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Many years ago when I first started flying RC airplanes I was able to buy rubber-bands to attach top mounted wings to the fuselage that were made of surgical rubber (the yellowish near translucent rubber) They were much stronger and did not decay as fast as the light brown rubber that is used on most heavy duty rubber-bands today.

Any way I have just set up a new binding station and want to getaway from using tape and CA. and go back to an open time adheasive like fish glue. I am having a hard time finding rubber-bands that are really up to the task for more than one or two usages. I am hopping to find a supplier of bands made from surgical rubber rather than the cheap rubber that most heavey duty rubber-bands seam to be made of these days.

Anyone have a link?

never mind surgical grade was a bit of a miss-nomer but I found what I was looking for

I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but here is a source of surgical elastic latex tubing.

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Actually it is not surgical rubber that I was looking for but rather a UV treated natural rubber and thicker than normal. the standard #62 and #64 rubber bands are only .04 thick the ones I was looking for are .08 thick and are referred to as high load industrial. available in synthetic or natural rubber and non-UV treated or treated. Come to find out the near translucent ones I was thinking of are treated with silicon so I think maybe I will for go them

i would recommend avoiding anything treated with silicone. you may find some silicone transference problems down the track.

lee valley has something similar.
i've been using it for about 2 years now without any problems.



Udi.

As i am just finishing therapy for a herniated disc in my neck, i have been using resistance bands for strength training. They come in a few different elasticity levels and you can buy them in bulk lengths. I wonder if these would be any good?

http://www.nefitco.com/theraband_tubing.html

Michael,
I went to the local Rubber and Gasket Supply and bought about 60 ft. of neoprene rubber 1/8" X 2". I've never used it but I keep it in a cabinet out of the sun. Also I don't know if theres any silicone in it. It splices great with CA. The supply house cut it to my specs from a big roll. I plan on using it this spring.

René

I bought a chunk of it from woodcraft. Sure beats go -bars for gluing back on.

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Naaaa not even close

I thought a surgical rubber was the glove that the doctor put on when he....oh, nevermind.

Just a word of warning - I got some 4" wide exersize banding when I hurt my shoulder and thought it would work well for wrapping binding. The color (yellow) leached onto my top and was very difficult to get rid of.

Steve Brown

Michael I didnt read through ALL the posts,,, but I actually use surgical tubing.. as part of a medical apparatus due to my being paralysed..
I get it regularily from my local pharmacy.... I get a box of 40' for $26.00
You can get it in different lengths, wall thickness', and I.D/O.D.
Hope this helps - its very durable stuff!
Cheers
Charlie

Thanks Charlie. i was actuall looking specificly for rubberbans made from the same translucent rubber as surgical tubing. not surgical tubing. Years ago when I first started flying RC airplans there was a manufacture that sold rubberbans as I described. The were much stonger and much more uv resistant than the ones you find at hobby store these days. I found several boxes of them at a local RC hobbiest house so I am good to go. they are still made by the way but I forget the name of the company. I will look at the box when I get home. the are also used in scuba harpon guns. Some use tube some use these rubberbands.

Michael. Surgical rubber isn't the same any more. It used to contain latex which gave it such good properties. Now with so many people with latex allergies, it has almost been banned in the OR.

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com