If you’re designing jewellery, mending a silver picture frame, making metal furniture or repairing your car, you will need to join two pieces of metal together. Sometimes welding or soldering is not the right choice, particularly for small projects, so metal adhesives can be the answer. It is not as simple as gluing paper or wood, so here are five top tips on using metal adhesives.
Clean and Prepare Surfaces
Whatever type of adhesive you use, it will not stick properly if the surface is greasy, rusty or dirty. Some metals are treated with oils or rust-proof solutions which can affect the bond, so cleaning thoroughly first is essential.
Rough it up
Now that it is clean, you do not want the surface to be too smooth as it is harder for the adhesive to stick. If the metal is painted, it should be stripped before it is cleaned. Otherwise roughen the surface with either a sandblaster, wire brush, emery paper or glass paper. This gives the pieces some texture so they have something to grip on to.
Choose the Right Adhesive
Depending on the metal being used, you will need to find the correct metal adhesives. Among those available are polyurethane (known for its strength and flexibility), epoxy (which can form strong bonds and also fill in gaps) and acrylic (suitable for outdoor use as it can withstand water and extreme weather). Please visit http://www.ct1ltd.com/en/metal-to-metal-adhesive.html to see a range of different sealants and adhesives.
Read the Small Print
Now that you are ready to start sticking the metals together, it’s time to sit down and go through the instructions. Each type of adhesive will have different instructions on how they should be used and how long they take to dry. Some might even need to be mixed with another element, so it’s always important to carefully read the instructions and follow them precisely.
Put the Pressure on
Sticking metals together needs a bit more force than gluing porous materials such as paper or wood. You will need to use some pressure to make sure they bond as strongly as possible. You can use a clamp or vise to hold them together and try to keep them clamped for as long as possible to allow the adhesive to dry.