Plexiglass Glue

[gary892]

What is the best brand and type for gluing Plexiglass?

Thanks

Gary

[vinny]

plexi products aren't glued, they are fused with solvent.
Weld-on products are quite popular and the only products I use.
Weld-on 4 is a super thin water-like liquid that needs to be applied with a squeeze type applicator that has a very thin needle.
Weld-on 16 is a thicker corn syrup-like liquid which fills small gaps better than the thin stuff. Unless you have the cutting tools designed for plexiglass which result in very smooth edges, I'd go for #16. Get the larger size tube.
I use this stuff on a daily basis for my processing tanks.


Watch some youtube videos on assembling plexiglass before you go any further.

[Peter Lewin]

Having just repaired a large crack in my plexiglass ZoneVI print washer using the two Weld-on products Vinny mentioned, I merely second his comments. There are several YouTube videos about fixing plexiglass aquariums which I found directly applicable. In my case, I first used the water-consistency #3 (can't remember why I chose this over #4) to make a first pass at fixing the crack via capillary action. After letting this cure for three days, I then used #16 to weld another piece of plexiglass over the entire crack. I will find out this Wednesday how it all worked (allowing more curing time for the #16), but am certain it is a good fix. Once opened, the Weld-on products claim a shelf life of one year.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

+1 as I use the stuff as well.

[LabRat]

I agree with the above posts!!! Watch vids, too...

What are you working on??? A washer or....

De-gloss the bonding areas with fine sandpaper before cementing, so the solvent properly "melts" into those areas...

One warning if this is for a print washer;

I was tasked with fixing an old archival washer that had been heavily used daily for years, that had a seam that had been separating... I ran some of the watery cement into the seam with the hypo applicator, and a few minutes later, I started hearing loud pops and cracks!!! I looked at it and saw the old material had started crazing (like crazy), and after a while it looked like shattered safety glass!!! It had to be replaced...

So, if you are working on old, previously stressed plastic, warning!!!! I suggest using marine epoxy over a crack, with microfiber surgical gauze under it as the patch, after the area has been lightly sanded...

Some OT advice for washers is to make sure the washer sits on an even surface when filled/used, as it stresses the seams/material and will speed up the failure mode if on an uneven surface... Probably good to drain washers when not in use (as the water inside is heavy), and strongly suggest that washers are inside some sort of well or sink to catch the contents in case of failure (I had been working in someone else's darkroom, when I heard a loud POP, and I saw for a (very brief) split second that the washer walls had fallen away, and the water was in a cube shape in the air before splooshing down, leaving a huge mess!!! The sink that it had been in had steep, uneven ridges, where the washer didn't sit evenly, and the guy said that had happened before with the last few of his washers...)

And perfectly good washers have been known to burst, too...

Steve K

[Willie]

If you have a tough time finding the right stuff a product called Plumbers Goop works as well. Have used it to make both a print and a negative washer as well as to repair cracks in Jobo processors. Still holding well after a number of years.

[Peter Lewin]

While I have no doubt that Plumbers Goop works as well as Willie posts, the Weld-on products really are the ones for the job, and they are easy to get via the internet, which is how I got mine.

[HMG]

How long will Weld-on last in the container once opened?

[LabRat]

How long will Weld-on last in the container once opened?

It's just solvent, (with the watery stuff) so will stay the same, until it evaporates...

To add to my above post;

A good thing to add to a archival washer is to get some long ty-wraps that can reach around the sides of the washer (as a band), so IF it ever burst, the sides will be held in place, so as to not dump the wash water all at once, but slightly slow the process and not come out like a big wave (and maybe save the prints inside)... The bands don't have to be too tight, just to retain the walls in an upright position (IF lightning strikes)...

Steve K

[gary892]

Thank to everyone for your responses.

I have picked up some scrap plexiglass and I am in the learning stage as far as how to cut shape and "weld" the pieces together.

I have no plans to build anything at this point, it is more of a learning project


Gary