JB Weld

Feb 15, 2011 39 Replies

I picked up a an old carpenters toolbox recently from a Craigslist post because I saw a plane and a few braces in the picture.



Nothing much to speak of but there was a low angle block plane with a slight crack on the side. I put a little pressure on it to see if it was sturdy and it boroke off.



I don't have a low angle block plane so I thought I would fiddle with it and see if I can get it cutting; so what to do about the repair...



I'm not going to bother trying to find someone to weld cast or try and Braze it myself so epoxy is really the only option. If in the end it doesn't work all I'm really out is the cost of the epoxy and a few hours fiddling in the garage. The JB didn't even cost me anything so that isn't even a cost if I try JB Weld.



Does JB Weld really work when gluing metal together? Is there another epoxy that might work better?


It'll stick for a while and then fall out. Other than braze or weld, no way to fix it.

Duuno bout JB but epoxy and maybe a small screw or two if there is room.

From my somewhat limited experience, expoxies have a tensile strength in the 7,000 to 9,000 psi range. Mild steel starts at about 36,000 psi. I don't think the JB weld will work in this application. Just not strong enough to hold those parts together when stressed.

Pete Stanaitis

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Limp Arbor wrote:

Pre-heat with a rose-bud and TIG it with stainless steel wire. Or braze it. The stainless tig is by far the superior repair and you can make it almost totally dissapear

I'd just put it in a drawer until I could fix it properly. Personally, I'd bury it before I put JB Weld on it. Maybe you can find someone sympathetic to the cause who would do it cheap? The (gas) welding shouldn't take more than a few minutes to do. I go into a shop with only the part that needed to be welded in my mind looking for a "quick fix". Even if they offered to do it for free, I'd still give em a twenty.

Bill

oops, that should be in my "hand", not mind.

looking for a "quick fix".

I don't know where you are, but here in the SFBA you can usually pick up a low angle plane for $5 to $15. Any cash outlay is counter economic.

CP

As long as it's not a new one.

There's more to life than economics.

If the plane is actually valuable (meaning scarce):

50/50 silver/copper solder from the local jeweler's supply. Clean the joint with an acid pickle, apply borax flux, do the deed with a MAPP torch. Hope the casting doesn't warp if this is your first patient.

And waste $20 you could have spent on a user, low angle block plane on eBay.

No remorse over throwing the plane at hand in the trash can, huh? Don't worry, the government will print more twenties. They'll be worth less than they ever were.

Bill

>

Wut up wi de 'tude, dude? I it's a free fix, he retains the repaired plane -and- can spend the $20 on another one.

A six-pack is alway appreciated at the shop, so always drop one by when you request repairs. I give soda because I don't drink. If you give beer, drop it by at closing time so they can legally drink it.

Win/Win

-- The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. --Herbert Spencer

Sorry dude, no dis'n intended. I was just saddened man by that ahern hitting the bottom of the can (man). JBing-it sounds like such a not cool trip...not cool, not cool... Going down to shoot the ol' lady, cause I caught her messing roun' messing round town... Heyy Joe, where you going with that plane in your hand...

I could just stitch it back together...

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labor intensive repair.

The aluminum motor/gearbox casting in my old Ryobi 12-1/4" surface planer broke a couple of years ago. There was a small amount of metal still holding it in place and I did a very neat application of JB and it held together for a couple of months. The second time I cleaned up the original JB and applied it like peanut butter in and around the fracture. Still going strong.

RonB

Odd that they don't make a biscuit jointer for cast iron.

Around here metal gets recycled.

Evidently not a GALOOT. May as well save a trip and throw the plane in the trunk of your recyclable car. No disrespect intended, to you or the plane.

Bill

Well, is this from a fella offering to do it, or from one hoping to get it done for free?

I have a gas setup and a stick welder - no tig etc. and have some experience/training from Metal Shop in 1960 and some more in the seventies watching the guys in the Auto Body Shop and my pal John and a stretch where i manufactured the Bulletpruef Locksafe from steel plate and pipe using the stick welder.

And, in my limited experience, no job takes "a few minutes" when I'm working for a customer. Hell, it can tak thirty minutes just talking about what he wants!

And, time is money. And Electricity is money, and gas, and so on and so forth.

There is no free lunch at the Welder's Shop - save where the owner shares you last name or you've bedded his daughter.

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