Hi,

I have some thread lock which dries extremely hard, harder than epoxy for example. I have to mount a rectangular magnet to a flat metal strip. The magnet only has one hole in it for a screw with a recess so a flat head screw head comes out flush with the surface so the magnet has no trouble gripping onto steel surfaces which is what it ends up getting stuck to, and that holds the metal strip to the steel piece.

The only problem is that the magnet rotates slightly even though it is held down with a screw, and because it is just a single screw it can rotate around that screw, and there is no chance of using a second screw anywhere for various reasons. The screw can be tightened securely, but can not be tightened too much either or else it will crack the hard magnet. In the past i have used thread lock on the screw threads itself just to stop the screw+nut from becoming undone, but back then i actually wanted the magnet to rotate. Now i find that i need the magnet to NOT rotate at all.

The idea would be to use thread lock on the screw threads as before, but this time also use it on the bottom of the magnet so that the magnet would have a hard time turning once everything has had time to dry.

The question is, has anyone tried using Thread Lock of any kind or manufacturer for a purpose other than just locking threads? I ask because this stuff is different than something like glue or epoxy in that it does not air dry. The way i though it might dry would be because it is in such a thin area between the flat magnet and the flat steel strip.

So really i have to ask if anyone has used thread lock for any other purpose, and if so, how did it work out?

Note that i know there are other ways to try but i dont want to use say epoxy as that stuff will be too thin in this application and epoxy works best in thick applications.

 

We normally use a Retaining Compound for something like that.
http://na.henkel-adhesives.com/industrial/retaining-compound-14963.htm

 

Loctite comes in different forms, some intended for non removal to non-permanent.
There is also CyanoAcrylic OWKA Krazy Glue.
Depending on your application, also a couple of small screws either side to stop rotation, if the bottom could be drilled and tapped to take them.
Max.

 

The basic working principle of Loc-tite is that it will not air dry. It only hardens in a lack of air.
If there is any metal larger than the magnet, you could, "stake" the magnet into place.
Use a chisel to damage the metal in a way to turn up two projections right at opposite edges of the magnet.
Maybe use a prick punch to make 2 dimples in the back, which become 2 bulges in the front.

What's a good glue that loves metal and works thin?
JB Weld.
The consideration is that any glue that becomes hard becomes brittle.
How about a hot glue gun? That stuff doesn't get brittle.

 

The basic working principle of Loc-tite is that it will not air dry. It only hardens in a lack of air.
.

A lot depends on the # selected, 290 removable with hand tools or one of the permanent types, they have so many it is hard to keep up.
http://henkeladhesivesna.com/blog/the-difference-between-red-blue-green-and-purple-threadlockers/
I have come up against one that will strip the threads.
Max.

 

But it doesn't hold well under stress either. Like a magnet's pull kind of stress. It is good for holding fancy ribbons on craft projects though.

 

Al, see my answer at ETO.

 

We normally use a Retaining Compound for something like that.
http://na.henkel-adhesives.com/industrial/retaining-compound-14963.htm

Hi,

I didnt really want to buy anything else, but that stuff does look interesting so i'll have to look into it.

I cant use any more screws because there is no room and impossible to drill the magnet.
I might be able to Dremel some notches in the back though to allow the thread lock to have a better place to grip the magnet. It does not have to 'glue' the magnet on, it has a screw, it just has to keep it from rotating around that one screw after some mild tightening.

These magnets are brittle too so no banging of any kind allowed. They crack easy. I am sure a Dremel will dig into them a little though providing a rougher surface for some better grip.

Locktite makes a lot of stuff like this i see. The stuff i have comes from Harbor Freight and the high strength stuff works pretty good although it takes a while to dry. Too bad their high strength and medium strength stuff is the same color (red) so you dont know which type you have on there when you look at it years later unless you keep good notes

 

Personally, I'd feel more comfortable using JBWeld than relying on thread locker to do something it's not designed for. You could build up fillets around the magnet that would contribute to resistance to turning.

That said, red thread locker is pretty tough stuff once it sets. In the places I've run into it, if you don't heat it, it'll tear the threads off a bolt before it'll let go of them. You should have no trouble getting it to set under your magnet. How hard is it to give it a test?

 

Hi,

I didnt really want to buy anything else, but that stuff does look interesting so i'll have to look into it.

I cant use any more screws because there is no room and impossible to drill the magnet.
I might be able to Dremel some notches in the back though to allow the thread lock to have a better place to grip the magnet. It does not have to 'glue' the magnet on, it has a screw, it just has to keep it from rotating around that one screw after some mild tightening.

These magnets are brittle too so no banging of any kind allowed. They crack easy. I am sure a Dremel will dig into them a little though providing a rougher surface for some better grip.

Locktite makes a lot of stuff like this i see. The stuff i have comes from Harbor Freight and the high strength stuff works pretty good although it takes a while to dry. Too bad their high strength and medium strength stuff is the same color (red) so you dont know which type you have on there when you look at it years later unless you keep good notes

Stop at or call a local Fastenal. They usually have a pretty decent supply of fastening chemicals.

 

Have you tried this stuff? Does not cure hard but expands into a white foam.

 

Requires a source of moisture to cure full strength. I usually mist one side of the joint and apply the glue to the other. Clamp object in place otherwise the expanding glue joint will move it. There will be waste along the joint edges. Ths can usually be cut and/or sanded off. You do not need a lot of glue. a 10mil coverings is enough.

 

Have you tried this stuff? Does not cure hard but expands into a white foam.

That's good stuff but be careful of #4 gorilla glue 4

 

@nsaspook said:
That's good stuff but be careful of #4 gorilla glue 4.

No monkeying around with that stuff!

 

That's good stuff but be careful of #4 gorilla glue 4

Ha, ha!

Never heard about it until I goggled it.

Not from The Gorilla Glue Company.

https://cannabisnow.com/strain-review-gorilla-glue-4/

 

Have you tried this stuff? Does not cure hard but expands into a white foam.

The original brown stuff gets hard as a rock. Really tough stuff for the right applications.

 

Personally, I'd feel more comfortable using JBWeld than relying on thread locker to do something it's not designed for. You could build up fillets around the magnet that would contribute to resistance to turning.

That said, red thread locker is pretty tough stuff once it sets. In the places I've run into it, if you don't heat it, it'll tear the threads off a bolt before it'll let go of them. You should have no trouble getting it to set under your magnet. How hard is it to give it a test?

Hi,

Yeah i was thinking about testing it, but thought i would ask around first.

I now have a test setup where i have two magnets stuck together with high strength thread locker. I'll have to wait till tomorrow to see how it sets.

 

Stop at or call a local Fastenal. They usually have a pretty decent supply of fastening chemicals.

Hi,

We dont have one of those around here. I checked around, nobody carries it around here that i know of, just the thread locker.

 

Have you tried this stuff? Does not cure hard but expands into a white foam.

Hi,

I tried that stuff before, and both bottles dried up. First i had the brown one, that dried up, then i had the white one, that dried up. I dont like the way it foams either.

When i got the brown one i used it to glue a whole bunch of used AA batteries together. I should have taken a picture of that before i threw it out.

Just do not like the stuff at all.

Havnt tried the Gorilla "Tape" yet.

They stole the name from us anyway, back in the 80's we used to call a kind of glue "Gorilla Snot"

 

back in the 80's we used to call a kind of glue "Gorilla Snot"

The Gorilla Snot I'm familiar with wasn't a glue but a sealant, used it in sealing the joint of motorcycle engine cases. Where no gasket was used.

Think you guys have the wrong idea on thread lockers. They too are not adhesives as such and never found them to work in that situation. While called a locker, they do that by taking up the clearance between the threads. Threads have to have clearances to allow them to work. The thread locker does the same thing, but in a different way, as a lock washer.
Still say that what I said on ETO, the rear view mirror adhesive is the best bet. It comes in a small amount so no bottle sitting around unused going bad, and it's strong and made to bond metal.