CP...
My application would NOT be a 'production practice'... repairs only. Use of 'filled-paste' or 'film-adhesive' [woven or un-woven scrim] are typical for production... especially high temp service.
Use of 'sparse quantity of glass beads' as described... is intended for Room Temp [RT] cure 2-part paste adhesives, ONLY... at relatively modest elevated temperature [-65F to 250F-to-350F] service. NO idea how they would function in a 2-part paste adhesive with high temp cure bondline. However, in reality, there would be very few glass beads in the bondline.
In prior years, we used... no kidding... nylon mono-filament fishing line* [small diameters] woven-loosely across a thick wipe of paste adhesive on a repair part... then apply vacuum-bagged-pressure to crush-down/squeeze-out the excess paste... for bondline control until cure. *wipe the mono-filament line with IPA on cheesecloth and dry-wipe to remove residues. In truth... 'Fresh glass beads' are a more elegant solution.
OK, glass or phenolic microspheres, at lower density, would have more particles/surface-area/bondline... but still relatively sparse.
Regardless, the bondline thickness is established/controlled and there is adequate adhesive shear strength for most repairs for modest elevated-temp service.
NOTE. 'Service Temp', as I define it, is the long-duration temperature where ~xxxx-PSI shear strength/toughness is reliably constant. I prefer service temp defined for 1000-PSI... although some 'rules' allow as low as 500-PSI [hence a few degrees hotter].
Of course, metallic surface preparation, not discussed here, is an absolutely vital element for great bonds.
It's late and I feel like I'm punch-drunk.
Regards, Wil Taylor
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