Gluing plexiglass?

qazaq9 · 05-08-2009, 09:50 AM

im in a process of making a fitted case from plasti glass for my home media pc, i already have everything cut out but im not sure what glue to use... anybody has experience with this?

homedepot guy recommended me Locktite that dries clear and said it will dissolve the glass and make a perfect bond. i bought it trusting him without reading the label. came home opened it, and it comes out white like paper glue. read the box: (solvent free-water based glue) wth

i know for sure epoxy, silicon, or crazy glue wont work as well

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Best stuff to use for using plaxiglass: Wel-On #4 or 3; and if u have chemist friends best choice is Dichloroethane

Page 1 - glue discussion
Page 2 - Project pics/info

Bugbyte · 05-08-2009, 11:46 AM

Is this the same as plexiglass? If so, I've used epoxy and it has worked great. You can also use a plastic welder (similar to a soldering iron) although I'm not sure you'll get crystal clear results with it.

Did you try the locktite, or just judge its performance based on how it came out of the tube?

qazaq9 · 05-08-2009, 03:37 PM

yes, don't ask me why i type plastiglass....

i tried that glue to bond two pieces, it says it dries in 6hrs but 24hrs recommended. it's been over 12hrs since i left it under press and i was able to separate both pieces without any strength. and glue comes off by hand but it did dried clear though

i didn't have any luck with epoxy either, it does hold better then this Locktite glue.

i just picked up some other glue, see if that works

Sonicxtacy02 · 05-08-2009, 07:20 PM

Fixed the title for you.

colin · 05-08-2009, 07:58 PM

It has to be plastic epoxy. Some types only bond wood and metals.

Bugbyte · 05-08-2009, 08:42 PM

JB-Weld is awesome. You might try that. I had good results with epoxy, though. Three years in the car and still holding.

treetop777 · 05-08-2009, 10:16 PM

get "Weld-on 4" - that will melt/fuse the pieces perfectly clear. And get the applicator too for best results.

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/cate...10201650657286

mreish · 05-08-2009, 11:55 PM

I'm building a case too though with PVC and Nylon, not plexi. I recommend you head over to McMaster and search for epoxy and acrylic. I found a couple that might work for you.

Catalog # -- Description:
66215A25 -- Devcon 14278 Epoxy Plus
66215A33 -- Devcon 14315 High Performance

These are not cheap - they are industrial quality. Head the safety warnings.

If you think you'll do any more heavy duty gluing in the future, it's worthwhile to buy the applicator gun (74695A71) and a couple packets of mixer nozzles (74695A12).

trader007 · 05-08-2009, 11:56 PM

plastic epoxy. you'll find it under a lot of names, that loctite stuff likely is just plastic epoxy. don't worry about what color it is when applied, if it says it dries clear then it will

my fav stuff is at menards, http://www.powerpoxy.com/index2.html

specifically- http://www.powerpoxy.com/productDeta...?productID=465 it dries clear and takes about 2min to set. its tricky though, you can't move it after that first minute- after it starts to harden after the first minute, it takes a whole 60 sec to fully set. it stays slightly flexible, but holds to plasic like a weld.

trader007 · 05-08-2009, 11:58 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by treetop777

get "Weld-on 4" - that will melt/fuse the pieces perfectly clear. And get the applicator too for best results.

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/cate...10201650657286

this is better then my suggestion... although i doubt many local stores carry that stuff.

qazaq9 · 05-09-2009, 08:09 AM

thanks guys! epoxy kinda bonds but it does not dissolve plaxiglass. JB-weld is good stuff but it's also epoxy based, and ill work on pvc and abs plastics as well as many other glues

i spent all evening yest to drive around looking for right stuff and nothing. i think i will have to order it and wait till next weekend :/

so far i found weld-on #4 works good from a guy in aquarium store, but weld-on products are not sold anywhere... also the best stuff is dichloroethane, it's a straight up chemical that melts plaxiglass when applied so it makes a weld bond and dries in minutes, but no luck with that either. wish i had chemist friends :P

Crinos · 05-09-2009, 09:29 AM

Poly-Glue works... it "melts" the plexi togeter, leaving only a slightly trace of unclear seethrough where the glue is.

I have been working a bit with plexi. I always end up with screws to secure it. I realy dont trust the glue to work at any times. Specially if you have liquid in what ever you are building... (Like me, water cooling tanks and such). I allso go over the edges with either clear silicon, or black silicon... Then trimcut the silicon when it's dry.

If you plan to use screw, get the stainless steel ones, for wood. Then drill a hole first, at SLOW rpm.

qazaq9 · 05-09-2009, 01:43 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Crinos

I always end up with screws to secure it. I realy dont trust the glue to work at any times.

this is the reason why i want to find dichloroethane, or something similar like weld-on #4. it does not bond plexi with as adhesive, it melts it then when u attach two pieces together u get a perfect bond. even when u try to break, the plexi glass brakes somewhere else and not at the joint

it works like acetone when working with plastic scale models.

ill post some pics when i finish the box, so far i have most of the stuff cut out and ready to be assembled

Pepe · 05-10-2009, 12:14 AM

What about the plastic cement used for model cars? It melts that plastic together, and might also work on plexi. You can get it at any hobby shop, and it's cheap to try, so no big loss if it doesn't work.

MGD · 05-10-2009, 09:52 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Pepe

What about the plastic cement used for model cars? It melts that plastic together, and might also work on plexi. You can get it at any hobby shop, and it's cheap to try, so no big loss if it doesn't work.

All those "GLUES" are acetone based and will not disolve plexiglass. you will need Weld On #3 or #4.

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