Aluminum can be bonded with general purpose adhesives for home and hobby applications, while specialized adhesives are needed for high strength and shear resistance. Proper surface preparation is crucial for successful bonding.
Aluminum materials can be bonded together or to other materials successfully using one of two types of aluminum adhesive. For general or hobby applications, a range of store-bought adhesives can be used, such as two-part epoxies and super glues. Projects that require an extremely strong or shear resistant bond will require the use of a specially formulated aluminum adhesive of the type commonly used in hi-tech applications, such as aerospace.
For home and hobin applications where great strength is not needed, general purpose adhesives can be used to bond aluminum to a variety of porous and non-porous materials such as wood, leather, ceramics, glass and plastics. The types of aluminum adhesives that work well in these applications include various two-part epoxies and any of the best quality cyanoacrylates or super glues.
For general applications where some flexibility is required, rubber or neoprene based adhesives can be used. Other flexible and medium-strength solutions are the available double-sided tapes. Users should keep in mind that the success of any of these adhesives in bonding aluminum depends on proper preparation of the material.
Aluminum bonding projects that require high tensile strength and shear strength characteristics require the use of more specialized adhesives designed specifically for use on metals such as aluminum. These aluminum adhesive products are commonly used in specialist areas, such as the aerospace industry, where welding or welding of aluminum is not practical. These products may be more difficult to purchase and will certainly be much more expensive than hardware store adhesives, but they provide far superior adhesion on aluminum materials. These stickers shouldn’t be needed if only moderate force is required.
The success of repairing or building aluminum with glue largely depends on the preparation of the surfaces to be glued. The aluminum surface, in particular, requires extra care before an aluminum adhesive will adhere properly. The surface should be thoroughly cleaned with a mild soapy solution to remove all dust and dirt and, once dry, degreased with ethyl alcohol. When degreasing aluminum, the surface should only be wiped in one direction to prevent the grease from spreading back over the surface.
Once the surface is clean, it needs to be lightly roughened with fine sandpaper to create a good “key” for the adhesive. All metal dust should then be washed off with water and the surface dried thoroughly. Once this is done, the adhesive can be applied and allowed to cure according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
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