Morris Minor Owners Club

Good day all.

Would someone know the type of glue originally used when assembling Traveller wood frames at the factory?

Thanks!
Tom M.
1957 Morris 1000 Traveller

It was probably Cascamite but on recommendation from Woodies I used Aerolite which is a modern equivalent.

Thanks Panky. I wonder if the Cascamite of the 1960s is the same formula as the Cascamite sold today.
Thanks for the help.
Tom M.

Panky

Do you think you might have Aerolite and Cascamite switched? According to Wikipedia, Aerolite was originally developed in the 1930's for aircraft applications. Cascamite is readily available in hardware stores today and is presumably the modern equivalent.


Don

I did ask Woodies when I ordered the wood sections and that's what they recommended, they did say that Aerolite was a more recent product maybe it's got a new formula. Either way it's super strong and the fact the name has been around for a long time is encouraging
I wouldn't have had an issue with using Cascamite as I already had some on the shelf but the Aerolite does seem to mix easier and sands easily.

I have been doing some more research on Aerolite.

It seems that there are at least two varieties.

Here is some info I have borrowed from an online woodwork forum.

Aerolite 306 is a UF (Urea Formaldehyde) adhesive while Aerolite 308 is an MUF (Melamine Urea Formaldehyde) glue.

The "hardener" is basically Formic Acid, but other manufacturers use different acids or salts as a catalytic hardener.

UF is the glue predominantly used in particle board & MDF manufacture. MUF is the glue used in the moisture resist boards & gives them that green tinge.

Other adhesives such as phenolics are used for certain sheet goods - this varies by the sheet manufacturer & product.

Phenolic resins are the strongest bond and are also waterproof. The polymer is thermosetting and has to be cured at elevated temperatures. The result is a permanent bond that can be exposed to heat, cold or wet conditions for a long time without deteriorating. This glue bond is used for the manufacture of structural plywood or film faced plywood. It is weather and boil proof (WBP) because phenolic resins have no melting point but only a decomposing point in the temperature zone of 220 °C.

Melamine-urea formaldehyde glue bond is waterproof but will deteriorate after several years of being exposed continuously to weather. Its curing process may be performed both at room temperature and higher temperature depending on the application and performance requirements. Generally, melamine adhesives give very good water resistance and light coloured glue line. The Melamine adds to the cost of the resin.

Urea-formaldehyde adhesives can only withstand occasional exposure to dampness, should not be used for structural applications or wet areas and are chosen for their fast curing and wide operating window. Desirable UF properties include hardness of the resin, low flammability, good thermal properties, absence of colour in the cured glueline and adaptability to a variety of curing conditions.

So far, it looks like Aerolite has been banned here in Australia (presumably because of its formaldehyde content). Cascamite is available here, but it seems that the formula may have been altered to reduce health concerns.

Panky
Are you able to advise which variant of Aerolite Woodies recommends?

Don

Sorry no they didn't state which one and I didn't realise there were different types. I bought Aerolite UP 4145 which is suitable for interior and exterior structural woodwork so I'm confident it will be fine.

Cascamite would be my preference. The formula may have been changed?? but Cascamite has always worked for me.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174821151211 ... BM_I_rj6Vg

Thanks gentlemen, for this glue information and history. I ran into a similar situation when researching leather treatment, when I learned that many of the commercial products of the 1950s, including Connolly's, have changed formula over the years, but the name didn't change, and customers weren't notified of the changes.
Tom M.