"Best Metal to Metal glue?" Topic

I need some help from the experts. I'm currently using Super Glue Gel to glue metal flag poles to metal figs prior to priming. Unfortunately the darn flag poles keeping popping off. Suggestions on a better glue for metal to metal would be greatly appreciated!

A two part epoxy might be stronger than a cyanoacrylate. Maybe you could try Araldite or something similiar. That usually works for me.

Hi,

I usually use plain old cyanoacrylate to good effect. Sometimes I use an accelerant to harden it quicker.

I agree with Ace that it's hard to et much of a more secure bonding than with a two-part epoxy.

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Definitely Araldite or similar. Superglue gel is great for most things, and way less hassle than 2-part glues, but you can't beat a 2-part epoxy for robustness.

Dom.

Hmm, a consensus forming…. ;-)

I use Goop. It's a simple product, comes in tubes, just use a tooth pick or pin as your applicator. Rub against where you want it. It takes 24 hours to fully harden but holds flags in place within 5 minutes. I use it for Age of Marlbourgh flagbearers

I've used the two-part epoxy and it was pretty reliable (namely Devcon 5-minute epoxy), but has anyone used a product called E6000? We sell tubes of it at my work and most people that have used it swear by it.

Good topic question, Dave.

Sounds like it's time for a trip to the hardware store to look at some two-part Epoxy. Thanks for the input from everyone.

E6000 is a good craft adhesive and I use it to attach metal to wood but I would not recommend it for a metal to metal bond. It stays flexable when dry and can peal off of metal if the bonding area is small.

One suggestion for a better bond is to rough up the pole a bit before gluing so the cyanoacrylate or epoxy have a chance to get a better bite and thus a stronger hold.

I use a cyanoacrylate called Flex-zap II. Designed to withstands knocks that can so easily detatch weapons/flagpoles. It is made by Pacer Technology and is available in the UK and USA.

Here is a good mnemonic, direct from the company rep for Loctite. "Methyl" cyanocrylate/metal. methyl/metal methyl/metal…

Alas, the commercially available adhesinve never tlee you what's in the tube, methyl, ethyl or whatever.

Thanks for the tip, StarRanger.

I'll have to make a trip to the local Mom-n-Pop hardware store as well, as my Devcon has dried out.

I use a combination of both. The problem with any cyanoacrylate (methyl or otherwise) is that they have a poor tensile strength. The problem with epoxy is the longer setting times. As Justin correctly stated the 5 minute epoxy is weaker than normal epoxy (final set time of about 3 hours). Also with epoxy, the more bulk you use the stronger the bond is but this leads to messy joins. Fully hardened epoxy has great tensile strength so it will survive some bangs. I use a little drop of CA glue and a little drop of 2 part epoxy and this seems almost never breaks (never say never!). In my experience I find that broken spears and flags happen almost exclusively to those who only use CA glues.
Ralph

I'v been using Zap-a-Gap for years. and never had an issue with it. I use for metal to metal and metal to plastic. Almost anything non-pourous.

Actually Super Glue is stronger than epoxies, but it's strength is VERY dependant on surface finish, and it can be brittle. It also doesn't work well when there are large gaps to fill. Epoxies, while 'weaker', are more flexible and shock resistant.

To get the maximum strength from super glue:

Ensure all surfaces are clean of oil and dirt. Usually, when you washed the figures before painting, that is enough.

roughen all surfaces to be glue before gluing.

The above also helps ensure a strong epoxy bond…. :)

Man moons ago, I used to have a problem with pinned joints on large models coming apart. Well, I'd pull them apart, scrape the heck out of the sockets, and when I reglued them ( epoxy or superglue ), this second time, they'd stay together forever. Why? Because I was really really roughening up the surface while cleaning out the old adhesive. So for big models, really roughen up that join! Get a knife, and just score the joint like crazy.

If you are in the US go to any hardware store or auto parts store and pick up some "JB Weld." It's a 2 part glue made for bonding metal. It may be too much for minis but it works.

JB WELD!!! All the way.. but be ready for the part NEVER coming off. I used that stuff to fix an engine block on my car a long time ago…

JB WELD is the real deal, no joke…I fixed an exhaust manifold with it – talk about getting abuse. I've never used it for miniatures though.

For spears / flagpoles superglue should be fine, see tips above.

I like epoxy for big things.

Has anyone tried Gorilla Glue? This stuff is supposed to be pretty good, not require mixing and set quickly…

Loctite does some pretty spiffy superglue, it takes quite a long time to reach full strength. Holds in a few seconds but isn't fully secure for 48 hours. "Loctite 401".

The thing is there is a big difference between low grade and medium grade CA adhesive. The generic stuff is rubbish, Zap A Gap and Crazy Glue are better, and I tend to think Loctite 401 is a bit better again.