Can you recommend a “medium-speed” epoxy adhesive? (e.g. “30 minute” or “60 minute”)

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Can you recommend a “medium-speed” epoxy adhesive? (e.g. “30 minute” or “60 minute”)

Home Forums General Questions Can you recommend a “medium-speed” epoxy adhesive? (e.g. “30 minute” or “60 minute”)

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  • #580812
    John Smith 47
    Participant
      @johnsmith47

      Hello

      Can you suggest an epoxy adhesive that sets SLIGHTLY slower than the modern "5 minute" type of epoxies?

      I would like something that stays workable for say 15 to 30minutes… and then sets as fast as possible thereafter.

      Ideally, it should also be:
      – be transparent,
      – be 'general purpose' (able to bond to most plastics… such as ABS or PS, metals and woods)
      – be easy to clean up using a solvent (e.g. Isopropyl Alcohol) before setting
      – Must have reasonable rigidity and good strength.

      Background
      I find "5 minute" epoxy resin adhesives start setting far to quickly and I keep having to make additional small batches, but things like "Araldite Ultra Strong Adhesive Glue Blue Standard" stay repositionable for too long… technically for "80 minutes" and you can't move them (because they stay fragile) for 8 hours… and you can't really sand them for 14 hours.

      So I need something in the middle. Even a 10 minute setting time, rather than 5 minutes would help me quite a lot!

      J

       

      EDIT: I prefer separate tubes if possible, as I find them easier to dispense accurately.

      Edited By John Smith 47 on 17/01/2022 12:16:06

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      #28528
      John Smith 47
      Participant
        @johnsmith47
        #580814
        Brian Baker 2
        Participant
          @brianbaker2

          Greetings John, epoxy is used quite a lot for small boat repairs, so if you have a boat chandlers near you, it would be a good place to look, they usually sell quick & slow setting. The brand I use is SPX I think, will check that tomorrow when I next visit the boat. All epoxy is temperature sensitive, and should not be used below 10 degree C, and the slower the setting time of the type you select, the stronger the bond.

          Regards

          Brian B

          #580816
          JasonB
          Moderator
            @jasonb

            Not used any for a while but Zap make some decent ones though may be more than you want in teh two 4oz bottles

            Or Araldite Crystal has around a 20min working time

            Edited By JasonB on 17/01/2022 12:27:33

            #580819
            John Smith 47
            Participant
              @johnsmith47
              Posted by JasonB on 17/01/2022 12:21:24:

              Not used any for a while but Zap make some decent ones though may be more than you want in teh two 4oz bottles

              Or Araldite Crystal has around a 20min working time

              Edited By JasonB on 17/01/2022 12:27:33

              Zap looks promising. I need a faster supplier though. Yandles only seem to do 2nd class post.

              Araldite Crystal only claims to have a "4 minute working time"

              I don't know of any boat chandlers near me… But good suggestion.

               

              Edited By John Smith 47 on 17/01/2022 12:41:41

              #580823
              SillyOldDuffer
              Moderator
                @sillyoldduffer
                Posted by John Smith 47 on 17/01/2022 12:41:12:

                Posted by JasonB on 17/01/2022 12:21:24:
                ..

                Zap looks promising. I need a faster supplier though. Yandles only seem to do 2nd class post.

                Rejecting a glue because the supplier only does 2nd class post seems pretty daft to me! The requirement is tricky enough without adding non-technical obstacles.

                Focussing on what matters saves a lot of time and effort in engineering. Be careful – it's all too easy to be distracted by trivia and red herrings. Unless working to an important fixed deadline a short postal delay won't alter the price of fish. Impatience is a sin. It's never a good reason for doing anything.

                Dave

                #580826
                Ramon Wilson
                Participant
                  @ramonwilson3

                  I have used Zap epoxies for several years now. About the best available at the moment in reasonable small volumes but there are others.

                  An eBay search should get you a rapid supplier – I bought my last from 'Als Hobbies.

                  5, 15 and 30 min all available in 2oz and 4oz sizes

                  Tug

                  #580831
                  John Smith 47
                  Participant
                    @johnsmith47

                    To answer my own question, I have found this stuff:

                    "MID-CURE epoxy 15min (BSI203)" made by Bob Smith Industries (BSI)

                    http://www.align-trex.co.uk/bsi-epoxy-mid-cure-15min-128g-4-5oz-bsi203.html


                    …Which looks like a reasonable compromise. i.e. http://www.bsi-inc.co.uk/mid-cure-epoxy.html say allow "45 minutes before handling parts and 2 hours for full strength."
                    Amazon.com say it has a "15 minute working time"

                    Wait, the US parent website http://www.bsi-inc.co.uk/mid-cure-epoxy.html says
                    "MID-CURE can be worked for about 10 minutes, with adhesion beginning after about 15 minutes. Full cure in 2-3 hours."

                    In truth, a working time of only 10 minutes is still a BIT fast for me. However it is certainly much better than their "5 min" Quik-Cure™ Epoxy, which begins to set in 4 or 5 minutes, in my experience.

                    Zap sounds promising and will be top of my list if BSI is no good, but I needed the stuff TOMORROW and ran out of time for this decision. 

                    I already use BSI's 5 minute epoxy which I find excellent. I like its strength, clarity, range of materials it bond well with and plus the way unset surplus can be cleaned up with Isopropyl alcohol, but too fast for this application. 

                    I'll let you know how I get on with the BSI 15min Mid-Cure.

                    J

                    PS
                    FWIW, BSI also make a "30 minute Slow Cure", but I think that will be annoyingly slow "Full cure in 6-8 hours" but "cured epoxy reaches full strength within 24 hours". So realistically you can't touch it for a whole working day… :^(

                     

                    Edited By John Smith 47 on 17/01/2022 13:46:21

                    #580836
                    John Smith 47
                    Participant
                      @johnsmith47
                      Posted by Ramon Wilson on 17/01/2022 13:20:46:

                      I have used Zap epoxies for several years now. About the best available at the moment in reasonable small volumes but there are others.

                      An eBay search should get you a rapid supplier – I bought my last from 'Als Hobbies.

                      5, 15 and 30 min all available in 2oz and 4oz sizes

                      Tug

                      Noted. Thanks.

                      Personally I hate using eBay because of the difficulty of getting proper invoice out of anyone. And worse they have a mysterious way of sometime (but not always) archiving your purchases off their website after something painfully short like 3 months.

                      J

                      #580840
                      Nick Wheeler
                      Participant
                        @nickwheeler

                        You need to speak to the technical department of a glue manufacturer. It's just the sort of question they're for.

                        #580842
                        JasonB
                        Moderator
                          @jasonb

                          Order the Zap from here in the next hour and you will have it tomorrow

                          But I don't suppose you will want to pay the premium for fast delivery

                          Edited By JasonB on 17/01/2022 14:06:50

                          #580843
                          Joseph Noci 1
                          Participant
                            @josephnoci1

                            +1 for ZAP epoxies – I use it extensively building these…Works very well

                            rear_2007.jpg

                            #580844
                            Dalboy
                            Participant
                              @dalboy

                              +1 for Zap epoxy I use the 5 minute one but it is a good glue

                              #580845
                              Ramon Wilson
                              Participant
                                @ramonwilson3

                                John (Smith) I was not aware Bob Smith Industries glues were available in the UK. Their CA glues are well recommended in USA so would 'assume' (not always a good idea!) that their epoxy would be of a similar quality.

                                I'll certainly be ordering some epoxy and CA to try out and compare with the Zap

                                I usually search eBay mainly to see the variation in price of items – amazing sometimes the considerable differences in cost of some products – never had an issue with archived purchases either but each to his own

                                Thanks for that link

                                Tug

                                #580881
                                John Smith 47
                                Participant
                                  @johnsmith47

                                  Do any of you have experience of Zap's "Z-Poxy 30 Minute" epoxy resin adhesive?

                                  If it sets in 30 minutes, in practice what is it's working time…15 minutes?

                                  J

                                  PS Re buying from eBay, I need VAT invoices. And they seem to be the exception on eBay! Whereas on the dreaded eBay they are generally (albeit not always) automatic.

                                  Edited By John Smith 47 on 17/01/2022 16:36:05

                                  #580883
                                  Michael Gilligan
                                  Participant
                                    @michaelgilligan61133
                                    Posted by John Smith 47 on 17/01/2022 16:35:14:

                                    […]

                                    PS Re buying from eBay, I need VAT invoices. And they seem to be the exception on eBay! …

                                    .

                                    It’s none of my business, John … but I will ask anyway : For the trivial sum that you are [presumably] spending at this stage; do you really need a VAT invoice ?

                                    MichaelG.

                                    Edited By Michael Gilligan on 17/01/2022 16:48:57

                                    #580888
                                    ega
                                    Participant
                                      @ega

                                      Whatever happened to Araldite?

                                      I think they used to have a technical department which would advise on questions like this?

                                      What about the West brand, too?

                                      #580889
                                      Ramon Wilson
                                      Participant
                                        @ramonwilson3
                                        Posted by John Smith 47 on 17/01/2022 16:35:14:

                                        Do any of you have experience of Zap's "Z-Poxy 30 Minute" epoxy resin adhesive?

                                        If it sets in 30 minutes, in practice what is it's working time…15 minutes?

                                        J

                                        PS Re buying from eBay, I need VAT invoices. And they seem to be the exception on eBay! Whereas on the dreaded eBay they are generally (albeit not always) automatic.

                                        Edited By John Smith 47 on 17/01/2022 16:36:05

                                        Yes – Zap 30 min has around 25-30 mins work time depending on the ambient temperature. It my workshop – usually around 65C it will begin to gel after about 20mins. Once that begins there is little time left to work with.

                                        I find a good hour has to pass before handling it with safety but that of course depends on what the workpiece actually is.

                                        Tug

                                        #581037
                                        John Smith 47
                                        Participant
                                          @johnsmith47

                                          Zap Epoxy seems to have a lot fans here.
                                          Out of interest, what specifically is so good about Zap epoxy?
                                          e.g. Is it just it's bonding strength? Or ease of application…. or what?

                                          J

                                          #581038
                                          John Smith 47
                                          Participant
                                            @johnsmith47
                                            Posted by Michael Gilligan on 17/01/2022 16:44:56:

                                            Posted by John Smith 47 on 17/01/2022 16:35:14:

                                            […]

                                            PS Re buying from eBay, I need VAT invoices. And they seem to be the exception on eBay! …

                                            .

                                            It’s none of my business, John … but I will ask anyway : For the trivial sum that you are [presumably] spending at this stage; do you really need a VAT invoice ?

                                            MichaelG.

                                            It becomes particularly relevant when making larger purchases of course, but yes correct on both accounts thinking

                                            J

                                            #581042
                                            Michael Gilligan
                                            Participant
                                              @michaelgilligan61133
                                              Posted by John Smith 47 on 18/01/2022 15:35:13:

                                              .
                                              It becomes particularly relevant when making larger purchases of course, but yes correct on both accounts thinking

                                              .

                                              i.e.

                                              1. Yes … It’s none of my business, and
                                              2. Yes … You really need a VAT invoice for this trivial sum

                                              Oh well secret

                                              MichaelG.

                                              #581044
                                              SillyOldDuffer
                                              Moderator
                                                @sillyoldduffer
                                                Posted by Michael Gilligan on 18/01/2022 16:03:14:

                                                Posted by John Smith 47 on 18/01/2022 15:35:13:

                                                .

                                                1. Yes … You really need a VAT invoice for this trivial sum

                                                Oh well secret

                                                MichaelG.

                                                As John insisted on next day delivery, the courier fee must have been more than the cost of the glue. Perhaps the total isn't a trivial sum…

                                                Claiming back VAT means John's project is definitely a business operation. I don't mind, others might.

                                                Dave

                                                #581048
                                                Frances IoM
                                                Participant
                                                  @francesiom58905

                                                  I guess the value of free advice is zero unlike a paid consultancy those offering advice can’t be sued though to be honest I think it strains the ethos of the Message Board Forum.

                                                  #581053
                                                  Dave S
                                                  Participant
                                                    @daves59043

                                                    The benefits of free advice are that if it goes wrong the end user gets to keep all the broken bits…

                                                    #581057
                                                    pgk pgk
                                                    Participant
                                                      @pgkpgk17461

                                                      I used to buy my epoxy from 'HobbyKing' who stock 5,15,20 and 30 min versions. It was rarely used for anything critical but didn't let me down. I favoured the slowest set which I'd expect to give the stronger bond.

                                                      As for VAT.. When I was in business and having to do the returns, then it became a matter of determination to claim every possible last penny….

                                                      pgk

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