Threadlockers! We love them, the name sounds pretty cool, and they serve a pretty cool function too. Have you ever had a screw that came loose on you? Don’t you wish that you could just glue it into place permanently? Well, that’s pretty much what a threadlocker is, it’sthe glue for screws. Technically speaking, it is an anaerobic adhesive. This means that it doesn’t need air to truly dry and set, this makes them perfect for instances where screws keep coming loose, like in construction yards where there is a lot of vibration and jostling.
They’re pretty awesome and have all kinds of great equipment for sale. Trust me by using these threadlockers, not even Zeus himself could undo the screw. It is pretty much permanent and bonded for life.
So, what are some of the benefits of threadlockers? One of the main benefits of threadlockers is that they are able to fil gaps. See traditional screw mechanisms only make around 15% contact with the surface that is being screwed into meaning that there is an air gap that is room for weakness. The threadlocker however takes this into consideration and overcomes it by being liquid. The liquid is able to fill in the gaps between the threads and truly lock them into place, blocking the entry of air, moisture, and other impurities.
They also reduce vibration. By reducing vibration, we basically mean that the air gaps between the threading actually give just the slightest amount of leeway when it comes to jostling movements and vibration. Over time these vibrations have a cumulative effect on the screw, and it comes undone. With threadlockers however, since that air gap is filled, there is no way for the vibration to jostle the screw out of place, it effectively becomes what it is screwed into. If you want to get scientific with it, what’s happening is that the threadlocker gets into the gaps between the threading and solidifies to create a thermoset plastic, this means that once you apply it, it’s a pretty much permanent bond.
Threadlockers are also extremely resistant to the environment. When you consider that the typical locking mechanism consists of the nut and the bolt, that is a lot of pressure to put on two tiny pieces of metal. Factor into it that daily weathering can cause corrosion and wear, you will find that the nut and bolt combo simply falls apart. However, the moment you add threadlocker into the mix, you will find a huge difference in the strength of the bond. You almost don’t need the bolt at that point, to be honest. The Thermoset plastic is literally that strong. Inaddition, since it doesn’t allow moisture and impurities to enter the threading, you will find that threads with threadlocker on them have significantly less chance of corroding due to external factors. Threadlockers are also great at resisting high temperatures and as such are extremely versatile.
