JB Weld, how's this stuff work?

[SirPeale]

Bought some JB Weld @ the hardware store the other day to fix the joystick on my Galaxian project.

First time I used it, it was hard-ish, but kind of gummy, and broke.  I scraped it all off and tried again.

This time it came out with the consistency of chewing gum.

I'm obviously doing something wrong, but what?  Far as I can see I'm mixing it in the right consistency.

[2600]

After you apply it, how long are you letting it sit?  You are suppose to let it sit for like 16 hours.

[IG-88]

I've used the stuff for years and swear by it. In fact one of my old girlfriends in high school had her car repaired by a "shady tree mechanic" who used it to repair a crack in the engine block of her car that was leaking water into the oil like mad. We all said it would give out in a few weeks and she had better not go to far with it. Damn thing ran like that for 3 YRS! (untill I wrecked it anyway   )

I have heard that if the tubes go thru a hard freeze before mixing that it losses its effectiveness, but I don't have any experience with that.

Try a new batch, it's hard to "mess up the mix" so to speak

[mp2526]

I tried to use it once to fix cracks that were leaking out exhuast on my headers, but it burned off almost instantly after driving my car.  Other than that it's pretty handy and unbreakable when it sets properly.

[SirPeale]

I let it sit for a couple days, actually.  Had the consistency of chewing gum.

[SirPoonga]

did you follow the instructions correctly?  JB Weld is some strong stuff.  I used it to repair my car door handle that came off.  My handle is still on after 3 years of slamming the door shut.

[SirPeale]

Sure!  It says to make sure the surface is clean.  Mix the two tubes in equal proportions (as equal as I could get it, anyway) and apply.  Wait several hours before use.  I waited a couple days.  It wa'nt gettin' any better.

I'll try it again tomorrow, and double check my measurements.

[nipsmg]

Peale:

Don't feel bad.  Every time I've tried the stuff it never worked either.  There are people who SWEAR by it and tell me it's solved so many problems, but I've never gotten to stuff to hold.  I did the same thing.. cleaned off the surfaces (well), mixed in equal proportions, it came out like chewing gum, then eventually (read: days later) kind of dried but was weak and flaky.. i pulled it all off by hand and scraped off the rest w. my nail.

who knows *shrug*  

--Nipsmg

[Safron]

I use the stuff for everything.
It is almost indestructible, although I have had a tube or two that were bad. JBWeld has a money back guarantee, though.
It sounds like you didn't let it "set up" long enough before applying it.

Here is a link to the JBWeld site which reflects the way I set it up.
http://www.jbweld.com/instruction1.html

[SirPeale]

I let it set up for like 20 minutes, then let it sit for a couple days.  I think I got the mixture wrong.

[Kremmit]

There's more than one JB Weld.  
http://www.jbweld.com/products.html
I've got no experience with most of these, but I've used this stuff (curiously missing from the page above):
http://www.usahardware.com/inet/shop/item/06260/icn/20-937151/j_b_weld/82675.htm
It comes as two different colors of putty, wrapped in the same tube- just tear off a hunk, and mash it up 'til it's all the same color, let set overnight.  I fixed a cracked flyback with it, it's still working fine.  I rolled some up in a little ball, it came out rock hard.

Heck, it starts off the consistency of chewing gum!  

[SirPeale]

This is my stuff:

http://www.jbweld.com/coldweld.html

I did it again last night.  Haven't checked it yet, though; kinda scared to.  

[SirPeale]

I needn't have been scared.  Last night I was *very* careful to make the amounts of stuff as equal as possible.

Just checked it, and it's solid as a rock!  All right!  Galaxian lives again!