How to glue plastic using cold welding and which product to choose

Cold welding for plastic – polymer adhesive made of amine and epoxy resins with a mineral or metal filler. No heat required during use. It is an indispensable tool for repairing plastic parts that have cracked, split or a small piece has fallen off. After welding, the seam is not inferior in strength to a monolithic object.

Where is it used?

You can repair the connector of a household appliance, repair individual elements, eliminate defects and chips.

These properties are used for cosmetic and full repair of such products:

plastic heating pipes;
fishing rods, travel equipment;
plastic insulation on electrical wiring;
housings and accessories of household devices;
car bumpers, plastic interior elements;
garden, household or household utensils.

Advantages of cold welding

The glue is easy to use. Welding for plastic allows you to repair almost any item made of this material without the need for heat. The use of welding is possible at home, since you do not need welding equipment or additional knowledge.
Suitable for joining complex, fire and explosive structures.
After welding, a sealed, waterproof, high-strength seam is obtained.
The amount of waste is minimal.
Affordable price and availability of glue in many construction stores.
It does not require electricity to operate, so it can be used even in field conditions.
Good elasticity. The composition can connect parts subject to vibration loads, shear or rupture.
Withstands high temperatures. Universal mixtures – up to +260 °C, specialized – up to +1000 °C.

The consistency is:

Liquid welding. Packaged in vials, bottles or boxes.
Plasticine. Available in the form of an adhesive stick, cylindrical rod or tube. The outer layer is a hardener, and the inner layer is epoxy. To use the product, you need to cut off a piece of the tube, knead it with your fingers until you obtain a solid, homogeneous mass and apply it to the prepared surface.

The composition of the plastic welding agent is:

One-component. This liquid product has a consistency similar to office glue. It is used to connect small parts because it has weak adhesive ability.
Two-component. A more reliable solution. It consists of resin and hardener, which are mixed in equal proportions before use. Once the components are connected and a reaction begins between them, the user only has a few minutes to glue the plastic together.

Details

Advantages of liquid welding

During the process of joining parts, no heating will occur. The chemical process is taken as the basis, or rather, the adhesive composition begins to seep into the surfaces being joined, and after some time, hardens, thereby creating a monolithic seam. To carry out such work there is no need for expensive equipment and lengthy training. Successfully used in construction and industry, liquid welding for plastic products once found a niche in everyday life. Thanks to its incredible properties, its popularity, as well as its versatility and fast bonding, is growing every day.

We propose to consider some of the reasons due to which the popularity of the cold welding method will continue to grow:

It can always be found in special shopping centers, as well as in stores at affordable prices.
There is no need to have special skills or knowledge to apply.
There is no requirement for equipment that runs on electricity in the field.
Parts of the remaining structures and buildings can be connected even though they will be subject to shear or rupture.
Cold welding for plastic is perfect for working on almost all types of material.

One of the main advantages, along with the strength of the connection, is the absence of heating during operation, ease of use where special skills are not required, as well as the ability to carry out repairs on devices that have a high level of vibration from heavy loads. Moreover, the adhesive composition for plastic has an attractive cost, and welding, which does not require high temperatures, plays an incredibly important role during installation or repair, and especially if such work is carried out in a room with a high degree of explosion hazard.

Varieties and classification

Cold welding can be of two types - two-component and one-component. But according to its consistency, welding can be divided into plasticine-like and liquid. The latter contain a hardener and glue, and before direct use, both components should be thoroughly mixed. Plasticine-like ones can be either one-component or two-component. If the composition is of the second type, then the components will be mashed and mixed, which will cause a chemical reaction between them.

On the counter these days, cold welding can be found in three varieties:

In the form of a tube, the inner part of which is epoxy resin, and the outer part plays the role of a hardener. The way to work with such welding is to cut a small piece from the tube and start kneading it in your hands until you get a soft and homogeneous mass that is very reminiscent of plasticine. The homogeneity of a substance can be judged by the uniformity of color.
Two-component mixtures - filler and resin are in different containers, and before work they should be mixed until a homogeneous composition is obtained.
One-component - the composition will be immediately ready for use, and in appearance it strongly resembles a regular stationery adhesive composition. It can be considered universal because it is most used in everyday life, and it can also glue almost all types of plastics.

To speak about the area of application, or more precisely about the purpose, welding can be universal or highly specialized, dedicated to a specific material. For special welds, the strength will be much higher than for universal ones, but before starting work you will need to make sure what specific materials it is intended for, because otherwise the product may not give the expected effect. For example, gluing metal parts with a compound intended for plastic or wood will be completely ineffective. Most users are very interested in the temperature conditions that the adhesive composition can withstand. As a rule, all the information is indicated on the packaging, and usually for inexpensive universal products this indicator is approximately 2600 degrees, and for highly specialized expensive formulations this parameter will be 4 or even 5 times higher.

Instructions for use

The most important task before using the product is to thoroughly familiarize yourself with the safety measures.

You will need to protect your eyes from getting the adhesive composition underneath, and also avoid getting it on open areas of the skin. For this reason, you will need to wear protective gloves and goggles before starting work.
Keep the tube with cold welding on plastic away from animals and children.
The product should be stored in a dark place.
Please note that the adhesive composition should be as far as possible from food.

Please note that if you suddenly find that the composition inside the tube has become very hard, this can easily be eliminated by heating for 1/3 hour. For example, you can keep the tube in hot water to warm it up.

By the way, the cold welding process is extremely simple, and before gluing the surface on which the composition will be applied, everything should be treated with sandpaper to increase the degree of roughness, which will greatly influence the adhesion parameters of the plastic. Next, you should degrease such surfaces, and any solution containing alcohol is perfect for this. Cold welding will be distributed over the surface of the product, to which the second plastic part should be pressed. Within four minutes, the products will begin to adhere to each other, and after 15 minutes they will be completely connected with the required strength.

Selection rules

When choosing adhesive for plastic, you need to pay attention to the following criteria:

Operating temperature. If the item will be used in extreme conditions, the adhesive seam must withstand both high and low temperatures.
Permissible pressure on the seam. The indicator is indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer. If the glued plastic is subjected to higher loads than allowed by the instructions, the connection will break.
Freezing time. If the item needs to be repaired for a long time, the gluing mixture must have a long hardening time. For gluing small parts, 3-5 minutes per coupling is enough.
Release form. For gluing thin plastic elements, it is better to use a liquid substance, and it is more convenient to carry out rough work using thick plasticine-like welds.

Suitable brands

Poxipol. A two-component compound that resists shear and tear stress. Retains plasticity for 10 minutes, primary hardening occurs after 1 hour, and complete hardening occurs after 24 hours.
EDP. Can be used at temperatures of +20…+25 °C, and the temperature at which the created seam retains its characteristics is -60…+150 °C. The polymerization time of the composition is 30-60 minutes.
H.G. Can even be used underwater. It can be used to weld oil surfaces. Primary adhesion occurs in 5 minutes, the polymerization process takes place in 15 minutes, the seam acquires full strength in 1 hour. The resulting connection can withstand temperatures up to +204 °C.
EP380. Dries in 4 minutes and hardens in 15 minutes. The seam can be operated at +93 °C. Packaged in 14 ml containers.

Other brands that are especially popular are:

Instructions for use of cold welding for plastics

Cold welding adhesive for plastic has become indispensable in construction and repair. The convenience is that you don’t need any special equipment or skills for the job. High adhesive strength, can easily compete with other compounds. The advantage of cold welding is the absence of thermal effects on the plastic. The density of the treated surface is not of key importance and does not affect the quality of the connection.

Useful recommendations from leading experts

Choosing the most suitable brand of product is quite difficult due to the incredible variety of adhesive compositions in the form of cold welding, and it is very difficult to list all types. To make the right choice, you should start from the technical characteristics of the product. If you plan to use high-temperature welding, it is advisable to know this characteristic in advance. Sometimes it is even less than that of plastic, and this can greatly deteriorate the quality of work in the future.

So, let's look at useful recommendations for using plastic:

In order for the final result to be as good as possible, it is necessary to slightly warm up the plastic surfaces to be joined.
The second point follows from the first point, or rather, what you should remember about the following rule is that the higher the temperature, the faster the cold weld will harden, and because of this, the strength of the weld may be reduced. For this reason, before heating everything, it is recommended to think about how this will all be done. For example, using a hairdryer for this would not be a good idea.
In the case when all the parts that you plan to connect to each other are subject to a high degree of vibration, you should think about the fact that they need to be replaced with new ones. The fact is that there is a high probability that cold welding will not be able to withstand such loads. In addition, it is important to carefully approach the selection of the product, for example, use not a universal adhesive-sealant, but a specialized one that can withstand strong vibrations.
In addition, such a characteristic as the appearance of the welded joint will not be in the last place, because sometimes this can ruin the entire appearance. In this case, as in the third point, it may make sense to think about installing all new parts.
Through cold welding, you can carry out repair work on a wet surface, but this will require the use of a special composition that is not universal. This way, you can eliminate leaks in plastic pipes through which water moves under low pressure. But here you should remember that such welding will only be a temporary solution to the problem.
If we are talking about repairing a pipeline or even highways that are made of plastic pipes, then a reasonable solution would be to use a composition that can withstand constant contact with water.
If the welding begins to harden strongly, then before using it you should warm it up slightly, and for this you can use a hairdryer, or simply put the tube on the radiator/in direct sunlight, and 1/3 of an hour will be enough.

It will be equally important before purchasing to study the label on the packaging of cold welding plastic, which indicates the composition, date and instructions on how to work with them. Thus, you can conclude that cold welding is an ideal material that will help connect plastic parts without problems in our time. The process will be simple, the composition itself will be relatively inexpensive, but the most important thing is that when working with cold welding, you must comply with all the manufacturer’s requirements, which are specified in the instructions.

Application area

The rapid development of industry using plastic materials has provoked the popularity of cold welding adhesive.

Main areas of use:

Repair of plastic casings of technical products;
Alignment and gluing of car body parts;
Repair of fishing gear;
Setting up sewer systems;
Connecting plastic parts and assemblies.

Cold welding adhesive is used not only for joining plastic, it also firmly connects metal structures, wood, and other materials.

Types of cold welding for plastics

Manufacturers of this plastic gluing technique offer several types of cold welding for plastic:

A one-component composition, capable of gluing any type of plastic. It has the consistency of regular office glue. Often used in everyday life, it is considered universal.
Two-component. The name itself speaks for itself; it consists of resin and filler. For use, mix in equal parts.
Rod, produced in the form of a pencil with internal filler. Before use, it requires additional kneading until it becomes a homogeneous substance.

Based on consistency, they are divided into liquid and plasticine-like. They are used depending on the complexity of the work and the thickness of the weld.

Cold Welding Selection

Various manufacturers offer a wide range of this product. The choice of composition must be approached with special care, taking into account all the parameters of the materials being glued.

Temperature regime . When planning work under high thermal conditions, it is important to clarify the maximum temperature conditions that the glue will withstand. Standard - 200-260 degrees, depending on the brand. If you do not pay attention to the characteristics of the composition, malfunctions in the operation of the elements being repaired are possible.
Maximum loads . Assume acceptable standards of pressure force after using cold welding. Shear and tear data will help you avoid poor-quality connections and make the seams very strong.
Drying speed . For long-term repairs, slow-cooling adhesives are suitable - about 1 hour, and for quick repairs, cold welding of instant gluing is used - 3-10 minutes.
Consistency . Using a liquid composition, it is convenient to glue thin parts and the body of any equipment. Plasticine-shaped, designed for rougher work, leveling bumper surfaces, connecting heating and sewer systems, and rain drains.

Where to store and what is the composition of the fastening material?

First of all, cold welding comes in different degrees of thickness: pasty and liquid. Based on the nature of the action, they are divided into one- and two-component ones. The composition of glue for plastic includes the following components :

Epoxy resin. The basic element of glue, which is responsible for the uniformity and plasticity of the working mass.
Metal or mineral filler. An important component that gives strength during polymerization. Thanks to the metal component, the composition is called “cold welding” - the appearance of the joint resembles a weld seam from manual arc welding.
Fillers. The most common element is sulfur. The composition also includes other components responsible for product quality. Manufacturers keep them secret.

Manufacturers recommend storing cold welding in a dark and dry place out of reach of children and animals.

The optimal storage temperature depends on the manufacturer. If the product has dried during storage, you can try heating it at a temperature of 60-70 Cº. If the external properties of the product have not been restored within half an hour, it is not suitable for use.

Instructions for use

The durability and quality of bonding depends on proper preparation of surfaces. Instructions for use are written step-by-step by the manufacturer on the box or tube. To avoid skin damage, it is recommended to wear gloves. The execution sequence affects the quality of further work of the glued element.

Before applying cold welding, you need to rub the area of the damaged surface with fine sandpaper or a file. Degrease the area with solvent or acetone. Failure to do this procedure may cause a rupture.

Quickly apply a small layer of glue. The remaining composition cannot be reused, so first calculate the required amount. After application, you will need a tourniquet or a press for strength. After a few hours, the tourniquet or press can be removed and further work can be carried out.

The temperature conditions indoors or outdoors affect the welding time. The higher it is, the faster the material will dry.

Repair of ceramic products.

To repair ceramics, including, for example, a broken bathroom sink, many manufacturers offer cold welded ceramic compounds. As indicated in the characteristics of the adhesive, it quickly and reliably connects individual fragments of a damaged product, which after repair can be reused within their operating temperature range. The seam obtained at the joints of joined fragments perfectly withstands extreme temperatures and humidity. The material is easy to use and reliably covers chips and cracks in porcelain and earthenware products.

“Cold welding” of ceramic adhesive is usually performed in a rigid two-component version. It is just as ready to use as discussed above for radiator repair.

A possible difficulty in repair work on the restoration of shells and other ceramic products is that it is necessary to collect all or even the largest fragments of the product. It is from them that the “mosaic” will be put together, which will close the resulting gap.

If you plan to repair a crack with a pothole, then in preparation for the repair it is unacceptable to expand the damage in the ceramics (unlike repairing cracks in, say, walls or ceilings). With such attempts, the product may simply break. It will not be possible to get rid of a crack that is a thin line, since the glue simply has nothing to stick to, and the composition applied on top will not increase the strength of the product in any way.

So in this case, the parts to be glued do not require special processing or degreasing. However, in order to improve their adhesion, before gluing it is recommended to heat them to a temperature of approximately 40-50 degrees with a hair dryer.

After “cold welding” of the heated bonded surfaces, they are immediately connected to each other, since this glue hardens very quickly and, accordingly, loses its adhesive properties.

Once all the large parts are glued in place, the remaining "slots" of missing small parts are filled by "cold welding". Rough leveling of the surface is carried out - if possible.

All that remains is to wait until the glue has completely dried, and then treat the repaired area first with coarse sandpaper, then with fine sandpaper, and finally sand the surface.

If necessary, paint can be applied to the sanded area.

Useful tips

If contact with skin occurs while welding, it is necessary to immediately soap the area and rinse with cold water. Oil or any cream will help soften a possible burn.

The composition should be stored in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight; it hardens quickly in warm conditions. When drying or hardening, heat on any warm surface for half an hour.

To get a quick effect, exposing the area to be bonded with hot air, such as a hairdryer, will help.

When purchasing a product from an unknown manufacturer, study the composition and expiration date.

Cold welding adhesive for plastic, an indispensable product. It has a wide range of uses both in everyday life and on construction sites. Due to its high strength and ease of use, it is used in gluing plumbing fixtures, repairing bumpers, and any plastic products with different characteristics.

Selection and application of cold welding for plastic

Do not throw away plastic products if they break or crack. Cold welding for plastic will help return it to its original condition. In this case, nothing needs to be heated; the connection will occur due to the complex chemical composition of the mass.

Separately about specific cases

There are always difficult cases that you definitely need to know about. Below are a few of these situations and how to deal with them correctly.

PVC pipes

Heating structures or pipes through which water runs are often damaged. If they are made of plastic, they can be repaired using cold welding.

In such cases, manipulations to restore products occur as follows:

Remove all debris, moisture, etc. from the surface, thereby preparing the coating for further work.
Calculate how much the edge deviates. If the pipe structure has a diameter of 4 millimeters, then this deviation should not be more than 2 millimeters.
Apply dry adhesive to the damaged area. Secure the product with a special tourniquet.

This technique allows you to eliminate the leak only for a certain period of time. In addition to this, the method only works when everything was done correctly.

Typically, the method is used as a temporary repair to delay the replacement of pipes for some time.

Floor linoleum

This fabric can be glued using cold welding. In this case, the algorithm of actions is as follows:

Lay the pieces of the canvas so that they overlap by about 10 centimeters. Both elements are cut using a knife and a metal ruler.
Next, you should remove the remnants of the canvases that were cut off.
Peel back the linoleum. Here you will need tape that sticks on both sides, as well as a partner, with whom it will be easier to work. The product is glued to the floor, after which linoleum is laid on top.
Roll over the surface several times with a roller.
Wipe and dry the joints. Apply masking tape to the joints and also roll over it with a roller.
Cut the tape at the joint to make it easier to apply the glue.
Apply adhesive solution to the connecting parts. This must be done carefully so that the composition does not get on the surface of the linoleum.
Peel off the masking tape after 20 minutes.

If the composition is sufficiently thick, then all manipulations can be carried out without adhesive tape.

Types of cold welding for plastics

In terms of viscosity, the product is liquid, plasticine-like. The composition is produced in one-component or two-component form. Thus, the material is produced:

In the tube version, the outer layer of which is a hardener, the inner layer is epoxy mastic. The method of application is as follows: a small piece is cut from the tube, the size of which will cover the surface to be repaired, then the mass is kneaded by hand until soft and homogeneous.
In the two-component version, fillers and resins are produced in different containers. To obtain a working composition, they are mixed in equal proportions.
Liquid welding for plastic is one-component, the consistency is similar to silicate glue. It is used to connect small, lightweight structures, as it does not have powerful properties. At home it is used as a universal adhesive.

Suitable brands and selection rules

Cold welding for plastics is subject to less stringent conditions than welding for metal materials. The following brands have won leadership positions in the market:

Poxipol is a two-component universal compound used for joining parts of different structures. Produced in two tubes contained in a cardboard package. Suitable for outdoor use at low temperatures. But such conditions affect the hardening period.

The mass can be applied in varying thicknesses. At the same time, cold welding will not spread or wrinkle.

The composition does not contain solvents, so it is safe for the body and is used in residential areas. Application requires careful cleaning of the bonded surfaces.

Tytan is a cold welding, the base of which consists of epoxy resin with the addition of hardeners and plasticizers. Thanks to them, the hardening time is reduced to half an hour. The part can be put into operation within an hour. The operating temperature is -60 - +130 degrees, so Titanium welding is used for emergency repairs of devices and mechanisms that are designed to operate at elevated temperatures. Waterproof composition.
Mastix is a multicomponent composition consisting of epoxy polymer, plasticizer, filler, and hardeners. When applying a thin layer, hardening occurs in 7 minutes. Operating temperature -60 - +200 degrees. It efficiently glues not only plastic, but also metal elements.

Cold welding grades Moment Super Epoxy, Skol, Almaz, Secunda are also widely used.

When choosing a material, attention is paid to the operating temperature so that the weld can withstand bonding. If the work is intended to last for a long period of time, then it is better to buy a composition with a quick, strong setting, which will significantly reduce repair work.

Reviews

Andrey, Krasnodon: “I repaired the fuel tank myself. Imagine removing it from the car, floating it, and then soldering it for a long time - it’s all inconvenient. I climbed in, and there was a very thin hole, as if pierced with a needle, and the stream was like from a syringe. My friends tried to convince me that cold welding wouldn’t help, but I decided to try it because there was nothing to lose. After that, I drove calmly as before, and even when I sold the car, everything was in perfect order.”

Egor, Yeysk: “We used to constantly use excellent welding from, but now they have stopped delivering it to construction stores. But other products began to appear as replacements, and this is an obvious fake, although identical in appearance. Complete garbage, doesn't "weld" anything. But I learned that the real Almaz has now changed its name and is now Almaz-Press. The packaging also looks different, but the effect is the same as before – chic and shine. Now I’m ordering normal welding by mail and couldn’t be happier.”

How to use welding

When performing work, you must follow the instructions for cold welding for plastic. It provides the proportions for mixing the base with hardeners. The quality of adhesion depends on proper mixing.

The mixture should be applied to a thoroughly cleaned surface. Step by step use:

Mixing resin with components. The amount of kneaded mass should cover the glued area.
Carry out a thorough warm-up of the mass.

Kneading is carried out using moistened, thick rubber gloves.

When the mass has acquired a brown tint, it is applied to the area to be glued.
The elements are connected and fixed.
After 4 minutes setting will occur, after 15 minutes it will be firmly attached.

How to weld any plastic product at home?

Welding has long been widely used in industry, construction and everyday life. One of the most interesting inventions of man is cold welding for plastic; in everyday life, this invention greatly facilitates the repair of any household items. The invention of cold welding is a huge step forward in the field of repairing plastic products.

One of the most useful properties of cold welding is the ability to effortlessly glue a broken piece, seal a crack, and much more. At the same time, the joint is equivalent to plastic in strength and solidity. Thanks to these properties, many household items, after being repaired using cold welding, seem to be reborn and take on a new life, as their owners change their minds about throwing them away.

Where is it used?
Advantages of liquid welding
What types are there?
Instructions for use
Useful tips

Security measures

Cold welding for plastic does not contain solvents or other toxic compounds, so the seams after drying are absolutely safe for people.

Carrying out work requires compliance with safety measures:

Do not allow the mixture to come into contact with exposed skin. Use IZ means.
Work is carried out in well-ventilated areas with proper ventilation.
Welding seams should not come into contact with food.
If the mass gets on the skin or mucous membranes, immediate rinsing with water is required; in severe cases, consult a doctor.
When working, it is unacceptable to leave the material in a place exposed to direct sunlight.

Expert advice

Experts recommend performing plastic repairs with extreme precision and reliability when correcting problems with pipes. This process requires a water-resistant mixture that will withstand constant exposure to liquids. The surfaces must be dried before application, which will increase adhesion. When repairing a leak in a plastic water pipe, you need to understand that this repair is temporary and you need to think about a major repair of the breakdown.

If the part to be glued is constantly exposed to vibration, then an additional pad should be applied to the joint.

You should not buy material that has expired. This will significantly reduce the performance of the seam on plastic.

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