I am getting ready to start making me a bunch of Pepsi-G style alcohol stoves. I went to pick up some JB Weld and they had some stuff called JB Kwik Weld. JB Kwik weld bonds in 4 minutes and cures in 4 hours. Regular JB weld has 4-6 hour bond time with a 15 hour cure time. Big difference.

I thought the Kwik weld would be great for putting the center ring of the stove together. The only problem I see is that the JB Kwik is rated for temps up 300 F and regular JB Weld is rated at 600 F.

I am pretty sure that the stove will not get anywhere near 300 F but I am worried that when the stove gets hot the weld joints may fail, come apart, or leak.

Has anyone ever used JB Kwik Weld when making your stoves?

Use the regular JB if you use any at all. The stove will definitely get over 300 degrees. I have found that if you make all cuts accurately and put it together carefully you don't need any adhesive. If, on testing, you see any leakage (flame) at the seam of the 2 can halves you can seal it with a piece of the silver colored muffler tape. Get the 1 inch wide tape and cut it in half lengthwise.

I always used the regular JB weld due to the difference in temp. rating. The stove will definitely hit 300 degrees......I was worried about the 600 degree rating, but haven't had any issues. One thing.....it says wait 15 hours......I wait 24 hours. If it is not cured all the way it will make a mess of the stove and possibly clog a port or two.

I am surprised that the stove gets that hot!:eek:

I just use heat tape, haven't had a problem.

I've incinerated heat tape and 600 degree JB Weld. Take Fiddler's advice.

JB weld is not usually needed. As suggested, be meticulous when measuring and cutting and you can get a tight fitting stove. I hold the center wall shape with a small piece of masking tape and remove it when I have fitted the two halves together. They also make an aluminum tape with a butyl rubber adhesive that makes a superior seal. Check out the Home Depot for aluminum stove pipe tape. It is the same as muffler tape, but is less expensive. However, you usually have to buy it in 50 foot rolls, but this is no hinderance to a true ASA (Alcohol Stove Anonymous) fanatic! :banana

I don't use anything to seal the seam, just fit it tight as previously suggested. If it still leaks, throw it away and try again, you won't run out of cans and they are free.

My first stove was simply fitted together with no tape or JB weld and it did just fine, but I'm the type of person who loves overkill. My future stoves will have JB Weld and 3M high temp flue tape. I am using JB Weld to make sure everything is strong and secure. The flue tape will mainly going to be comsetic, so that everything looks nice and neat. I am also going to be experimenting with hole sizea nd placement to see which stove best suits my needs.

I would not be a soon-to-become-DIY-alcohol-stove-anonymous-fanatic if I did not go that extra mile when building them!:)

Now I have 2 4-packs of Guinness Draught to empty tonight;).

The flue tape will mainly going to be comsetic, so that everything looks nice and neat.
This works for a lot of metals, especially brass and aluminium. Aluminium as in home-made alcohol stoves. Get some fine steel wool, grade #0 or #00, 2 bucks a bag anywhere paint supplies are sold. Take a small piece and rub the completed stove (or whatever you want to shine) and it will not only remove the paint, it will polish the metal so it looks chrome plated. Nothing wrong with making your stuff look nice.
If you're just starting with home-made stoves try these links for more ideas:
http://zenstoves.net/
http://hikinghq.net/sgt_stove/ion_stove.html
http://www.ionstove.com/index.htm
http://wings.interfree.it/index.html
http://www.csun.edu/~mjurey/stove.html