So I’ve been messing around with this Allex binder everyone’s talking about online. Figured I’d test it myself instead of just reading hype. Grabbed a can from the local hardware shop after work on Tuesday. Plain metal tube, nothing fancy, said “dries fast” and “strong hold” on the label.
Got home, dumped my stuff on the kitchen counter, and stared at this broken ceramic mug that’s been sitting there for weeks. My wife kept telling me to fix it or trash it. Perfect guinea pig. Took the pieces, roughed up the edges a bit with sandpaper. Didn’t wanna go too hard, figured I’d follow the can’s advice: “clean surfaces, apply evenly.”
Cut the tube nozzle open and squeezed it out. Stuff looks like thick toothpaste, kinda grey and gooey. Smelled… chemical. Not awful, but not pleasant either. I globbed it onto both broken edges – maybe too much, honestly. Pressed the pieces together real hard for a minute. Little bits squeezed out the sides. Used a wet cloth to wipe off the excess mess. Left it propped against the sugar jar. Label said it sets quick, so I waited… watched it kinda set up on the outside after maybe 10 minutes. Felt dry to touch. But I know glue can be tricky – outside dries fast, inside might still be wet.
Impatience kicked in around the 30-minute mark. Gently poked at the glued seam. Felt solid. Gave it a little wiggle. Held! Okay, promising. But hey, it’s just holding pieces still. Can it handle stress? Next morning – nearly 24 hours later, cure time should be decent, right? Picked the mug up carefully. Felt surprisingly solid where I glued it. My wife side-eyed me like “you’re not serious.”
I was serious. Filled it with water. Held it fine. No leaking. Okay, cool. But what about heat? Poured the water out, stuck it in the microwave for a minute. Took it out warm – glued seam looked fine, still holding strong. Honestly impressed at this point. This mug went from trash to usable in a day.
My verdict so far:
- Sets FAST: Touch-dry super quick, made holding it together easy.
- Holds WELL: Fixed mug handles water and microwave heat. Feels properly stuck.
- Messy Work: Don’t be like me, squeeze too much and it’ll ooze everywhere. Less is probably smarter.
- Smell Factor: Yeah, it stinks while applying. Open a window, seriously.
Found a loose wooden chair leg later that week. Sanded the join areas lightly, applied the binder – way less goop this time – clamped it for a couple hours. Day after, that chair didn’t even wobble. So it works on wood too, not just ceramics.
Is it magic? Nah. But for quick fixes around the house on ceramics, wood, maybe plastics? Absolutely seems worth the money. Fixed two things already just this week. Good stuff. Just ventilate the room!
