Pottery made to order | repair and restoration studio in Southern Delaware
Keeping mended piece in place while curing

Keeping Cemented Pieces in Place While Curing


Ensuring proper adhesion and alignment when working with epoxy cement is crucial for achieving successful results in your restoration projects. Holding the pieces by hand during the curing process isn't practical or precise. There are several methods you can employ to secure the pieces in place until the epoxy cures sufficiently. Let's explore some of these methods.


The video below is a visual reference to demonstrate the workable time behavior of a 5-minute epoxy.

5-Minutes Epoxy Behavior - PC Clear

The video below is taken at a 75 degree F room temperature. The whole process will be slower at lower room temperatures way we expedite the process is by placing the epoxy cartridge in a 140 degree F wax warmer and than place the cemented object in a heated box that is also set to 140 degree F reducing cure time dramatically.





140 degree oven for reducing cure time


140 degree wax warmer for reducing cure time

Keeping Cemented Pieces in Place Until Epoxy
Cures at
Room Temperature of 75 Degree F



Gravity is your best friend: In most cases, we use container with PVC pellets to hold broken segments in place to positioning the pieces using gravity where no temporary bonding is require
Resin / PVC pellets seem to work the best for us. One can use rice or sand.
Resin / PVC pellets seem to work the best for us. One can use rice or sand.

For the pellets, search web for "Resin pellets". The sharp edges type (as shown above) work better than the totally round pellets
For the pellets, search web for "Resin pellets". The sharp edges type (as shown above) work better than the totally round pellets

Dry run proper placement of the two parts needing cementing
Dry run proper placement of the two parts needing cementing

When it stands on it own, place the epoxy on
When it stands on it own, place the epoxy on


Temporary bonding methods: At times, using gravity alone to secure broken segments in place may not work. Few temporary bonding techniques are shown below (tape, clay, glue-gun)
If you are unsure it will stay, you always add tape
If you are unsure it will stay, you always add tape

Often we ue clay as shown here or below
Often we use clay as shown here or below

There are cases that it is difficult or impossible to place balanced using gravity.
There are cases that it is difficult or impossible to place balanced using gravity.

Let the epoxy cure before cleaning excess cured glue
In such case, we use clay to keep the parts matched until the epoxy cures
If clay is not available, tape can be used
If clay is not available, tape can be used
Glue gun is also an option although it is a bit harder to remove once teh epoxy cures
Glue gun is also an option although it is a bit harder to remove once the epoxy cures

Filling Large Gap or Missing Piece on Ceramic, Pottery or Sculpture

Small pieces do not hold well on the resin pellets. This example shows how we use clay to position the segments on clay
Small pieces do not hold well on the resin pellets. This example shows how we use clay to position the segments on clay

Segment A is oriented anchored on the clay until segment B can stand on it's own in the correct location
Segment A is oriented anchored on the clay until segment B can stand on it's own in the correct location


Some more examples of keeping pieces in place
cementing pottery
Example A
cementing pottery
Example B

cementing pottery
Example C

In this example, we use both, clamps and pellets
In this example, we use both, clamps and pellets

double jointed vice to place the plate in the proper orientation

In this example, we are using double jointed vice to place the plate in the proper orientation - see vice on left

Clamp swivel vise
Clamp swivel vise
With heavy and large items, we use, ropes and winches
With heavy and large items, we use, ropes and winches

Another example using clampingAnother example using clamping


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