compounded in an intensive mixer such as a banbury or extruder where a rubber based adhesive is utilized the rubber compounds are introduced in pellet slab liquid or solid e g flakes powders etc form then heated and mixed until they are melted and substantially homogeneous other ingredients are added to the blend tank as specified in the formulation including any tackifying agents viscosity modifiers antioxidants or the like the final mixture is thick but smooth enough to be pumped to a holding tank connected to the coating equipment at step 206 the adhesive and the backing layer 101 are combined using sophisticated coating equipment in one embodiment the adhesive is softened by heat on a roller mill a roller mill typically consists of closely spaced hollow rollers made of heavy gauge stainless steel the rollers are attached to high torque gears and a motor and are rotated at a predetermined speed the temperature of the rollers is continuously regulated by pumping water through the center of the rollers in one embodiment a top roller is held at a temperature between about 230 u00b0 f and about 290 u00b0 f and a center roller is maintained between about 80 u00b0 f.