Keep epoxy resin in your arsenal among other adhesives…

While we tout the versatility of epoxy resin – it does have its time and place. This wondrous adhesive has so many uses for bonding, coating and sealing; it’s meant to cure to a very resistant hard-surface coating. Used widely for craft creation, furniture building and repair and a host of do-it-yourself (DIY) projects; it’s good to also have other glues and adhesives on hand.

Day-to-day projects and repairs require the right tool for the job. And there are several factors to consider when choosing the correct adhesive including the type of project or repair, the materials involved and clamping, drying and (full) curing times. In ‘Choosing the Best Adhesive for the Job’ on DIY site instructables.com; adhesives that are good to have handy are broken down into three groups:

• Basic – Super Glue & All-purpose Glue
• Application Oriented – glues for wood & rubber, Hot Glue, Silicone & Epoxy Resin
• Specialty Adhesives – Plastic Cement & Gorilla Glue

Basic glues are inexpensive, dry quickly and are great for myriad small household repairs to fix a variety of objects. Some application-oriented glues are designed for specific uses like wood and rubber glues. Silicone is more of a sealant, for windows for instance, and remains flexible and is waterproof. Hot Glue is frequently used by crafters for a general-purpose adhesive. Epoxy resin provides a superior bond, is a great filler material, and also has the advantages of coating and sealing. Specialty adhesives are great for working with plastics.

Epoxy Resin Industries

Adhesives are available in many different types, and they aren’t all designed to bond to all materials. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, so it’s important to consider what your project(s) requirements are when applying adhesives. Epoxy resins, for instance, are frequently used in the creation of circuit boards for the computer and electronic industries. Other industry applications include aviation, automobile and marine sectors that require strong bonds, as well as moisture, chemical and impact resistance.

On a personal adhesive note; recently, a favorite pair of shoes became unglued, and a trip to the cobblers seemed in order. The family-owned local cobbler was closed over a holiday weekend, so I did some homework on what they would use for repair. Turns out shoe glue is available online – which provides a superior bond – but remains flexible. And voila! No cobbler or new pair of shoes needed!