Metal to Wood Bonding

This is a general discussion of Plymetal and its manufacture, i.e. its physical and structural properties, commercial applications, general adhesive requirements, methods of gluing, and specific adhesives for bonding metal to wood. Plymetal is a panel-type product consisting of thin metal sheets bonded in various constructions to thin sheets of wood or plywood. The composite product possesses some of the good qualities of both metal and wood, and at the same time minimizes some of the undesirable qualities of both. It has a high resistance to bending and buckling, high wear and abrasion resistance, high impact resistance, fire resistance, good painting surface, imperviousness to moisture, and generally good working characteristics. Plymetals have many possible commercial applications. They have been used to build bodies of railroad passenger cars and automotive delivery trucks. Plymetal constructions have application as doors for truck bodies, elevator cabs, walls of cabs, and various other types of doors. During World War II plymetals were used as containers for ammunition and powder where imperviousness to moisture was important. The first requirement of adhesives for plymetals is that the adhesives be capable of bonding dissimilar materials, i.e. metal and wood. The adhesives must be flexible and elastic enough to withstand thermal expansions of metal and dimensional changes of wood due to moisture content changes. Yet the adhesives must be strong enough to give the composite the required strength and stiffness. The bonding of metal to wood can be accomplished by either the cold-press or hot-press method. Specific adhesive types have been found suitable for each method of gluing plymetals. No one adhesive or type of adhesive can be considered adequate for all plymetal applications. It is necessary to choose one which fulfills economic and production requirements. In general, protein-latex type adhesives, rubber contact cements, and combination primer and cold-setting glues such as urea, resorcinol, and phenol-resorcinol adhesives, have been most satisfactory in cold-press operations. Resin-rubber combinations, dry film glues, and various thermoplastic-type adhesives have been used with the hot-press method.

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