Temp rating of JB Weld?

[DaveW]

   I woke up this morning to an strange sensation.  An artic front must have pushed through during the night, and my workshop was down to 54 degrees.  I keep an old Morningstar propane heater up in the attic for just such an emergency, but while carrying it down the steps I managed to drop and break one of the ceramic inserts.  A clean fracture, but it hurts to see an old workhorse from the 30's suffering. My question is this: would JB Weld hold up to the temperatures involved if I used it to join the ceramic grate back together?  I understand it is good, but the back side of the grate turns dull red in the flame and I wouldn't want to make a mess of the job and have to start over. Or perhaps someone could reccommend a better solution?

   By the way, I would like to apologize to all (including the weather gods) for any comments I may have made the other day about a white Christmas and short sleeve shirts.  Such comments may have been taken as snide or derogatory and I hasten to assure everyone (including the weather gods) that such was not the case.  Just bring back the usual balmy weather and I promise one and all that I will make a heartfelt New Year's resolution to forgo any more comments about white or Christmas or shirts.

[PeterAVT]

I've used JB Weld to hold cracked crankcases on motorcycles. The thing is to very thoroughly prepare the surfaces and cure it at maybe 150F for an hour. Then let it sit overnight, and you can drill, tap, sand it, etc.

[disaray1]

Don't do it Dave! JB weld wont hold up!  I did a temporary repair on a heater valve (car) and it held just long enough to get a few miles away...and then came apart. And that was only at about 200deg F. It turns back to its original consistency with heat. At least, that was my experience. Others may tell a different story.

  As far as offending the frozen north folks, I don't think you have anything to worry about. This morning I woke up and stumbled outside with my coffee. No shoes. No shirt. Just shorts. And as I watched the bright sun rise above the horizon, casting the first beautiful rays on my PVs, I thanked the weather Gods for not bringing any of that irratating white crap to my tropical locale. And sipped my coffee.

 That oughta stir em' up.

   disaray

[stephent]

Forget JB at those temps Dave. Find a hardware store and ask for "firebox cement" or refractory cement (some comes in small tubes for repairing). Powder stuff--mix up and let set--read on label for usage.

But if it's a fired and glazed ceramic piece--ya might be outa luck, maybe not.

And as to local temps and weather or snow or no snow...I always figure if a feller don't like the local conditions---sooner or later they will move.

There's drawbacks to just about every location you can think of that's mostly humanley inhabitable. As for Arkansas weather (and I have heard for other places as well) if ya don't like the weather--just wait a couple of days and it will get worse.

As to wearing just a shirt/shorts---probably just means you still have to mow the grass.

naa naa--ptttt (sticks tongue out--snidely??) my grass froze to death and quit growing. Ain't had enuff snow this year to worry about and the leaves shred with a mower just fine.

Shucks--I like it around here, don't guess I need to move now.

[vawtman]

Jb weld makes a product called Industroweld rated for 500 degrees.I wouldnt think you would run hotter than that.Works with ceramics.Just a thought.

[scottsAI]

Hello DaveW,

http://www.mediacollege.com/lighting/colour/colour-temperature.html

Glowing RED is at least 1000K deg, not too many things can handle that temperature.

Nothing I can think of.

Have fun,

Scott.

[vawtman]

Any chance for a pic of the damage Dave?

[DaveW]

    Vawtman -

  I turned off the flame just for you to take a picture.  Only up to 70 degrees in here so I will have to hurry.

 

  And for the rest of you, making your comments about shorts and hot coffee. (sniff) Don't do it!! Just don't do it.  I did it and look what happened to me.  Plummeting temperatures, rummaging though closets to find a long sleeved shirt, building a fire with my own two hands, and everything.  The cold white snow gods of the far north can hear us down here, and may punish any one who sneers at their powers.  So after I finish mowing the lawn I may throw ice cubes out front to cover the green, that might deflect their anger.

  It has dropped alarmingly to 68 degrees while all this transpired, so now I have to put it all together, find another match, and turn the handle. (sigh) Seems my work is never done.  I may go huddle on the couch with the dogs until signs of warmth are seen.  (I'm still looking for a solution, Thanks to all for suggestions)

[vawtman]

Superglue it and sell it seeing you have the know how to start a fire.

 Merry Christmas Dave(ah just thought, a present for the inlaws)

[wooferhound]

Have you tried to find the ceramic piece at a gas company. I have bought a couple of ceramics from some Very Old gas heaters that were exactly the same fit as the old ones. The artistic design on the front grate was different though.

[DaveW]

  Vawtman-

    But if I sold it I would be reduced to rubbing two sticks together and throwing them on the floor when they burst into flame. And I understand this is a hard way for a novice to start a fire anyway.  As to the in-laws, over the years they have become a suspicious lot when it comes to presents from me.  My wife shares this trait, I try to explain that a little levity brings a family together and she claims I'm just making fun of her family.

  Stephant -

    Firebox cement is rated to 1250 degrees, this seems close but might work.  I found a product Ceramabond 571 good to 3200 degrees but at 93.00 a pint I'm still looking for a smaller batch size.  While hunting I did find some epoxies good to 400 to 600 degrees with excellent thermal properties that may work for stator encapsulation, I will report back later.

  Wooferhound -

    It may come down to replacement, with five of them in the stove if I could find two alike some sort of pattern could be maintained.

   The search continues...

[Countryboy]

Pack some good clay in and around the broken joints.  Reinstall the grate and fire it up.  The red hot heat will cure the clay and turn it into ceramic.

[jimjjnn]

How about making a plaster mold and making a new one out fire clay or some kind of fiire ceramic. You could use one of the other  good ceramic burners in your heater to make the mold.

[Norm]

   Yeah the old comment....

 prospective buyer: "Does it work?"

 seller: "Yeah....It did the last time I used it "

 enough with the humor...but seriously...

        Wire it together with a coathanger

then cover the coathanger wire with furnance

cement.to shield it from the heat...that one little area

 won't get hot enough to melt the

wire.

             ( :>) Norm.