One of the most common types of adhesives used in bonding is the medium-viscosity structural epoxy. This type of adhesive is generally used in its warm state. Therefore, one needs to warm it to 60 degrees Celsius before applying it to the bonding surface. Warming the adhesive makes it easier to gun to the surface since it flows out of the tube easily. The static mixing tube used for application depends on the amount of epoxy that one needs to apply. For large quantities of epoxy, a larger diameter should be used for faster application. In such cases, one may have to cut off the tapered end that contains a small exit hole. Cutting the tip off enlarges the diameter of the hole hence making application easier.
Structural epoxy is not only used to bond machine components but also fiberglass rebar to wooden structures. In such a case, one should follow the following tips to ensure a perfect finish. First things first, hole boring should be done. The diameter of the holes should be ¼ - 3/8 inches larger than the diameter of the rebar. They should be half an inch deeper than the length of the rebar. The holes should be cleaned thoroughly using compressed air or a vacuum cleaner.
Once the holes have been drilled, the rebar pieces should be fitted inside to verify whether the joint could still form without necessarily compressing them. The next step is filling the holes with epoxy to 65%. The rest of the space should be left void. Filling should be done carefully to avoid formation of air pockets within the adhesive. The rebar pieces are then inserted in the holes by twisting. If too much structural epoxy flows out of the hole, less epoxy should be used in the next hole. The pieces should then be left to cure.