# whats the strongest glue for gluing 2 metal pieces together **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 20, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881 "2003-04-20T18:22:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Calculus_of_Logic)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/1 "2003-04-20T18:22:05Z")
I’m guessing welding would work better but i can’t really do that. Is it epoxy? methylmethacrylate? ---
**Author:** ![Blueapple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Blueapple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blueapple)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/2 "2003-04-20T18:27:57Z")
[This to That](http://www.thistothat.com/) ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/3 "2003-04-20T18:28:58Z")
JB Weld is a great product ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/4 "2003-04-20T18:33:00Z")
I’ve used [JB Weld](http://www.jbweld.net/), and it’s good stuff. It’s a two-part epoxy with excellent thermal and mechanical properties. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/5 "2003-04-20T18:35:03Z")
I’ll third the JB Weld suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/6 "2003-04-20T18:56:03Z")
It would really help to know the type of metal and what the size and shapes are you’re trying to join. The best method for joining thin sheet metal may not be the best for joining castings. Also that JB weld is some good stuff. Perticularly good where you have a poor fit with gaps where cyanoacrilate works poorly. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/7 "2003-04-20T19:00:39Z")
Also, depending on the type(s) of metals to be joined, brazing might be a good option. The equipment is inexpensive, just a propane torch and the appropriate flux-coated brazing rods. The process is a lot like soldering, only at higher temps. ---
**Author:** ![scm1001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/8 "2003-04-20T19:44:31Z")
If you have two very flat surfaces superglue if good - remember the ads lifting an elephant?. Wouldn’t recomend it in any aggresive enviroments (solvents, high temperature, vibration) ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/9 "2003-04-20T20:12:35Z")
- - - Ehhh… if I remember right, “regular” superglue is water-soluable. It’s ust a household glue: the label warns that it’s not for bonding anything that will be immersed in water regularly, and atmospheric moisture eventually destroys it. ```auto - 50%-50% epoxy is the strongest glue around I know of, but you have to get it mixed *perfectly* or it's crap. Get the double-syringe dispensers, and squirt down a long bead on a disposable surface, and then "cut away" the last inch of the ends and only mix&use what's in the middle. The reason to do this is that when you first begin squirting it down. both parts may not have started coming out the dispenser at the same time. ~ ``` ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/10 "2003-04-20T21:18:59Z")
I’ve used this stuff called “Automotive Goop” before…it seems to work well. Don’t think its for high-stress environments though. Oh, it also comes in Plumbers Goop and and I believe Plastic Goop variaties. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/11 "2003-04-20T22:08:41Z")
Another vote for JB Weld. It is widely used among the gun crowd. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Calculus_of_Logic)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/12 "2003-04-20T22:14:57Z")
I got some JB Weld today. The box says it is about 3960 psi, which is almost 2x as strong as the other steel epoxy they were selling (2500 psi). ---
**Author:** ![hegel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cab0a1/32.png) [@hegel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hegel)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/13 "2003-04-20T22:30:59Z")
Super glue is no good on metal. Go with JBweld. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/14 "2003-04-20T23:35:37Z")
If you’re trying to glue two pieces of metal together, you should also think about **surface preparation** before applying the glue. If the surfaces are smooth, you may want to roughen them up with sandpaper. An even better idea is to drill a bunch of small, shallow holes in each surface. In addition to increasing the surface area, the holes will fill with glue and make the entire interface much stronger… ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/15 "2003-04-21T04:36:34Z")
If the metal happens to be steel, a Lincoln arc welder and some 5/32 rod would make a serious bond. ---
**Author:** ![brdrcolle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@brdrcolle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brdrcolle)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/16 "2003-04-21T05:30:26Z")
I have never gotten the epoxy putties to work like the sample in the store (often a bit of pipe stuck to a pop bottle). Why this is I do not know, but hope springs eternal and I have tried it maybe every year with different brands. All work for about 1 day after the clamps come off. At first I assumed I hadn’t kneaded enough, or got an old batch, or it was a damp day. Now I just think they aren’t as good as they claim and the sample must be done some other way, like in an oven. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-strongest-glue-for-gluing-2-metal-pieces-together/169881/17 "2003-04-21T05:51:00Z")
If it’s steel, I think you’re better off with welding or brazing. If you can’t do it yourself, muffler shops can do it for minimal cost.