What’s the best glue to use for making custom acrylic display cubes?
(I already checked this to that, but it only has “plastic” as a
choice, not acrylic, and so wasn’t helpful.)
Thanks!
Elaine
Hi Elaine,
Each plastic distributor has their own variation, but it’s generally
called acrylic cement. Very, very thin, looks like water. You swipe
it on with a brush, put the parts together, and it dries in seconds.
It’s pretty much just a solvent, doesn’t have any real binder to it.
(And the fumes are impressive.)
One link here:
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep80bm
A different version:
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep80bn
You can get it at the plastic distributors, but it’s not carried in
‘normal’ stores. It gives you an optically clear joint. (and only
one shot at getting it all together.)
For the love of your brain cells, use it in a well ventilated space,
with a fume respirator.
Regards,
Brian
I already checked this to that, but it only has "plastic" as a choice, not acrylic, and so wasn't helpful.
Acrylics are assembled with a solvent. Essentially you weld the
pieces together.
The joint must be perfectly mated, as the solvent will not fill a
gap. Also the mating edges should be as smooth as possible. Polishing
is not necessary, but a fine emery or scraped finish is preferred.
The two pieces are held in position and a small amount of solvent is
run into the join. Capillary attraction draws the solvent all the way
between the mating surfaces. As the pieces are held together the
solvent softens a thin layer of each piece which then meld with each
other, and in about 30 seconds harden up again.
If the joins are well prepared and the solvent carefully applied the
resulting join will be invisible. Often a few air bubbles get trapped
in the joint, but with practice they get fewer and fewer.
Elliot Nesterman
What you are after is an acrylic cement.
The guys that sold you the acrylic should be able to provide you
with this.
What the cement does is it melts the acrylic, and placing the sheets
together they form a very strong bond.
They are solvent based so there is a risk in using them in an
enclosed space.
Regards Charles A.
Its actually a solvent and its called DCM Dichloromethane
Its quite toxic use it in a well ventilated area
Elaine, go to the plastic source:
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep80bp
Those are not actually glues, they are welding compounds. You get
your seams tight, run the liquid so it goes into the seam much like
solder does, and it actually fuses the parts together. It’s how they
make plastic aquariums, among other things.