..are as good. Forget about cheap dollar store epoxies, they have a high failure rate.
Which of these do you like better Gorilla Glue or JB Weld?
They did not carry the JBweld, time tested. If the GG fails it will be a catastrophic event 🤔
Which of these do you like better Gorilla Glue or JB Weld?
They did not carry the JBweld, time tested. If the GG fails it will be a catastrophic event 🤔
Most generic epoxy is extremely strong.
But depends on application if high shear strength is required.
or usually trade off fast curing time for less strength
aka " 5 minute epoxy"
Even lower rated epoxy around 2000 psi is more than fine for
most applications.
Some are as high around 4000 to 5000 psi if needed.
" JB weld" is very associated with automotive products.
I would assume there formula is designed to withstand higher heat
and have slower cure time for higher strength.
As opposed to "fast drying" epoxy with usually exchanges
fast dry time for less PSI strength.
The Gorilla Glue is rated 3300 psi at max 82 C
temperature or around 180 F
likely a normal everyday fast cure 5 min epoxy.
little stronger than most generic 5 min epoxy
good for usually around 2000 to 3000 PSI
JB weld has higher sheer strength 4730 psi
max temp 287 C or 550 F
so it handles higher heat, and more strength.
Only assume cure time would be slower
for faster cure times many manufactures can " oven cure"
to increase dry time/ increase production time.
Usually you bake at half the temp of max rating.
So this case 550 F max temp, you would likely heat cure
at pretty generic 250 to 300 F
as with many generic epoxy rated for 180 to 220 F
only designed to cure at room temp.
baking would make it very brittle, and max temp rating
doesn't allow fast cure baking methods
But depends on application if high shear strength is required.
or usually trade off fast curing time for less strength
aka " 5 minute epoxy"
Even lower rated epoxy around 2000 psi is more than fine for
most applications.
Some are as high around 4000 to 5000 psi if needed.
" JB weld" is very associated with automotive products.
I would assume there formula is designed to withstand higher heat
and have slower cure time for higher strength.
As opposed to "fast drying" epoxy with usually exchanges
fast dry time for less PSI strength.
The Gorilla Glue is rated 3300 psi at max 82 C
temperature or around 180 F
likely a normal everyday fast cure 5 min epoxy.
little stronger than most generic 5 min epoxy
good for usually around 2000 to 3000 PSI
JB weld has higher sheer strength 4730 psi
max temp 287 C or 550 F
so it handles higher heat, and more strength.
Only assume cure time would be slower
for faster cure times many manufactures can " oven cure"
to increase dry time/ increase production time.
Usually you bake at half the temp of max rating.
So this case 550 F max temp, you would likely heat cure
at pretty generic 250 to 300 F
as with many generic epoxy rated for 180 to 220 F
only designed to cure at room temp.
baking would make it very brittle, and max temp rating
doesn't allow fast cure baking methods
Last edited:
I had bad luck with the Gorilla Glue epoxy that I bought 2 months ago.
5 minute epoxy took 2 days to harden, date code Sept/2022.
I find that a lot of Dollar Store, supermarket retailers sell a lot of out of date
Epoxies. I usualy buy online and generaly get somthing fairly recent.
epoxies do go bad over time and more-so after opened.
And don't get me going on supermarket batteries, some times
10 year out of date!
5 minute epoxy took 2 days to harden, date code Sept/2022.
I find that a lot of Dollar Store, supermarket retailers sell a lot of out of date
Epoxies. I usualy buy online and generaly get somthing fairly recent.
epoxies do go bad over time and more-so after opened.
And don't get me going on supermarket batteries, some times
10 year out of date!
Last edited:
The 5-minute epoxies typically take quite a while (some up to 24 hours) to reach their full strength. The five minutes is the working time, i.e., the time it takes for the epoxy to turn to unworkable goo (but not quite hard).
Read the instructions before you buy the stuff. That's especially true of thermally conductive epoxies. Some of the slow cure types with working time of several hours requires baking to cure. The medium cure types usually harden at room temperature.
Tom
Read the instructions before you buy the stuff. That's especially true of thermally conductive epoxies. Some of the slow cure types with working time of several hours requires baking to cure. The medium cure types usually harden at room temperature.
Tom
Could be faulty product.
Or likely not enough hardener added.
One downfall of " auto" mixing ejectors
sometimes they dont squirt out in equal amounts.
Or likely not enough hardener added.
One downfall of " auto" mixing ejectors
sometimes they dont squirt out in equal amounts.
Probably a bigger cause of failure rather than adhesive make is joint preparation.
Make sure that you have grease-free clean surfaces.
Also, if at all possible, roughen the surfaces to give the epoxy something to grip.
Make sure that you have grease-free clean surfaces.
Also, if at all possible, roughen the surfaces to give the epoxy something to grip.
The last time I used it was to secure a keyring to a usb flash drive
A blob about the size of a nickle. After one day you could still make
an impression with your fingernail after 2, hard as a rock and still together today.
They were mixed equaly, it's easy when you mix large amounts.
I'v been using Epoxies for over 50 years and have only had problems
since 2020. The whole tube is gone now but every time I used it - 2 days.
Also I usualy think 5 minute epoxy is the mixing time.
A blob about the size of a nickle. After one day you could still make
an impression with your fingernail after 2, hard as a rock and still together today.
They were mixed equaly, it's easy when you mix large amounts.
I'v been using Epoxies for over 50 years and have only had problems
since 2020. The whole tube is gone now but every time I used it - 2 days.
Also I usualy think 5 minute epoxy is the mixing time.
Last edited:
I was building a little resistor splitter thing I put in a tin of altoids and decided to epoxy set the whole thing. Squished a whole tube of 5 minute epoxy in the tin. I discovered something I should have just known, the reaction is exothermic. Tin got quite warm, well hot. It also took days to finally set completely. I expect it to last way longer than me.
I've tested a lot of epoxies, unfortunately not the ones you can buy locally or in small quantities. General observation is that 5-minute types are invariably inferior. They have a distinctive smell and you usually know instantly if an epoxy is part of that family. JB Weld has a lot of different types now, but the original grey "steel" stuff is good under compression and lousy in tension. It's heavily filled so that's no surprise. I'd use it to fill a hole or build up an area, but not as an adhesive to actually hold stuff together. Still, if the stresses aren't too high, it will work and is an easily available known quantity. The clear longer cure epoxies like Devcon 2-ton are good, though that one is short at 30 minutes. For serious bonding you want a 24 hour epoxy, but with a heat cure at 60-80C for 3-4 hours. Though I haven't used it, something like West System 105 should get you into a more professional bonding system- https://www.westsystem.com/105-epoxy-resin/ Though they're heavily into the boating world, they sell into all sorts of industries. There's a lot of good info on that site.
You probably won't use Epo-tek unless you can find a moderate sized supply of one of their more popular resins like 301, or are willing to meet their minimum order quantity, but the info on their site is invaluable. https://www.epotek.com/ Read all the tech tips. Various scientific suppliers will have small quantities of their 353ND, but that's a very brittle epoxy with a high cure temperature. 301 and 730 are more general. It's too bad they don't have a small-quantity distributor.
A company not all that well known in the US is Araldite. Their "standard" would be a good choice for many things, but they also sell quick and other types- https://www.go-araldite.com/
As mentioned above, surface preparation is everything. There are many guides with reciepes for cleaning, but many are very hazardous. I tend to stick with abrasion to increase the surface area and give the epoxy something to physically grab onto, followed by a solvent wipe if oils or grease are present, then a detergent wash and rinse. Dry well. For most metal parts this gives good results and I've found that doing a solvent wipe last usually reduces the bond strength. For wood and composites you need to talk to a woodworker! Plastics can be tough and some are near impossible. Flame treating the surface can help, or plasma cleaning if you can find a way to do it.
There are some distributors like Ellsworth adhesive that can be helpful. Also know that Henkel has purchased Loctite and many previously independent epoxy companies, so a visit to their site can be a shortcut. There has also been a resin shortage, so many previously common epoxies have long lead-times or are unavailable.
You probably won't use Epo-tek unless you can find a moderate sized supply of one of their more popular resins like 301, or are willing to meet their minimum order quantity, but the info on their site is invaluable. https://www.epotek.com/ Read all the tech tips. Various scientific suppliers will have small quantities of their 353ND, but that's a very brittle epoxy with a high cure temperature. 301 and 730 are more general. It's too bad they don't have a small-quantity distributor.
A company not all that well known in the US is Araldite. Their "standard" would be a good choice for many things, but they also sell quick and other types- https://www.go-araldite.com/
As mentioned above, surface preparation is everything. There are many guides with reciepes for cleaning, but many are very hazardous. I tend to stick with abrasion to increase the surface area and give the epoxy something to physically grab onto, followed by a solvent wipe if oils or grease are present, then a detergent wash and rinse. Dry well. For most metal parts this gives good results and I've found that doing a solvent wipe last usually reduces the bond strength. For wood and composites you need to talk to a woodworker! Plastics can be tough and some are near impossible. Flame treating the surface can help, or plasma cleaning if you can find a way to do it.
There are some distributors like Ellsworth adhesive that can be helpful. Also know that Henkel has purchased Loctite and many previously independent epoxy companies, so a visit to their site can be a shortcut. There has also been a resin shortage, so many previously common epoxies have long lead-times or are unavailable.
I used the JB stuff to repair a 2 stroke engine case in my ATC. I used a cut up piece of a wrench for a patch. The under section between frame rails that holds the gear oil directly on the opposite side. I missed that rock while river crossing, that bit it right open.
It held up for years and still is as far as I know. The guy I sold the bike to is still using it as it was. Of course prep is as or most important. I cleaned it up good and scuffed it up before welding er' up.
There is a lot about epoxy to digest, right before dinner. I better get back to these.
It held up for years and still is as far as I know. The guy I sold the bike to is still using it as it was. Of course prep is as or most important. I cleaned it up good and scuffed it up before welding er' up.
There is a lot about epoxy to digest, right before dinner. I better get back to these.
If you epoxy seems to have gotten hard, don't throw it away!
Heat it for 20 minutes in an oven, with 70-80°C. The crystals that have formed will disapear and you can use it as new. You can repeat that serveral times if the components are keept clean and away from each other. I had large amounts of epoxy glue and it was useable even after 10 years!
Heat it for 20 minutes in an oven, with 70-80°C. The crystals that have formed will disapear and you can use it as new. You can repeat that serveral times if the components are keept clean and away from each other. I had large amounts of epoxy glue and it was useable even after 10 years!
JB Weld on a clean roughed surface has always worked for me. You can even machine it after it sets. They make a few types now even for plastic and wood, good stuff.
It largely depends on how you are using it whether a certain product will be more successful.
Machine shops will occasionally use Devcon, keep in mind it’s advertised as being a putty, not a miracle metal replacement.
I have had good luck with JB Weld on a car crankshaft, only to fill a damaged area where the seal rode. I wouldn’t use dollar store epoxy for anything much.
Machine shops will occasionally use Devcon, keep in mind it’s advertised as being a putty, not a miracle metal replacement.
I have had good luck with JB Weld on a car crankshaft, only to fill a damaged area where the seal rode. I wouldn’t use dollar store epoxy for anything much.
I waited, I decided to save the Gorilla Glue for another time. It has to build my confidence before I can trust it. It was all Rona had.
JB is trustworthy. I like the not so new cap to. It turns to lock so you won't find its fallen off at the bottom of the tool box.
I have had good luck with JB Weld on a car crankshaft, only to fill a damaged area where the seal rode. I wouldn’t use dollar store epoxy for anything much.
Good stuff.
LOL the first time I tried buck store epoxy it never even fully cured, after I equally blended it. I could make an indentation in it with a finger nail several weeks later. I was even able to remove it with some elbow grease.
JB is trustworthy. I like the not so new cap to. It turns to lock so you won't find its fallen off at the bottom of the tool box.
I have had good luck with JB Weld on a car crankshaft, only to fill a damaged area where the seal rode. I wouldn’t use dollar store epoxy for anything much.
Good stuff.
LOL the first time I tried buck store epoxy it never even fully cured, after I equally blended it. I could make an indentation in it with a finger nail several weeks later. I was even able to remove it with some elbow grease.
Last edited:
If you are looking for an epoxy that provides very high strength, reasonable working time and some flexibility after it is set (important for use on wood) the best I have found is West Systems G-Flex 650 epoxy. It isn't cheap at about $28 for a pair of 4oz (118ml) bottles but it has excellent shelf life, my basement shop stays at about 65F (18C) and I have had it remain useable for at least 4 years. It mixes to a medium amber color and consistency about like honey and the amber shade does get somewhat darker as the product ages. It has a pot life and working time of 45 minutes, cures solid in 3-4 hours and reaches working strength in 7-10 hours. I routinely use a 75W incandescent plant light about 4" (10cm) from the surface to raise temperature to about 150F (65C) which shortens the cure time to about 60 minutes.
That's called doing everything right! BTW, that 65C cure increases the strength beyond curing near to forever at room temperature. Also, the glass transition temperature of the epoxy (where it starts to get slightly rubbery) will never be higher than the highest cure temperature it saw, in fact the data sheet numbers will often be for a special cure cycle well beyond what you might normally do. For best results, do the light bulb or oven thing.
Around here at least, it's almost impossible to buy other than 5-minute or quick cure epoxy except for JB Weld. Nobody has any patience anymore.
Around here at least, it's almost impossible to buy other than 5-minute or quick cure epoxy except for JB Weld. Nobody has any patience anymore.
The temperature while curing makes sense, as with paints and other solvents. I also warm up silicones before applying.
I have no reason to believe semi translucent epoxies can not be brought to a high polish my standard methods? Performed after its fully cured.
Some project thats non related, I'd like to encase a coin in acrylic but that's not possible for me to do. But why not epoxy? Strictly for visual purposes.
I have no reason to believe semi translucent epoxies can not be brought to a high polish my standard methods? Performed after its fully cured.
Some project thats non related, I'd like to encase a coin in acrylic but that's not possible for me to do. But why not epoxy? Strictly for visual purposes.
I've often wondered if JB Weld Steel Reinforced Epoxy was a good plan for electronics work. Is it conductive?