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Best glue/adhesive for tort layer onto white plastic layer?
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Author:  Spitfire7 [ Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Best glue/adhesive for tort layer onto white plastic layer?

What is the best glue for gluing a tortoise shell ply layer to a white plastic layer similar to an electric guitar pick guard? I have tried the adhesive backing sticker sheets and I got bad results with that. Sandwiching between a white plastic layer, I could see the sticky gummy adhesive through my tort layer and it also made it slightly bumpy due to the thicker gummy adhesive layer.

I need something more like a glue that dries super thin and super flat. Superglue would be ideal, but it dries to fast. I need one that does not dry instantly so I can reposition and fine tune before completely dried and stuck but with the permanent strength of superglue. What do you think would work best? Thank you.

Author:  Andy Birko [ Fri Aug 03, 2012 2:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best glue/adhesive for tort layer onto white plastic layer?

This may help. I used to use my dad's stash of MEK as plastic model glue....may also have something to do with the somewhat random way my neurons fire these days too though,

http://nerfhaven.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18527

Author:  Spitfire7 [ Sat Aug 04, 2012 12:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best glue/adhesive for tort layer onto white plastic layer?

Todd Stock wrote:
Probably a plastics adhesive if the white plastic is vinyl or PVC...LMI's FCA or Weld-On #16 or one of the other formulations of Weld-On. If both the tortoise shell and the white plastic are cellulose acetate or cellulose nitrate, acetone should glue them together, at the risk of the usual solvent swelling. Join and weight the plastic for a couple days until the solvents cook out.


Thank you for the reply. Actually I believe the plastic is a polished PVC (I think, is there any way I can test to see what kind it is?). Now the tort layer is more of a epoxy resin. This doesn't seem to stick to anything. I roughed up both sides and tried duco cement, Testors liquid cement for Plastic, and even tried Devcon 2 Ton Epoxy glue. This last epoxy actually stuck some parts very well and others not so well, but it left a few non attached spots in the middle creating a slight bubble. Superglue works perfectly of course, but there is no forgiveness with superglue and it dries to fast. Also it fogs the layers in some parts. I have also tried Testors model plastic glue. That did nothing at all. So which glue did you mention that is different than the ones I tried and might work. I have head Weld-on could work, but was also told Duco Cement was exactly the same and if it didn't work for me then Weld-on wont work either. Plus even Duco dried to fast for me. It was dry in about 10 seconds. I need longer work time.

Author:  Greg B [ Sat Aug 04, 2012 4:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best glue/adhesive for tort layer onto white plastic layer?

If the tortoise is epoxy, that is a problem. You will probably have to move to professional adhesives. The best choice may be either a two part acrylic with a long open time, or UV/light cure acrylic.

Author:  Spitfire7 [ Sat Aug 04, 2012 4:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best glue/adhesive for tort layer onto white plastic layer?

Greg B wrote:
If the tortoise is epoxy, that is a problem. You will probably have to move to professional adhesives. The best choice may be either a two part acrylic with a long open time, or UV/light cure acrylic.


Humm... Would this be the stuff or something like it http://www.amazon.com/3M-Scotch-Weld-Ep ... cotch+weld? You are right, I do need a professional adhesive. So this acrylic will bond to epoxy resin and plastic and be permanent forever? This specific product says fast drying 3 to 5 min. I dont think thats going to work.

I think I found the best one. Please confirm that this is what you were talking about and should work putting epoxy resin sheets on plastic sheets.
http://www.eis-inc.com/suppliers/produc ... 3MADP810NS

Author:  Greg B [ Sat Aug 04, 2012 5:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best glue/adhesive for tort layer onto white plastic layer?

(EDIT) Yeah that's the stuff I meant (2nd link). The first link is epoxy, which might work OK, but wouldn't be my first choice. If you look at the Henkel/Loctite products you'll see they have some with much longer work life.

You could try contacting Henkel or 3M, or just google "2 part cyanoacrylate UV cure" or something like that. Henkel has a product guide you can download. Lots of companies make this sort of adhesive. They may want you to purchase a few gallons. :lol: You may be able to finagle a sample or small quantity.

No guarantees from me, I'm not selling the stuff! :D

Author:  Spitfire7 [ Sat Aug 04, 2012 7:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best glue/adhesive for tort layer onto white plastic layer?

Greg B wrote:
(EDIT) Yeah that's the stuff I meant (2nd link). The first link is epoxy, which might work OK, but wouldn't be my first choice. If you look at the Henkel/Loctite products you'll see they have some with much longer work life.

You could try contacting Henkel or 3M, or just google "2 part cyanoacrylate UV cure" or something like that. Henkel has a product guide you can download. Lots of companies make this sort of adhesive. They may want you to purchase a few gallons. :lol: You may be able to finagle a sample or small quantity.

No guarantees from me, I'm not selling the stuff! :D


Now the Henkel stuff cures by UV light? Or can I just let it air dry in my garage with a non UV lamp?

From what I was reading it seems the 3M stuff can just air dry.

Author:  Greg B [ Sat Aug 04, 2012 8:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Best glue/adhesive for tort layer onto white plastic layer?

No, Henkels(Loctite) makes dozens of varieties (as do other companies). It was just a search suggestion.

There are two types: the 2 part kind, and the UV/light cure kind. It occurs to me that the light cure type won't work anyway, because you'll need heavy clamping cauls to do this, and they'll block the light. So you are stuck with two part.

BTW neither of them "air dry", they cure, like epoxy.

Another simpler idea: get some PVC pipe cement at Home Despot or wherever. If the white plastic is vinyl that should work. It'd be a good idea to wash the epoxy tortoise with detergent and sand the surface to be glued to remove any amine blush. To do this would require heavy cauls and lots of clamping pressure. Test on scrap first of course.

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