Bonding transparent plastics

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Bogstandard

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Can anyone help.
I am looking to bond together perspex, plexiglas, macrolon, W.H.Y. to a state where the join has very little or no visual imperfections, and be able to be machined afterwards and still retain its sealing integrity on the joints.
A tall order, but if NASA can do it, I am sure someone in our midst has the techique to carry out what I want. We are better than them, aren't we!!
Basically I am trying to make a 4" tube of laminations of clear and smoked perspex to a height of about 2" and a wall thickness of 1/8".
Also hints on how to polish it afterwards would be really helpful.
John
 
Try a product called WELD-ON 3. It is a very fast curing solvent cement for acrylic. You wont even see the joint when it sets and setting is just a few seconds.
 
Hi Kenny,
Have you got the active ingredient, as the one you suggested isn't available in the UK

John
 
Bogs:
Check with the local plastic supply house they sould have what you need. As far as polishing the tips and trick section has that info. With several ideas.
Weld on is what I have used also . I have also used super glue cynoacrilates with good results on plastic. not sure ir it dryes clear though.
Tin
 
Hi John,

On my can it shows:

methylene chioride
trichloroethylene
methyl methacrylate monomer

It says don't breath it, but don't worry about that. by the time you smell it the vapours have already went through your skin and has attacked your nevous system. :lol:

I get mine from an aviation supply store. When I repair plastic I put two parts right where they need to be and use a squeeze bottle with a small opening then disperce it along the edge. It drys too fast to use a brush.

Will see if it is called another brand for over the pond. I have also seen it used at an aircraft repair shop in Switzerland.

Kenny
 
Tin,
Sorry, I forgot I had read that thread before, it is a sign of old age, another brain cell pops its clogs.

Kenny,
When I was in the aircraft fixing business we used a product called Tensol for gluing together bits of wayward cockpit 'glassware', that was purely a perspex glue. But things have come a long way since the last century and this is getting rather technical now, got lost in all the jargon. You have to be very gentle with me, not as robust as I used to be.
I did remember after reading your very helpful posts that I have in my past a friend that works for Rubber and Plastic Research Assoc. So it looks like the problem will now become his.
Many thanks for your help, I am sure if I have success you will see the results.

BTW, I am very jealous of what you have in the US. It seems that you can get anything that you want. With us being only a small island we have to import a lot of the specialist goods, and if there is little call for it they just won't stock it, and getting stuff from the US is so expensive by the time they add shipping, customs and VAT it is easier to find an alternative method to do what is required.

John
 
Just to give you lads that helped me an update on bonding perspex etc.
Contacted my man in research and he came back with a trade product called Polypipe cleaner. Its used for preparing plastic water pipes before assembly.
Only about £4 (8 bucks)for a bottle from a builders supplier, and there is enough to last a lifetime.
Tried it and absolutely perfect, no sign of any joints or bonding imperfections, like it was never there. Now just got to get my polishing techique sorted.
Many thanks again.

John
 
Hi John
for polishing Perspex theres a product called Micromesh and Microgloss the first is the abrasive and the second teh polish its superb and about the only workable way to get a factory finish on Perspex. last time I bought any it came from all places a fountain pen repair store on Ebay. not cheap but well worth it. I used it to finish a display case for a traction engine.

Cheers kevin
 
Hi John,

I have used chloroform with great success provided that the joints were of a good finish and somehow fixed. It glues almost instantly, but wait.... Many CA glues either don't work well with plexiglass or leave a white cloud around the joint, though some are OK. I have polished plexi with toothpaste though some brands are better (different grit ?)than others.

You can also dissolve a small piece of plexi in a bottle of chloroform to make a very strong joint.

All above (except for the chloroform) are not professional solutions but a poor man's inventions.

I have already read some more professional approaches to the subject but I couldn't resist my wish for communication.

George
 
You might try some of the optically clear uv activated adhesives. Cures in like 15 seconds in UV light. Also will cure in an hour or two in sunlight.

This is whats used to glue lenses together.
 
Hi,

We generally use a product called Tensol to bond acrylic. It is as has been noted in other replies a solvent rather than a glue. Clamping the plastic parts together moderately tight and the Tensol (it is water consistancy0 will run in the joints by capillary action.

There is also a more viscous version which simply has clear acrylic dissolved into the basic solvent, this is very similar to the PVC modelling cement you get for Airfix models or similar.

The Pipe cement is more than likely an industrial version of the same Stuff.

Polishing - Easy - Start with getting a reasonable smooth surface any way you like, follow by successive grades of wet/dry paper from coarse to fine ensuring you remove the scratches from the previous operation every time.

At school we have a buffing wheel on which we use Tripoli polishing compound for acrylic, this gives a high polish very quickly to plastic products (not bad on out brass letter box either!)



 

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