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Bonding aluminum to aluminum

DavidR8

DavidR8

Scrap maker
Administrator
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Premium Member
The 1x42 grinder I bought on the weekend also has an 8" disk sander. Problem is the disk has a terrible wobble. I haven't dug into it yet but I suspect I may have to face the disk to get it flat. Problem is the disk is maybe an 1/8" thick.
Thinking that I might bond on another layer of aluminum maybe the same thickness.
Wondering what could be used to bond the two together. Thinking of CA but wondering if heat buildup from sanding/grinding on the disk would cause the bond to loosen.
 
Countersunk screws or stitch weld it (aluminium?) around the edge and then face it flat. It would only take 6-8 #10 screws to hold it together either thread the current base or bolt thru.
 
YotaBota said:
Countersunk screws or stitch weld it (aluminium?) around the edge and then face it flat. It would only take 6-8 #10 screws to hold it together either thread the current base or bolt thru.
Click to expand...
Good idea on the countersunk screws or bolts.
 
DavidR8 said:
The 1x42 grinder I bought on the weekend also has an 8" disk sander. Problem is the disk has a terrible wobble. I haven't dug into it yet but I suspect I may have to face the disk to get it flat. Problem is the disk is maybe an 1/8" thick.
Thinking that I might bond on another layer of aluminum maybe the same thickness..
Click to expand...

DavidR8 said:
Wondering what could be used to bond the two together. Thinking of CA but wondering if heat buildup from sanding/grinding on the disk would cause the bond to loosen.
Click to expand...

Glue will work just fine till it doesn't.

Can you just make one thicker plate?

Or maybe turn the old plate into an arbour for a new thicker plate?

I like the countersunk screws but assumed you couldn't do that.
 
Susquatch said:
Glue will work just fine till it doesn't.

Can you just make a thicker plate?

Or maybe turn the old plate into an arbour for a new thicker plate?

I like the countersunk screws but assumed you couldn't do that.
Click to expand...
I could make a new one but I'm hoping to rehab the old one enough to make it serviceable.
A new one would be easy as it's just a round plate on a hub. It looks cast now as the hub and plate are all one piece. Easy to make a new hub and bolt on a 1/4 plate and make that round.
 
Hey David,
Try this Weicon product . . .

Aluminium Minute Adhesive | liquid metal epoxy adhesive


Aluminium Minute Adhesive​

liquid metal epoxy adhesive​



Product number: 10051229
|
EAN:4024596061050

1 Set, aluminium 24 ml, aluminium
$22.55*
Content: 24 ml ($93.96* / 100 ml)
1 PCE 2 PCE 3 PCE 4 PCE
Add to shopping cart

Description​

aluminium-filled | pasty | gap-filling | fast-curing | high peel and impact strength
WEICON Aluminium Minute Adhesive is an odourless, two-component epoxy adhesive filled with aluminium. It cures fast at room temperature and practically without shrinkage. After curing, the adhesive can be machined (filing, drilling, milling). Aluminium Minute Adhesive is gap-filling and non-dripping (thixotropic) and shows very high tensile, impact and peel strength. The adhesive is particularly suitable for bonding aluminium and other light metals. It can be used for filling cracks and holes on aluminium housings, for example, and for repairing light alloy wheels. In order to achieve optimal adhesion, the bonding surfaces should be dry and free from grease or dirt. Scraping or sanding the surfaces before cleaning additionally improves adhesion.


Safety Data Sheet 105522 CA EN Aluminium Minute Adhesive Hardener
EN Technical Datasheet 10552024 Aluminium Minute Adhesive
Safety Data Sheet 105521 CA EN Aluminium Minute Adhesive Resin


 
LenVW said:
Hey David,
Try this Weicon product . . .

Aluminium Minute Adhesive | liquid metal epoxy adhesive


Aluminium Minute Adhesive​

liquid metal epoxy adhesive​



Product number: 10051229
|
EAN:4024596061050

1 Set, aluminium 24 ml, aluminium
$22.55*
Content: 24 ml ($93.96* / 100 ml)
1 PCE 2 PCE 3 PCE 4 PCE
Add to shopping cart




Description​

aluminium-filled | pasty | gap-filling | fast-curing | high peel and impact strength
WEICON Aluminium Minute Adhesive is an odourless, two-component epoxy adhesive filled with aluminium. It cures fast at room temperature and practically without shrinkage. After curing, the adhesive can be machined (filing, drilling, milling). Aluminium Minute Adhesive is gap-filling and non-dripping (thixotropic) and shows very high tensile, impact and peel strength. The adhesive is particularly suitable for bonding aluminium and other light metals. It can be used for filling cracks and holes on aluminium housings, for example, and for repairing light alloy wheels. In order to achieve optimal adhesion, the bonding surfaces should be dry and free from grease or dirt. Scraping or sanding the surfaces before cleaning additionally improves adhesion.


Safety Data Sheet 105522 CA EN Aluminium Minute Adhesive Hardener
EN Technical Datasheet 10552024 Aluminium Minute Adhesive
Safety Data Sheet 105521 CA EN Aluminium Minute Adhesive Resin
Click to expand...
+1

Aluminum racing cars (and high-end exotics) are held together with epoxy and see significantly higher stresses than the grinder disk will. In addition to keying both surfaces, drilling small holes in the existing disc will add bonding surface and help with rotational shear.
 
DavidR8 said:
The 1x42 grinder I bought on the weekend also has an 8" disk sander. Problem is the disk has a terrible wobble. I haven't dug into it yet but I suspect I may have to face the disk to get it flat. Problem is the disk is maybe an 1/8" thick.
Thinking that I might bond on another layer of aluminum maybe the same thickness.
Wondering what could be used to bond the two together. Thinking of CA but wondering if heat buildup from sanding/grinding on the disk would cause the bond to loosen.
Click to expand...
I don't think there would be enough heat generated to the disk to be a problem cuz your sandpaper disk will also loosen up if it gets that hot. However I think I'd be reluctant on crazy glue but rather opt for an epoxy or loctite if it had to be a glue job fix.
 
My approach would be to glue a piece of thin wood to the disk. A bit of bondo to make a 3 degree taper on the edge, fill the drive hole with wax and cast a replacement. Then once the replacement is mounted and functional melt down the old one. Properly recycled eh?
 
I've used this product. You just have to watch out for strength degradation at elevated temperature, although I have no idea if the disk becomes hot enough. The typical metric is called HDT. This link references 180F (82C), but I know I've pushed it much higher. Flathead screws with Loctite would my preferred option.

www.aircraftspruce.ca

Metal Set A4 Aluminum Filled Epoxy Adhesive | Aircraft Spruce Canada

Metal Set A4 Aluminum Filled Epoxy Adhesive Metalset A4® is a powerful epoxy adhesive that has been used for years by all branches of the U.S. Military as well as every major airline and auto manufacturer in the world.
www.aircraftspruce.ca www.aircraftspruce.ca
www.smooth-on.com

Metal‌set™ A4 Product Information

High performance epoxy adhesive
www.smooth-on.com www.smooth-on.com
1712625581728.png


The product in post #7 according to one of the links (120-150C)
1712625111096.png
 
There ARE quality epoxies out there that will serve your purpose. Do some reading on scratching the stuff in to the faces you are gluing (gets past the relatively weaker bonding to the oxide layer on the plate). Essentially, you 'wet sand' the surfaces with a relatively coarse paper using epoxy as the 'wet'. This serves both to roughen the surface, for more grip area, as well as expose the raw aluminum to the epoxy, without ever allowing it in contact with oxygen, thus you are not bonding to aluminum oxide surfaces.

We glued up and tensile tested some adhesives that were quite beyond the tensile strength of the aluminum that was bonded together, but that was done with some quite expensive adhesives, and a Hot Bonder machine to control the heat treatment that allowed those adhesives to set up at full strength... Not beyond home shop, but rather more involved, getting together the parts and systems needed...
 
As an aside, look for Structural Repair Panel adhesive at the Autoparts store.

This is the stuff the aluminum bodied Fords are held together with, and it is some pretty good chit! Starting to be a 'thing' in auto body, using glues rather than welding in panels.

Gonna be more expensive than five minute epoxy from the grocery store hardware selection, but, gonna actually work for what you want it to!
 
Thanks for all the great suggestions, I knew you'd have 'em.
I'll take it apart and see what I'm really dealing with.
 
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