Devcon and J-B Weld are two valuable and famous brands of adhesives. They offer a wide range of varieties for different projects and repairs.
Devcon offers products such as Plastic Steel, 5-minute Epoxy, and Plastic Welder.
J-B Weld has its original version, KwikWeld, for fast repair, Plastic Bonder, and a transparent version, ClearWeld.
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Article Highlights
- Devcon products are high quality, and Plastic Steel is suitable for heavy-duty projects.
- J-B Weld includes many options and provides long-lasting, high-strength outcomes for household, automotive, and marine repairs, among other things.
- Devcon Plastic Steel is for metal, heavy-duty work, Plastic Welder is for plastics, and 5-Minute Epoxy is for quick repairs.
- J-B Weld Original is another good option for metal works, KwikWeld is for fast repairs, Plastic Bonder is for plastics, and ClearWeld is for transparent outcomes.
Devcon vs. J-B Weld
Devcon adhesives are high-quality, mostly two-part, high-strength, and suitable for all types of materials and metal repairs.
The Plastic Steel is used to fix and fill gaps and holes. The 5-minute one cures quickly and holds better. The Plastic Welder is used for stronger adhesion.
On the other hand, J-B Weld offers a wide range of adhesives that ensure suitable surface adhesion according to customers’ needs.
The original is a strong-bond adhesive, KwikWeld is a fast-setting adhesive, and Plastic Bonder is a quick-setting syringe adhesive.
Strength
Devcon Plastic Steel is a cold-welding, two-part epoxy with 2500 PSI tensile strength.
On the other hand, Devcon 5-minute adhesive has 1500 PSI, and Plastic Welder has 3500 PSI tensile strength with stronger hold and no-sagging formula.
On the other hand, J-B Weld products have better tensile strength.
For example, J-B Weld Original has 5020 PSI, KwikWeld has 3127 PSI, Plastic Bonder has 3770 PSI, and J-B ClearWeld has 3900 PSI tensile strength.
Read More: E6000 vs. J-B Weld
Setting And Curing Time
Devcon 5-minute adhesive is a fast-setting version of Devcon Plastic Steel. It sets in 5 minutes.
J-B Weld KwikWeld is a fast version of J-B Weld Original. It sets in only 6 minutes and takes 4-6 hours to cure.
However, J-B Plastic Bonder sets in 15 minutes and cures in an hour, whereas the original sets in 4-6 hours and takes 15-24 hours to cure.
Cure Color
Devcon Plastic Steel dries dark grey, Plastic Welder dries cream color, and 5-minute dries clear but slightly tinted with pigment.
J-B Original’s cure color is dark gray, Plastic Bonder’s is tan, and ClearWeld dries clear.
Compatible Materials
Devcon adhesives claim to repair anything made of metal.
They work well on metal, iron, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, ceramics, glass, vinyl, wood, styrene, and more.
Devcon Plastic Welder can bond with similar and dissimilar materials.
However, the adhesive is not recommended for copper or brass and doesn’t bond to polypropylene and polyethylene plastics.
Conversely, J-B Weld adhesives are suitable for multiple surfaces, such as metal, wood, plastic, tile, ceramics, PVC, fiberglass, concrete, and more.
Further, J-B Weld Plastic Bonder works on thermoset and carbon fiber composites, coated metals, thermoplastics, and flexible and rigid plastics and is excellent for plastic-to-metal and plastic-to-plastic bonding.
Applications
Devcon Plastic Steel is great for filling holes and repairing cracks in broken furniture, appliances, tools, cars, toys, and more.
Devcon 5-minute adhesive is suitable for repairs, woodworking, furniture, carpentry, wall repair, construction, household, industrial, and crafts.
J-B Weld adhesives are suitable for household, automotive, marine, and plumbing repairs, crafts, DIY projects, outdoor equipment, agricultural equipment, toys, boats, personal watercraft, and more.
Temperature
Devcon Plastic Steel has a temperature range of 200°F constant and 250°F intermittent.
Devcon Welder has a temperature range of -40°F to 200°F. It doesn’t freeze, which is a plus.
On the other hand, J-B Weld Original can withstand 550°F/287°C, and KwikWeld can withstand 230°F/110°C.
Resistance And Special Features
Devcon Plastic Steel is non-flammable and resistant to water, diesel, gasoline, and kerosene.
The Devcon 5-minute adhesive is water and chemical-resistant.
Further, Devcon Plastic Welder resists water, weathering, temperature variations, and high humidity,
Once fully cured, J-B Weld Original is waterproof, fuel, chemical, petroleum, and acid resistant.
KwikWeld is waterproof, petroleum, chemical, acid-resistant, paintable, sandable, and strong.
J-B Weld Plastic Bonder is OEM automotive and HD Truck approved. It is impact, vibration resistant, fast-drying, and strong.
Which Is The Suitable Product?
Some products and materials are suitable for particular purposes based on their features and applications.
For Metal Repairs
Devcon Plastic Steel epoxy and J-B Weld Original Cold-Weld are good metal products.
Devcon Plastic Steel Epoxy: It is suitable for industrial and heavy-duty projects. It’s non-flammable, easy to use, fast-curing, and water-resistant, providing a solid bond to the metal.
J-B Weld Original: This Original Cold-Weld product is suitable for general use. It is an alternative to torch welding and provides solid, lasting repairs on multiple surfaces for automotive, household, crafts, and DIY projects.
For Quick Repairs
The Devcon 5-minute epoxy and J-B KwikWeld are great options for emergency and instant repairs.
Devcon 5-Minute Epoxy: Devcon 5-Minute Epoxy dries within 5 minutes.
J-B KwikWeld: J-B KwikWeld dries only in 6 minutes and cures in 4-6 hours.
For Plastics
Two excellent products from both brands with great bonding strength are the Devcon Plastic Welder and J-B Weld Plastic Bonder.
Devcon Plastic Welder: It is a strong, structural adhesive with a thick formula. It is great for bonding similar or dissimilar materials.
J-B Weld Plastic Bonder: It is a high-strength structural adhesive that is great for filling gaps and can make plastic-to-metal and plastic-to-plastic bonding.
For Clear Bonding
Devcon has an adhesive that dries clear, which is Devcon 5-Minute epoxy. But it may be slightly tinted. The best product is J-B Weld ClearWeld.
J-B Weld ClearWeld: It provides a long-lasting bond on multiple surfaces. Its transparent outcome makes it more versatile.
Editor’s Note
According to all the details, there isn’t any specific choice to suggest using for any projects.
Every project has different needs, and both brands have a variety of products to fulfill those needs.
However, I believe J-B Weld has more options, stronger bonds, and better resistance for all circumstances.
Devcon is also good. But if choosing one, J-B Weld is a safe option.