: The oxides form on aluminum in I think milliseconds so putting
: epoxy on it quick isn't the issue. The oxides have no strength
: so the epoxy joint isn't really structural. Molt Taylor
: (aircraft designer) figured out a way to do this though for a
: homebuilder, though it's a bit risky health wise (cost wise
: too), too sand the oxides off in a bath of diluted epoxy, then
: the epoxy coats the surface before the air can get at it to
: create the oxides. Fairly easy then to bond to the epoxy coated
: aluminum.

: There are structural anodizes that were/are licenced to do this on
: a commercial basis, but the patented process isn't cheap, I
: think Boeing and Aeronica are the licensors. It's been a few
: years since I played with this stuff :)

: Bill H.

Odd, I've gotten good bonds with alu and epoxy with a working time of about 5-10 seconds. Anything beyond 10 sec wouldn't be structurally sound. They were small parts, (brackets to thin sheetings, couldn't weld) don't think it's feasible for large seams though.

I've gotten bike parts anodized, not expensive, and never saw any reason to epoxy coat them, they stay good for years.

On a totally different point with epoxy, I wonder if it would work for a crack in a concrete block partition wall. :) Twould save opening the crack and doing a slurry fill. A dusty job.

Mike Savage
South West Cork