3M 8115 Panel Bond Adhesive - UK suppliers or alternative products?

[gasket999]

Hi folks.

I have a job that will not lend itself to a welded repair and is an ideal candidate for a panel bond adhesive. An aluminium patch on classic car - which needs a continuous seam (so spots won't do) and it would take a particularly skilled Tig welder and machine to do the job - I don't have access to either.

A little research points directly towards 3M's 8115 Panel Bond adhesive which looks to be an extremely impressive product with good reviews from insurers, OEM, Nascar and hot/street rod builders.

I'm having a little difficulty getting hold of it in the UK as 3M UK don't carry it in stock. I've found the odd supplier online and there's a few tubes on eBay but the main problem is the applicator, its an odd tandem 200ml caulking gun - see here.

The best I can come up with is buying one from the US, which I could have delivered for around £55 all in. Given that that means my first tube of bonding adhesive is going to cost around £85 by the time I've got the glue and the tube, I think I should consider some alternatives.

Does anyone know of a similar, well respected panel bond which is marketed in the UK? I'd need one specific for aircraft or automotive applications that dries without shrinking and can be sanded (so no sealant-type adhesives). I'd also need the applicator if necessary. I'll be sticking aluminium to aluminium and perhaps aluminium to steel for another job if it works well.

I'm sure Loctite used to do one years ago that was used (at the time) by Aston Martin and Lotus but I can't find it. I really don;t want an ordinary Nomorenils type adhesive as it would not cut the mustard.

Any help is gratefully received.

 

[gasket999]

Might have found a bit on this myself...

went onto the thatcham site and it lets you search through their list of approved repair tools/materials - one of which is panel bonds. See here for the results.

3 come up:

1. 3M 08115
2. Betamate TM 2098
3. and... Terokal 5055 (which is now a Loctite product)

 

[rtbcomp]

Is there anything in the Sikaflex range that will do the job?

 

[Cobs]

I had exactly the same dilemma with an aluminium (Birmabright) rear tub from a Series 3 Landrover. I needed to splice in some repair panels where the aluminium had corroded and also fix some new strengtheneing ribs which were originally spot welded. I ended up using Loctite Hysol 3425 toughened structural adhesive which I got from RS components.

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/structural-adhesives/4589535/

You also need a two part adhesive gun part no 503-379. it's the grey one in the link.
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/applicator-guns-accessories/0503379/?searchTerm=503-379&relevancy-data=636F3D3126696E3D4931384E525353746F636B4E756D6265724D504E266C753D656E266D6D3D6D61746368616C6C26706D3D5E5C647B337D5B5C732D2F255C2E5D5C647B332C347D2426706F3D313426736E3D592673743D52535F53544F434B5F4E554D424552267573743D3530332D3337392677633D4E4F4E4526

It's also worth buying a stock of mixing nozzles as they are one time use only. I opted for the smaller 50ml cartridges as 200ml is quite a lot to go to waste unless you're sure you're going to use it in a reasonably short space of time.

Make sure you clean the material to be glued first - on aluminium I used Acetone available from Boots in small bottles (also used as nail varnish remover!)

Other products you could consider are Teroson Teromix 6700 and Lord Fusor 109B both of which you should be able to get from automotive body repair/ paint suppliers. These are more specific to panel repair than the Hysol but have a read of the respective spec sheets.

 

[langy]

3m panel bond is a good product but there are others equally as good and cheaper and easier to obtain, I like Sikaflex or Tiger Seal or Granville PU, all these are polyurethane adhesive sealants so will do the job perfectly and are over paintable.

 

[Seano]

Just as an addition Acetone in decent quantities can be got from HERE

 

[langy]

I had exactly the same dilemma with an aluminium (Birmabright) rear tub from a Series 3 Landrover. I needed to splice in some repair panels where the aluminium had corroded and also fix some new strengtheneing ribs which were originally spot welded. I ended up using Loctite Hysol 3425 toughened structural adhesive which I got from RS components.

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/structural-adhesives/4589535/

You also need a two part adhesive gun part no 503-379. it's the grey one in the link.
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/applicator-guns-accessories/0503379/?searchTerm=503-379&relevancy-data=636F3D3126696E3D4931384E525353746F636B4E756D6265724D504E266C753D656E266D6D3D6D61746368616C6C26706D3D5E5C647B337D5B5C732D2F255C2E5D5C647B332C347D2426706F3D313426736E3D592673743D52535F53544F434B5F4E554D424552267573743D3530332D3337392677633D4E4F4E4526

It's also worth buying a stock of mixing nozzles as they are one time use only. I opted for the smaller 50ml cartridges as 200ml is quite a lot to go to waste unless you're sure you're going to use it in a reasonably short space of time.

Make sure you clean the material to be glued first - on aluminium I used Acetone available from Boots in small bottles (also used as nail varnish remover!)

Other products you could consider are Teroson Teromix 6700 and Lord Fusor 109B both of which you should be able to get from automotive body repair/ paint suppliers. These are more specific to panel repair than the Hysol but have a read of the respective spec sheets.

I also use the Fusor, a good product but bloody expensive !!!

 

[Cobs]

Just as an addition Acetone in decent quantities can be got from HERE

lot cheaper than Boots!

 

[Seano]

lot cheaper than Boots!

Yup!!!!

 

[rtbcomp]

Cheaper still if you take carriage into consideration

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140573773399?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

 

[langy]

Cheaper still if you take carriage into consideration

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140573773399?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

I get mine from the GRP shop £9.99 for 5 litres

 

[pedrobedro]

I've used the Tiger Seal and Sikaflex, if you mask off where you don't want them they are easy enough to work with and you can rub them down with wet and dry as well to get a better finish. I get Tiger Seal for about £5 a cartridge but if you don't use it all it doesn't keep for long. The RS component kit looks like what you need and the applicator wouldn't break the bank either.

 

[langy]

I'm presuming the OP wants something thats goes rock hard, PU's don't go rock hard so I would use the Fusor as that certainly does go rock hard, you need to get the correct type though as they do them for specific jobs, as an example they do one specifically for bonding Aluminium to GRP, I havn't found anything better.

 

[Cobs]

PU can be useful if you also want to seal something, as in the rear tub below. I used Sikaflex to bond the floor to the tub which also sealed it round the edges:

The Loctite Hysol was a better choice for repair work as in this section which had corroded as this needed more structural strength:

Another useful tool in the armoury is the countersunk rivet which can be used to make 'invisible' repairs with a minimum of filler.

 

[langy]

PU can be useful if you also want to seal something, as in the rear tub below. I used Sikaflex to bond the floor to the tub which also sealed it round the edges:

The Loctite Hysol was a better choice for repair work as in this section which had corroded as this needed more structural strength:

Another useful tool in the armoury is the countersunk rivet which can be used to make 'invisible' repairs with a minimum of filler.

Except rivets will move and invariably crack the filler, filler will also shrink when put over rivet heads as it has no inherent strength.

 

[gasket999]

Thanks for all the replies:

Cobs - its for exactly the same job!!!

The Lord Fusor stuff sounds perfect - but again I can't find any for sale online! Any ideas - Langy you don't have any in your shop do you, you could send it with some stainless brake lines when i eventually get round to ordering them.

If I have no joy with this I'll get onto Loctite. I've used Sikaflex etc for repairs before with great success but in this case I would like a product that dries hard.

 

[langy]

Thanks for all the replies:

Cobs - its for exactly the same job!!!

The Lord Fusor stuff sounds perfect - but again I can't find any for sale online! Any ideas - Langy you don't have any in your shop do you, you could send it with some stainless brake lines when i eventually get round to ordering them.

If I have no joy with this I'll get onto Loctite. I've used Sikaflex etc for repairs before with great success but in this case I would like a product that dries hard.

No sorry mate i don't keep it, I got mine from a place in Newbury, If you call Fintan at FH Ellis 01256 861004 he will be able to point you in the right place.

 

[Cobs]

Except rivets will move and invariably crack the filler, filler will also shrink when put over rivet heads as it has no inherent strength

oh well - poss need a planB!!!

 

[keithski122]

This is what I was recommended when I was looking for something to stick a repair section into my beetle roof.I spot welded it in the end so don't know if its any good or not.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TEROSON-T...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3cc5975ff9