Gluing 3d parts together
I am looking to glue 3D parts in the form of a hinge so their will be a fair amount of strain on the join.
Super glue came to mind but I wanted to ask if anyone could recommend something that might be before the PLA specifically?
Thanks
Carl
RE: Gluing 3d parts together
I use super glue ... but the thicker GEL type that has fillers to improve adhesion of non-smooth surfaces. And, I also use the two part type for more secure bonds. Glue on one side, accelerator on the other.
I have also used Gorilla glue, but it needs to be clamped, and will foam and extrude at the seam. The extrudate can be removed with a Dremel.
RE: Gluing 3d parts together
If you are gluing PLA to PLA parts, Flex-i-File Plast-i-Weld will give you a joint that won't fail. It's a solvent rather than a glue, so it actually melts the two parts together. It's some rather nasty stuff, so you want to follow all the normal solvent precautions, and you need to get the applicator as you only need a drop of the stuff. But, if you plan on doing lots of bonding of parts, its well worth the investment.
RE: Gluing 3d parts together
Oh great I did not know the thicker the better for smooth surfaces ill keep this in mind. Thank you for the advice much appreciated!
Carl
RE: Gluing 3d parts together
If you are gluing PLA to PLA parts, Flex-i-File Plast-i-Weld will give you a joint that won't fail. It's a solvent rather than a glue, so it actually melts the two parts together. It's some rather nasty stuff, so you want to follow all the normal solvent precautions, and you need to get the applicator as you only need a drop of the stuff. But, if you plan on doing lots of bonding of parts, its well worth the investment.
This sound havy due stuff! but could well be what I am looking for seeing as its a hinge a join that wont fail sounds great 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to help me out!
Carl
RE: Gluing 3d parts together
If you are gluing PLA to PLA parts, Flex-i-File Plast-i-Weld will give you a joint that won't fail. It's a solvent rather than a glue, so it actually melts the two parts together. It's some rather nasty stuff, so you want to follow all the normal solvent precautions, and you need to get the applicator as you only need a drop of the stuff. But, if you plan on doing lots of bonding of parts, its well worth the investment.
This sound havy due stuff! but could well be what I am looking for seeing as its a hinge a join that wont fail sounds great 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to help me out!
Carl
Plast-I-Weld is reported to be based on Dichloromethane. Be careful around it.
Dichloromethane passes through latex gloves in seconds and through nitrile gloves in minutes. Double-gloving and changing gloves immediately upon contact is recommended practice. For applications where contact with the gloves is expected, expensive PVA-based gloves are recommended. Dichloromethane passes through most filters, including activated carbon. Thus most breathing masks will fail to filter it, so the recommendation is to feed clean air from afar into the mask or to work in a fume hood. It smells nice. Even in fairly low concentrations it knocks out the sense of smell rather quickly, so it's hard to recognize if the concentration is rising. In higher concentrations it makes people unconscious and if they're not removed from exposure, death follows.
But dichloromethane is also reported to weld PLA really well and to be one of few solvents that can be used for smoothing the surface of PLA prints, similar to how acetone works with ABS.
I've got a 1 liter bottle. I haven't opened it yet.
RE: Gluing 3d parts together
Plast-I-Weld is reported to be based on Dichloromethane. Be careful around it.
Dichloromethane passes through latex gloves in seconds and through nitrile gloves in minutes. Double-gloving and changing gloves immediately upon contact is recommended practice. For applications where contact with the gloves is expected, expensive PVA-based gloves are recommended. Dichloromethane passes through most filters, including activated carbon. Thus most breathing masks will fail to filter it, so the recommendation is to feed clean air from afar into the mask or to work in a fume hood. It smells nice. Even in fairly low concentrations it knocks out the sense of smell rather quickly, so it's hard to recognize if the concentration is rising. In higher concentrations it makes people unconscious and if they're not removed from exposure, death follows.
But dichloromethane is also reported to weld PLA really well and to be one of few solvents that can be used for smoothing the surface of PLA prints, similar to how acetone works with ABS.
I've got a 1 liter bottle. I haven't opened it yet.
That was exactly what I was thinking. I knew that PLA can be dissolved only by few components, one more dangerous of the other, and among them Dichloromethane. If that glue could dissolve the PLA it should have such component. I was thinking to use Dichloromethane with an ultrasonic machine to clean the clogged nozzles, but at the end of the day, due to the extreme danger of the chemicals and the quantity to use, I decided that 7€ for a new nozzle are well spend for the health and safety... 🤗
By the way, I don't use glue for PLA, but always design objects that can be fitted with inserts one with the other, with very low tolerance (and superglue is enough) or nuts and bolts. 🙂
PS: There are a lot of videos showing modellers that use that glue without any protection devices or gloves... 😱
RE: Gluing 3d parts together
Wow thank you for this advice I will be sure to make the small investment in the right kind of nozzle! Some heavy duty sounding stuff!!
Thanks Again!
Carl
RE: Gluing 3d parts together
Wow thank you for this advice I will be sure to make the small investment in the right kind of nozzle! Some heavy duty sounding stuff!!
Thanks Again!
Carl