I sell adhesives, but I’m amazed at the sheer number of applications that I find.  Just recently, I was searching for a hollow wall anchor for a wall-climbing setup that a group of volunteers is building at Christ the King School.  When I called my trusted source for anchors and fasteners, he recommended an epoxied-in threaded rod method.  Hmm.  It’s easy, very solid, doesn’t require high-tech or costly equipment, and just as important… it’s low cost.

The idea is very simple:  Drill a 5/8” hole that’s 1” deep into the masonry wall (avoid the grouted areas if possible).  Make sure to remove all of the dust from your drilled hole using compressed air for best results.   Fill the hole halfway with epoxy (we’d recommend Adhesive Systems MP 5405NS Maximum Performance 2 part epoxy), insert the threaded rod piece.  In this case, we’re using 2 1/2” lengths of threaded rod, so that they’re flush with the 2x4 we’re attaching to the wall.  Wiggle the threaded rod around in the epoxied hole to make sure that the epoxy fills up the threads, and evenly fills the hole.  You’ll have to work fairly quickly, as this epoxy sets in only 3-5 minutes.  Allow the epoxy to cure for about 30 minutes to ensure that it’s solid (though it only really takes 5-10 minutes).. and attach the panels to the wall.  EASY!

Still not convinced this is a good solution?  We tested it!

We took a cinder block, and drilled a 5/8” x 1” deep hole.  Once the glue had cured for an hour, we subjected it to the most destructive of testing methods.  We hit the exposed threaded rod section with a hammer!  Our intent was to see how many hits it would take to break either the bolt, the cinderblock or the adhesive.  This was a lot of fun, except that nothing broke! 

With at least 10 solid blows to the exposed threaded rod, all we managed to do was destroy the threads, and bend the 1/2” diameter threaded rod. The epoxy held firmly in place.  Awesome stuff!

Want to learn more about possible applications for your project? Use our Contact Form to reach us!  We’re here to help!

On January 25, 2010, Winnipeg was hit with a blast of Arctic air, along with a LOT of snow, most which seemed to settle on or around our office.  NO PROBLEM!  We have our handy Toro snow blower to help dig us out! This machine’s been with the company so long, it has more seniority than 60% of our staff, so it’s not entirely surprising to find some of the parts on this machine are wearing out.

While in the process of cleaning our tiny parking lot, I noticed the chute (where the snow is ejected from the machine) was wobbling around, and about to fall off.  Upon further inspection, I discovered that the chute is attached to a sort of welded flange.  This flange is welded to the main body of the snow blower, and after years of use a section of the flange had broken off.

Peter, our Salesman and resident adhesives expert suggested we glue it back together.  So that’s what we did!  After all, we stand behind our adhesives, right?

So we took a few minutes to discuss the details of our application:  Will this MP55310 bond metal to metal?  Turns out it’s not necessarily bonding “metal” to “metal”, since these are painted parts.  We did NOT remove the paint, so technically this is a ‘paint to paint’ bond.  Stay tuned for an upcoming article on “What Are You REALLY Bonding” for some good information on adhesives.

Anyway, back to the story.   e gathered the materials we needed to make our repair:

• MP55310 Methacrylate Adhesive from ASI®
• Manual Dispensing gun
• Short Mixing Tube
• C-clamps
• disposable putty knife
• plastic gloves
• disposable shop rags/paper towels for cleanup

We removed the chute from the snow blower to allow easy access to the flange.  We used a wire brush to clean around the flange and particularly the damaged area from any loose debris or dirt.  We then positioned the flange section and began applying the adhesive all around the chute opening, making sure to fill the break completely.

Once the glue was applied, I used a putty knife to smooth out the adhesive on the underside of the flange (and to remove any excess).  After 30 minutes, the adhesive was already beginning to cure.

AND THE RESULTS…

The very next day, I re-assembled the machine, fired it up, and moved a mountain of snow in –30C temperature.  The glue had been curing for just over 18 hours, and it held fast.

Want to know how our repair is holding up? Want to try this on your own?  Use our Contact Form and ask for an update or for some product information.

UPDATE!  - March 19, 2010

Well, the snow is almost gone now but we’ve had two major snowfalls since this article was posted.  I’m proud to say that the repair is holding up beautifully!  No signs of loosening of the bonded parts, no flexing, bending, chipping or peeling.  It’s a sight to behold!

In fact, today we had some visitors come to the office to see for themselves!  Yup, they heard that we’d repaired our snowblower’s discharge chute with glue, and they just had to see it with their own eyes.  They were amazed!

So there you have it.  You CAN repair painted metal parts with a methacrylate adhesive from ASI.  Awesome stuff.

Understandably, most people don’t associate these two things together: “The Golden Boy”, the aptly named statue that adorns our Manitoba Legislature and “adhesives”.  You may recall that about 4 years ago the Golden Boy was temporarily removed from his perch so that repair crews could repair some weather damage that he’d been suffering, while also taking the opportunity to repair the footing on which he stands.

Mike, a good customer of ours and owner of Oakwood Industries (manufacturer of some of the world’s best trailers, by the way) was fortunate to be involved in the delicate handling of the iconic statue as he (the statue, not Mike) came down from his perch in a custom made lift cage.  Very cool stuff.  Mike happened to mention that many of the bricks in the structure of the legislature were being replaced at the same time and that the builders were using adhesives to make sure the new bricks stayed in place.  While I was surprised to hear this, it made perfect sense!  What a great idea!

With advancements in adhesives these days, there’s no reason why you can’t use glue to replace bricks in a building.  There’s less and less reason to use screws or bolts in utility trailers anymore!  It’s hard to believe because we’re all so accustomed to a certain way of doing things, but it’s time to start thinking outside the box.  Architects and Engineers are always looking for better, lighter, simpler, more accessible technologies to design buildings, cars, buses, RV’s and all of the things we use every day.  Adhesives are rapidly becoming the tool of choice where quick, dependable and invisible fastening is required.

If you use screws or bolts in your products, or if you’d like to explore new manufacturing processes that speed up production and reduce assembly cost, we can help.  Call us at 1-800-318-1119, and our adhesives specialist will be happy to discuss your needs.