PR / AL tometal adhesives?

[DurocShark]

I'm still new to the casting world. But after three triesuse?and as many failures I thought I had better ask...

My Pentel pencils are made without any brass tubes. But I want a segmented design with one of my cast blanks and some aluminum. CA doesn't hold, nor does epoxy. Both will give during turning.

Am I stuck with having to cast my segments in the blank? Or is there something else I can u

 

[Ankrom Exotics]

See if you can get your hands on some Methylene Chloride. It's a very thin plastics adhesive that literally welds your joints together. Not sure if it will necessarily work with the plastics in question but when it works it works good.

 

[DurocShark]

But will that bond the plastic to aluminum?

 

[Grim Spirit]

Methylene Chloride is not, in itself, a bonding agent. It is a solvent. It literally melts (welds) plastics together. I don't think it would be effective on aluminum. You'd probably get SOME kind of initial bond, but I doubt it would hold.

Please be careful if you choose to use it. Methylene Chloride is highly volatile and is an inhalation hazard (ain't most solvents?). It will give you a decent chemical burn, and is considered a carcinogenic.

The Material Safety Data Sheet for Methylene Chloride states that it will corrode aluminum.

Only use in a well ventilated area.

Sorry, but the Chemist in me just has to be let out at times.

 

[DurocShark]

No worries. I used to make acrylic aquaria. I'm familiar with bonding solvents. But I've never tried to bond to metals.

Thanks!

 

[Draken]

I'd try Weld Bond, seems to hold everything I've tried gluing up so far. Don't recall having tried metal to PR yet but from what I've seen so far, I'd expect it to hold. I find it at Ace Hardware or Tru Value stores, as it isn't in the big box stores (at least around me).

Let us know how it works out.

 

[Glass Scratcher]

What is the source for your aluminum? Sheet stock or drink cans? If drink cans you need to sand the coatings off the aluminum for adhesives to stick well.

 

[DurocShark]

Sheet stock. And I sand with 120g both the aluminum and the plastic to make sure I have some tooth.

 

[its_virgil]

But using a brass tube is a possibility and then the segments will be glued to the tube and the joints may hold better. I also understand if you don't want to use a brass tube.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

My Pentel pencils are made without any brass tubes.

 

[DurocShark]

Agreed. I was just trying to avoid using tubes if possible. But if it must be, it must be.

 

[marcruby]

What epoxy are you using? The long setting (24hrs) varieties hae a lot more structural strength than the 5 minute stuff.

Marc

 

[DurocShark]

Mine *is* 5 minute epoxy. I wonder if my 24 hr epoxy, or even JBWeld might do better.