There are many different types of adhesives, and they are all supposed to stick very well. But how strong are they really? Professionals use apparatus which clamps test strips that have been glued together and slowly pulls them apart. A machine then measures the force needed to tear the glue joint apart. This measuring principle can be reproduced by hanging progressively heavier weights on a glued test strip until the glue joint tears.
How strong is my glue?
You will need
- Strong paper (e.g. folder dividers) for test strips or smaller wooden sticks
- Glue
- Duct tape for reinforcement
- Hooks
- Cord
- Empty PET bottles as weights
- Construction materials for frame (or broomstick placed over 2 chairs)
- Scissors
Let’s get started!
1. Cut the strips
Take a piece of paper and draw a 5-cm-wide strip with a ruler. Cut out the strip.
2. Glue the loop
Make a loop with the strip and glue the bottom end with your glue, leaving a length of approx. 6 cm hanging down.
3. Reinforce the loop
Reinforce the bottom end with duct tape by gluing two layers around the bottom. Do not glue over the glue line. Carefully poke a hole through the bottom end. The hole should be at least 2-3 cm from the bottom edge.
4. Setup
Put a hook through the hole and hang the loop on a round rod. This could also be a broomstick, for example.
5. Test
Hang weights on the hook until the glue joint breaks.
How many bottles can you hang from them? And how much do they weigh?
