JB Weld
Daily Dirt Education Tools

JB Weld

jb weld ladies 3In the garage or on the trail, the hero for sticking things back together when duct tape just is not enough is J-B Weld.  It can be found in almost any shop and tool kit for good reason, it is an ultra-strong epoxy that helps broken or leaking parts.

History

J-B Weld is an international company based out of Atlanta, Georgia that is known for their flagship product of a high-temperature epoxy used to bond materials back together. Sam Bonham discovered a way to create a “tougher than steel” epoxy in 1969 while working in a truck service garage. Sam’s wife Mary persuaded him to found the J-B Weld Company, but then Sam suddenly died in 1989. Before his death, Sam told Mary that his life’s dream “is for J-B Weld to be all the way around the world, and for me to see an 18-wheeler load out of here with nothing but J-B Weld." Not even a full year after his death, Mary had opened a J-B Weld hub in London, internationalizing the company and putting them on the path to becoming the household name it is today. J-B Weld is proudly made in the USA and sold in every state in the United States and in 27 other countries around the world. Can you say girl power?!  More History Here

How It Works

jb weld ladies 3J-B Weld is known as a “cold weld” product and was developed to be an alternative option to torch welding. Through using a two-part epoxy system J-B Weld uses reactive chemistry to create the strongest bond possible. When you mix the two parts of J-B Weld together 1:1 (the hardener and the steel) it forms a putty that creates a cross woven pattern. The steel part is made up of an epoxy resin and very small fragments of metal that help achieve the cross woven pattern when hardened.  Once applied, it will set in 4-6 hours, and will be waterproof, petroleum, chemical, and acid resistant when fully cured in 16-24 hours. Once cured it can be shaped, tapped, filed, sanded and drilled and will withstand temperatures of up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit.

jb weld ladies 3J-B Weld has many different types of epoxy on the market today. From the product that made the brand famous “J-B Weld” to Kwikweld, Clearweld, Steelstik, and Marineweld there is a J-B Weld for every application. As off-roaders, J-B Weld Kwikweld is a great item to have in your trail bag. Kwikweld has a set time of just 6 minutes, with full hardening in 4-6 hours. This means you could patch a hole in a fuel tank, eat your lunch, come back and hit the trail again! Clearweld is a great option for around your house, have your kids ever come to you crying because one of their toys got stepped on and broke? Mix up some Clearweld and reattach that broken piece no problem! J-B Weld products all harden to be non-toxic as well so no worries if that toy ends up being a chew toy later! 


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Applications

J-B Weld has been used by mechanics to fix literally anything and everything. In early commercials from the company they even advertised J-B Weld fixing a cracked engine block! J-B Weld has the ability to withstand 550 degree heat allowing it to perform well on engines, although this is not recommended and is not a long-term solution. From patching holes in tranny-pans caused by pesky rocks to sealing cracked radiators, J-B Weld has become many off-roaders lifesaver in a tiny bottle. It is also great for household repairs, plumbing, marine applications, crafts and more.  Like always, a trail fix isn’t a final fix.  Be sure to reevaluate the challenge when back from your adventure and fix properly before your next trip.

Prep

In order for J-B Weld to have a successful bond, you will need a clean dry surface. J-B Weld also recommends roughing the surface up with a wire brush to give the epoxy a better surface to grab on to. When mixing the two parts of J-B Weld together it is handy to have a plastic cup, and a plastic knife or toothpicks on hand, keep in mind that once hardened J-B Weld will not wash off of surfaces, tools, or clothes.

What’s Next

So in Charlene’s Bower Power Hour famous question of “Duct tape or zip ties?” I think there should be a third option, Duct tape, zip-ties, or J-B Weld?  Time to put a bottle on your shopping list or add it to your Amazon Cart now.

 


Author:  Ladies Offroad Network Staff


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