Adhesive for Mother of Pearl

[MikeMilnarik]

Hello Everyone,

What's a good adhesive to use to replace a mother of pearl on a valve button? Super glue overkill or will damage the MoP?

Thanks in advance!

Mike Milnarik

[Sousaswag]

I think superglue should work just fine if you put a dab right in the center. Just don't go overkill! If you put too much I think it would ooze out the sides when you push it down.

[cambrook]

Sousaweg is right - and it won't damage the MoP.

[MikeMilnarik]

Thank you, Everyone!! I appreciate your help!

MSM

[Mark Horne]

I have used a thin layer of silicone glue to hold pearls. This to allow them to be pried off without damaging the pearls or the piston caps.

[bigtubby]

For this application I use a very small dab of Weldwood contact cement (used to bond formica to counter tops). It is pliable, virtually permanent and easily available in big box stores.

For MOP inlays in stringed instrument fingerboards I use alpha cyanoacrylate mixed with extremely fine ebony or rosewood dust.

[Art Hovey]

A small dab of "Goop" works well. It's strong type of rubber cement sold in hardware stores. Comes in a tube like toothpaste, with labels like "plumber's Goop", and "Automotive Goop". (They are all the same.) I used it on one of the Bohm & Meinl pistons on my helicon about 20 years ago and it is still holding.
Super glue is too brittle, as Bloke mentioned. The pearl and the brass have different expansion coefficients, so you need an adhesive with a little bit of give,

[MikeMilnarik]

One of my concerns was if it needs to be removed down the road, due to being cracked, etc and wasn't sure if the super glue would make it difficult to remove. All this information is very helpful!

Thank you, ALL!

MSM