Realistically, can you epoxy metals together?

M

MT Borg

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Jun 14, 2007
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I know the package says you can epoxy metals together, but in real life does it work on a knife.

What I want to do is to epoxy a brass liner (.030 maybe bigger) to 1095 and have it extend well past bone scales. I will have 2 pins and a lanyard hole liner, but am concerned if the brass was to extend say 1" beyond the front of the scales, would it eventually separate away from the knife.

Thanks for any replies.
 
If you want to epoxy 2 metals together, in general, its best to sandblast both surfaces. Clean them well and dont touch them afterward. Clean with acetone or similar. High quality epoxy will bond to steel with a tensile strength of 5000 psi or more, IFF the prep is right and the epoxy is properly prepared.
 
why not use JB Weld that is a metal-to-metal epoxy (although it dries grey)
 
( why it is so helluva hard to post a simple quick reply?)

Copper-based alloys are unfortunately known to be demanding to bond with adhesives. I have tried and failed many times. It could be a different thing if it is possible to actually encapsulate the brass and carbon steel, however I'd go for mechanical fastening first. Then solder if you find both the suitable flux and low temp hard solder for both your brass and 1095. The adhesive solution comes here last.

The reason why I have failed with adhesives has been always the same: I have failed to determine the both environmental elements and the mechanical dynamics.

I actually Can formulate epoxies, vinyl esters, polyesters and polyurethanes for rather demanding composite laminates which end up exposed to both elements and dynamical stresses (well, not for extremely high heat or extreme chemical stresses though in this forum).

***

Is it possible to insert here an Excel/OpenOffice worksheet for calculating everyman's homemade multi-component epoxy formulates, of course from known factory raw materials (resins, adducts and curing agents)?


Anyway, here is Momentive's (ex-Hexion, ex-Resolutions Performance Products, ex-Shell) Starting Formulations Handbook. http://www.momentive.com/Products/StartingFormulations.aspx?id=610
Quite a many of these recipes seem to be about 20+ years old, from Shell era. Which is a good thing. For example Epon/Epikote 828 is truly an industrial standard.

Hmm, for Epon/Epikote 8111, the nominal EEW is formally measured to be around 330 or so. In reality, the practical EEW in many formulations is about 140, even as an additive. That acrylic acid reactivity indeed seems to do the trick. 8111 is often good stuff for awkward bonding situations for humane temperatures, also maybe for a bit colder temps, too (formulations curing below zero and underwater, etc etc).

Heloxy 505, a castor oil based epoxide. One really nice wetting agent to include in adhesive and coating formulations for humane temperatures. After curing it adds up in both flexibility and water resisivity. Highly recommended on my behalf.
 
If you prep the surfaces well yes. I've fixed cracked engine blocks on three occasions in old 50s Chevy trucks with high heat epoxy just that same way.
 
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