Gluing Brass??

[ron]

Hi Everybody
I did a bit of experimenting with gluing brass using Araldite Rapid and thick superglue and I haven't been very impressed with the results. I was going to use this method to make the side tanks for Simplex but I now have my doubts, anyone tried adhesives on brass or can suggest alternatives as I would prefer not to solder them.
Ron

[circlip]

Once got Araldite to stick to Brass on the exhaust system of a model aero engine, but the brass had to be chemically clean and free from oxides (abraded and wiped with thinners) and use SLOW setting Araldite, not the 5mins or rapid varieties. I wouldn't rely on it for construction over solder, but OK for caulking if bits are clean. Regards Ian.

[teakfreak]

I built a Sweet Pea saddle tank using brass no-slot round head screws and nuts (cheats rivets!) then sealed it by pouring in some liquid fibreglass and swirling it around to seal the joints. It worked a treat, but I think you do need some mechanical fastening rather than just relying on the glue. Is that any help?

[mutley]

rivet and use Araldite as the selant, it runs quite well when warm. Whats wrong with soldering them

Andy

[jackrae]

About 45 years ago I glued a homemade brass gearbox to a 3/8" plate glass window on my father's trawler (to drive a spinning rain window). This was done using epoxy resin in the days when us apprentices were supposed to be impressed by hearing it was used to stick wings on aircraft.

To clean both surfaces I simply used Vim !

Eventually we scrapped the idea and I decided to try an knock the gearbox off with a hammer. It simply refused to budge and in the end the window shattered and there was a perfect square of glass left stuck to the gearbox.

So, brass can be glued with epoxy and if properly done, will stick like **** to a blanket.

I'd suggest scouring the glue faces with some emery to provide a key.

Jack

[Tony K]

Apr 21, 2008 20:06:32 GMT jackrae said:

To clean both surfaces I simply used Vim!
So, brass can be glued with epoxy and if properly done, will stick like **** to a blanket.
Jack

Vim - well there's a thing from the past. For the younger element....
Vim is the name of a range of household cleaning products produced by Lever Brothers. Vim scouring powder was one of the first products created by William Lever and produced at Port Sunlight near Liverpool. The name Vim remained solely associated with the scouring powder until 1993 when a range of associated products was released.
The name of the brand was probably chosen as a reference to the colloquial noun vim, meaning force, energy, vigour.

Then there was the rival Ajax of course - which is perhaps what Jack means - "sticks like Ajax to a blanket".

I'm not a great lover of glue of any kind I'm afraid - it is expensive, always purports to do wonders and mostly lets you down.
Mechanical or solder for me, possibly implemented with vigour and vim.

[Shawki Shlemon]

HI
I rivet mine and sweat the joints, by applying flux and using gas heat gently from outside and feeding the soft solder wire from inside , it is easy and seals the joint and make the product rigid and strong .Avoid local overheating . You will never use any other method .

[ron]

Hi Shawki
I might give your method a try then as I was going to rivet it together anyway, I like the look of rivets on the platework. What do you use for flux, Bakers or similar?
Ron

[ilvaporista]

I'n not sure on it's long term use but I was in a fix a few weeks back to hold some brass parts together for location purposes. As the hot melt glue gun was turned on and lying locally I used a couple of dabs 'just to hold it in place'.

A couple of weeks later I went back to the job and it took a good whack with a 2lb hammer to break the bond...

The parts were fairly clean form the previous operation but nothing special.

[Shawki Shlemon]

Hi Ron
Bakers is fine , that is what I use . I like the look of rivets too .

[paul]

Apr 23, 2008 7:22:32 GMT Tony K said:

Vim - well there's a thing from the past.

OFF TOPIC:
"1001 cleans a big big carpet, for less than half a crown"
Timeless classic.

[mmaidnz]

If you really wanted to glue brass,I would use contact cement.
Just clean both surfaces with vigour and vim,and let glue sit for 20 minutes before joining.Just make sure the bits are positioned properly,you don't get a second chance!

[steammadman]

glue tanks on an engine ?
what are you a ticky tacky engineer ?