I have a (cheap) garage door that has the metal frames/hinges connected to the actual metal door by some kind of glue. The glue on one part of the frame has broken off. What is a glue that is strong enough to hold 2 pieces of metal together? This is about a 1.5 foot length of metal that is about 1/4 inch wide. The garage door opener connects to this piece so there is quite a lot of push/pull and vibration, so it needs to be very well bonded.
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This-to-That recommends JB-weld or LePage's Metal Epoxy. I've never used either, personally.
The important thing for this is going to be surface prep and clamping, I would assume.
You might be able to use a CA glue (ie, "super glue"), but you'll need additional reinforcement to keep the bond from shearing (eg, glue then bolt it in place, but 1/4" is kinda narrow to bolt through; also, I have no idea what sort of clearance issues there might be if there are bolts sticking out)
Joe
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Instead of glue, do you know anyone with a welder that could weld the pieces together? I don't know of any glue that will dry that strong. I've tried several metal to metal epoxies and they don't hold up under much strain. If the garage door opener mechanism connects to the piece it's going to be put under a pretty hefty strain and I'd be wary of any type of glue. If that joint pops off it could be potentially bad. My advice would be to find a friend or local handyman with a welder.
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Thin steel garage doors ARE NOT WELDED. the material is too thin and the surface is stamped and not to be disrupted by spot welds or rivets. That said, in automotive body panels we don't weld them anymore we glue them with 3M 8815 panel bond. Other products will work too such as 08116. This stuff is stronger than a weld, holds up to vibration. Don't listen to the old nonsense by these non-engineering types. I built an entire metal frame building and used panel bond to hold the panels together. It easily handed a hurricane.
I have been building with composites since I was a kid. My Dad was a scientist that developed epoxy. So I have absolute faith in the new materials and composites. In fact, I see no reason why panel bond could not be used in place of welding of floor panels in cars. The bond would not leak would not fatigue with vibration and would not lose shape due to heat. I have built composites for car quarter panels rather than welding and they look perfect after twenty years. I have been doing this a long time. So go for it.
Tester101
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Lord Robot
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There are a number of adhesives on the market that will achieve a strong structural metal to metal (or metal to composite) bond. Methyl methacrylate (MMA) 2 part adhesives offer a range of varying characteristics suited to individual applications - viscosity, elongation/flexibility in cured material, colour, temperature and chemical resistance...
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"J-B Weld" original cold weld formula, should more then do the trick. It has a high strength rating of, I believe, 3960 PSI. You can buy it at Walmart even. For bigger jobs you may have to get the professional size which is 2-5oz tubes instead of 2-1oz tubes. Mix the two together following instructions and you will have an incredible bond. It can even be drilled or sanded afterwards if needed. The only caveat is that you really need to make sure the surfaces are clean and free of any dirt, rust, oils or any other foreign matter.
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Just had the same thing happen, middle support bracket (my brackets are 2 1/2" wide C channel) on the top panel has come "unglued" (yes, glue) on a 'middle of the road' 9' door. Tig welding this is out of the question as the weld would definitely show up on the front of the door and the support bracket is galvanized steel whereas the door is aluminum. Also to the keep the door light the aluminum is probably 24g and I would be concerned with the door distorting with the heat from the Tig. There is more stress on the top panel than the others but the majority of the weight of the door should be carried by the 48" (at least) wood bracket that mounts under the top inside lip of the door. The manufacturer does not supply the bracket, so you have to make it from a 2x4 and modify to fit the external panel design. As for the glue, I agree with the aircraft quality epoxy and prep the area well. Garage door company's sell it as just for this eventuality. You'd think they would do it right the first time but.....
IA guy
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