [CR]Repairing a torn gum hood?

(Example: Framebuilding)

From: "Scott Minneman" <minneman@onomy.com>
To: 'Doug Van Cleve' <dvancleve@gmail.com>, 'devotion finesse' <devotion_finesse@hotmail.com>
References: <COL113-W19377AEACDDE408701A045F5DD0@phx.gbl> <954702dd0901091328o37bdc93ao9be192e110acde6e@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: RE: [CR]Repairing a torn gum hood?
Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2009 14:45:12 -0800
Organization: Onomy Labs, Inc.
Thread-Index: AclyoTdP8/p7SlbVS/iMYM1K2i0FdwACLOgg
In-Reply-To: <954702dd0901091328o37bdc93ao9be192e110acde6e@mail.gmail.com>
cc: 'CR discussion list' <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>

Yes, superglue will work. Some of the newer flexible formulations can even cope with places where bending and elongation is an issue. Some of those formulas are black, and others are now clear. The stuff also has a higher viscosity, so it's easier to apply.

You might look for Loctite Ultra Gel as an example. Rubber-loaded is another term that's sometimes used to refer to them. Good hobby shops tend to carry what you'd need (or McMaster-Carr -- http://www.mcmaster.com).

Also, most super glues will tend to outgas a white residue while drying. It can usually be removed without issue, but an option for preventing it is to use a spray-on drying agent, like Insta-Set. This stuff makes super glue a whole lot more useful (you may need an additional person to apply it while you hold), but you should still wait a while for drying to completely permeate the full length/width of any repair you've made.

Take care to keep the joint very thin, even in cases where you have a gel formulation that will happily bridge gaps when wet. They'll look and work *much* better if the glue joint is tiny.

Cheers,

Scott Minneman San Francisco, CA, USA

-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Doug Van Cleve Sent: Friday, January 09, 2009 1:28 PM To: devotion finesse Cc: CR discussion list Subject: Re: [CR]Repairing a torn gum hood?

Matthew,

I have had reasonable luck with super glue. Get the hood really clean then install it. Maybe slip some plastic or wax paper under the torn area (so you don't super glue the hood to the lever body), then neat apply the glue to one side and match everything up and hold until it dries. If it isn't a spot the flexes in use, it should hold.

Doug Van Cleve Chandler, AZ USA

On Fri, Jan 9, 2009 at 7:49 AM, devotion finesse < devotion_finesse@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Has anybody ever successfully repaired a torn Campy gum hood?
> Assuming it is fairly supple and can be slipped onto a brake lever, is
> there anything that can be done to deal with this 1/2" tear? A glue/epoxy? Rubber Cement?
> Matthew Bowne

Brooklyn, New York