Welding, a method of joining or repairing in the welding world, of two metallic objects. It’s a skill that can be pursued on a professional full-time career level. Which you can learn more about here. But what does one do when they do not know how to weld and are stuck with a metal hole they wish to fill?
Well, read on to find out more information about how to fill holes in metal without welding.
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Filling Holes without Welding
Well, this article goes out to them. It can be tricky to think of loopholes or other ways for one to conjoin two metals together or fix pinholes in a sheet. These makeshift hole fillings or loopholes do not have a guarantee to last long. You will get a short-term gain and have the metal hole filled, but it won’t last long and thus result in a long-term loss of your project.
This is why, in order to ensure that you end up with good alternatives to fill holes in metal without welding, we are here to present to you the best ones. To make sure that you get long-lasting, durable results without even having to weld the metals together. So, do you want to know how to fill holes in metal without welding? Then keep on reading!
Epoxy
Epoxy is referred to as a mix of resins, also known as polyepoxides. The Epoxy resin itself is comprised of several different kinds of compounds, which when combined, result in the solution becoming sticky and thus act like glue.
This mixture is two-parter, one with a harder in order for the mixture to solidify into the same it is molded into or poured into. While the other half of the solution is the Epoxy polymers themselves.
These polymers have binding properties which is why it enables for you to fill a hole without welding. This solution, all in all, is highly diverse and can be used for different kinds of projects, from industrial to home DIYs. It can, however, take some time to fully dry out.
How to fill a drilled hole in metal?
So how do you actually use Epoxy for filling in these metal holes?
To get yourself started, you have to scratch and remove off any existing rust or paint. In order to expose the surface of the metal bare to the epoxy. This is to ensure that the epoxy sticks and binds with the metal’s surface properly.
Now you fill the hole with epoxy and a mix of base metal for it to go into its binding process. When this step is completed, you allow the surface to dry out according to the metal type and under the temperature which suits it.
After the completion of the drying process, you should be able to touch the dried surface and now go to the next step. Sanding! The surface will be raggedy, thus you must use sandpaper and smooth the surface out.
When this step is over, you can choose to go by the normal process of repainting and adding a coating material on top. This method is not only a cheap alternative to welding but will also prove to have a long-lasting result.
Thus, if you are wondering how to fill holes in metal without welding, and want a cheap way out without bearing the welders cost: This is your answer!
Patch
Patchwork is a pretty simple and easy method out. It could even be declared as an easier method to fill a drilled hole in metal than epoxy. This is because patchwork is truly what it sounds like and is self-explanatory. Let us go over how to patch holes in metal buildings and so.
How to patch holes in metal building
Metal patches are easy to work with. You simply use one by nailing it down the target area with a nail gun. Before however, you must scratch off the paint through sandpaper and make sure that you have a clean surface to work with. This is to ensure that the patch gets stuck there for good and the nail has a good grip in the metal.
Fillers
This can be a more tricky way to fill holes in metal without welding. It is the most expensive option to choose from our above list and comes with certain complications as well. Some of which would include the fact that this method would require safety measures to be taken place.
A compound filling process is not one, which can be done on our own. This is why this would also require an expert or professional.
Fill Compound
How you can fill holes in metal without welding in this method is like so.
The filling agents present in this method are such, that outlast the durability of the above options too. Because this is an industrial-grade option, it allows the gap or holes to be filled in with heavy-duty mixtures. This, as a result, makes the solution more durable than others.
To get started, the metal hole that you wish to fill is gassed on. The area is targetted with heat through this gas and due to heat, the hole will turn red. Once the damaged area is red, this is an indicator that it is now malleable. Which is your cue to pour in the filling mixture.
The melted metal inside of the hole will itself act as the binding agent between the metal itself and the mixture. Once you pour in the mixture, let the surface dry out fully and come to room temperature. After it has reached the goal temperature, you can sand it down for a smoother surface to match with the rest of the metal surface.
Conclusion
From the above option, whichever you choose comes down to what your budget is and how long of a result you wish to see. With epoxy, you see a short-term result in a low cost. Meanwhile, with patchwork, the hole isn’t exactly filled in at all but is also an inexpensive option (but costly than epoxy) giving a medium-term result.
However, between the epoxy, metal patch and fill compound if someone were wondering how to fill a drilled hole in metal? Were looking for a solution that was long-term, and had the budget to do it? Then fillers would be the way to go!
You can learn more about these polymers and what is comprised of Epoxy resins here in this source:
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