Looking For Ideas- High Temp Adhesive For Ceramic

Bird Doo Head

Hi!
I am not sure which section of the forum this question belongs in, but I am guessing here. I apologize if I chose wrong.

I've got a very old gas fireplace insert with ceramic radiant stones. They are super fancy & maybe 90 years old. In operation, they will get red from heat (at least my modern one does).

One has a piece broken, but I have the chunk. I'm wondering if you all have any suggestions for a high temperature adhesive for ceramic.

The piece is very prominent, so I'd like it to look spiffy.
I thought of retort cement (furnace cement), but all I can find is black.
I was hoping for something near white, like the stones. JB Weld burns at 660 degrees F. Cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) failed on a test scrap when it was heated.

i thought about white thinset mortar, but I don't know if it will survive the heat, especially due to the acrylic polymer additives. Or even the expansion & contraction.

What do you all think? I sure will appreciate your ideas. I've got some coffee mugs all smashed up & ready to experiment!

Paul

paintdrying

Not sure of the weight of the stones or the shape but cruise down the exhaust section of the auto parts store. Something in white I do not know. Pictures may help

TarheelTerp

I think there are all sorts of solutions but none of them will allow
you to keep that 90yo insert looking "super fancy"

Once you accept that I'd look into kiln brick mortars.
One possible source here: LINK

hth

joecaption

I'd like to see a picture of that thing.
May be looking at refactory cement.
http://refractorycement.net/

Bird Doo Head

Thanks, JoeCaption for taking the time to reply.
I'll check into finding white refractory cement. It sounds like the perfect product, after reading your linked article. Maybe a fireplace shop would be a good starting place.

But if I don't find white, your link is really helpful by providing the recipe. I can be Mister Science-Project & see what happens! The page was very interesting to read. When I was a kid, I worked in a steel mill tuck pointing the bricks in the furnaces. I wonder if that is what I was using (and how much asbestos was in it- but if they hired kids....).

I attached a photo. (I think it attached OK. If not let me know & I'll find a 10 year old to show me how). You can see the broken spot on the second tile from the right. I have the piece. By a miracle I saw it laying on the floor of a big, messy warehouse about 50 feet from this unit.

Sorry the photo is not so great. It's 9 degrees out & the camera said "Oh No You Don't!" after about a minute.

Thanks Again for your suggestions!
Paul

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joecaption

That's not tile, that's ceramic I believe.
http://www.masterbond.com/properties...mpaign=bing_us

Glad it's you and not me. No way would I take a chance on running that thing in my house.

Bird Doo Head

Thank you also TarheelTerp & PaintDrying.
Your messages just popped in, sorry I didn't see them before my first reply.

The heater isn't super fancy- Actually it's quite a 'distressed' unit. (How's that for being polite?) The tiles are about 6" tall & weigh, perhaps, 2 ounces each. Must be very porous material.

I'll try to snap up some kiln cement & try experimenting with that, too. There is a place nearby, Pewabic Pottery, which has beautiful, old- but still active kilns. I'll bet I can buy some there. It's an awesome experience just to tour Pewabic. So, next time you're in Detroit...

Thanks for the muffler idea. I didn't think of that. Last time I got an exhaust repair kit (Years & years ago), it was, indeed, white.

Thanks to all of you. I think I'm on the road to success!
Paul

Bird Doo Head

Thanks Joecaption!

Masterbond looks interesting, It will be a nice addition to my arsenal of adhesives. I google'd my brains out before writing. Wonder how I missed it?
Paul

PS: Actually, this was planned to be part of an outdoor patio fireplace unit- If it is gas tight & the valve can be made safe. (A gas commercial appliance pro I know will evaluate it for me & re-pack the valve.)
If it does not pass inspection, at least the brick (tile?) be fixed properly should someone in the future ever want to fix & operate the heater.

I stopped using my modern one after one of my brothers, a big-city fire captain, looked at me like I was crazy when he saw it. I understood him to say they can, under certain circumstances, dump CO into the building.

joecaption

Any gas appliance can do that.
That's why it's far safer to use a vented gas heater, not direct vent like that one, and have gas detectors.

md2lgyk

If you want to try refractory mortar, it's available at Home Depot (at least at my local store).