Screws and Nuts vs Cyanoacrylate Glue
I'm working on a vent cover that will have a pipe I print sticking out from it. The vent cover is covering a hole in a wall and the pipe sticks out horizontally. The vent hole I'm covering is large enough I'll have to print the cover in halves or quarters, since the full cover size is too big for my print bed. I'm using a frame on the back to hold the vent cover pieces together.
Considering that the vent cover and frame will be supporting the printed pipe or tube connected to it, I'm working out how to connect the parts so they'll stay firmly joined and sealed together. Quite often when I have printed parts that fit together, I use screws and nuts to join them together, but sometimes use glue. I'll be honest: I tend to have a distrust of glue, overall. While I know cyanoacrylate glue works well with PLA, and I've heard of it working well with PETG (any experience otherwise please let me know), I remember trying to use "superglue" in the 70s and finding it often did not hold what it claimed it would. But I've also read that the glue can often hold so well it'll hold up better than print filament.
I'm trying to decide whether to use screws and nuts to join the frame and cover plates, or to use glue instead. I figure part of the issue with glue is how large a surface area is used for the joint between two pieces.
The vent is in a foundation wall, so it's roughly 8" high by 16" wide (roughly 200mm x 400mm). The frame will be in 8 pieces around that and extending about 40mm out from the edges, to allow enough room to drill into the surrounding cinder blocks, put in anchors, and make sure those holes aren't right near the edges.
I'm interested in hearing not just what people would prefer to use to join the frame and cover plates, but also any background on factors to consider or any pros and cons of using either method to join printed parts either way.
RE: Screws and Nuts vs Cyanoacrylate Glue
From.my experience cyanoacryl glue tends to wear out over time due to weather conditions - few times I saw parts to break due to water usage.
But it really depends on the materials you have, some plastic and glue will turn itno a more resistant structure than the originally printed part, because glue will literally melt the plastic and allow better bondings - such as ABS/ASA and acentone.
Screws are good if tou need to disassemble it from time to time, and also allow adjustments.
Certain holes and joints can be filled with a silicone, especially if this needs to be air/water tight with low pressure.
See my GitHub and printables.com for some 3d stuff that you may like.
RE:
I use ASA and glue parts with glue for plastic models, which in my experience is effectively welding the parts together.
I try to give answers to the best of my ability, but I am not a 3D printing pro by any means, and anything you do you do at your own risk. BTW: I have no food for…