How to use Araldite?

[zhopudey]

I got granite slabs to make stands for my speakers. Now I need to stick them together. I bought a big box of araldite. Its says, for best results "Roughen, dry and degrease surfaces to be bonded". Dry and degrease I understand, but how do I roughen granite?? And this also mean that araldite won't properly on polished granite?
Also, how do I mix the two components? Do I pour equal amounts on the slab and mix there itself?

 

[Eazy]

Just my 2 paisa of info till our Carpenter friend jumps in .....I am sure he would know much more on this subject.... SWITCH WERE ARE YOU ???

A couple of years back we had some work done in the house and the masons used Araldite combined with white cement for joining Granite and marble.

Araldite is slow drying and it will not hold if moved even slightly after making the joint till it cures completely. Thats why I used to buy some imported 1 hour drying adhesives from the market - from Lohar Chawl and Fort Market.

By roughening I would guess they mean to sandpaper the contact area so it will give the Araltide a rough area to grip well. Araldite and all 2 solution Adhesives are normally mixed 50/50 of each solution. I dont think it is advisable to mix on the slab itself but on a plastic or metal sheet and then transferred to the granite.

 

[XTerminator]

Ideally, you should have slightly rough surfaces so that the adhesive can seep into the various grooves/holes in the rough surface and form a stronger bond. Thus, rough surfaces are required. I havent tried it on smooth surfaces, so no comments about if it will work there or not.

As for creating a mixture, its better to use a different location, maybe something of the material of a visiting card and mix there. Mixing shouldnt take place on the surface you want to stick due to uneven distribution of the adhesive. Do make sure that you donot touch the adhesive by hand. Use something like a tooth pic or a cut earbud to mix equal amounts of the chemicals. Do give it more than enough time to dry without moving it at all.

*Deejay helped me with the first time I used Araldite. This information above is from my own knowledge after multiple uses of Araldite. It maynot be the right way, but its the way I have successfully used araldite to stick various things.*

All the best!!!

 

[zhopudey]

Yeah, I plan to keep the slabs for a day or two, with other slabs on top to weigh them down

 

[Eazy]

Yeah, I plan to keep the slabs for a day or two, with other slabs on top to weigh them down

Araldite dries faster with heat .... after applying I used to heat the stuff to be joint with a hair dryer

 

[zhopudey]

Stuck 4 slabs together Used up 90g for the 2 joints. Lets hope this works properly.