gluing Plexiglass

"csmdave" skrev i en meddelelse news:GqednegYCrP3oGvYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@adelphia.com...

Have a look at this one:

According to Wikipedia, Pexiglas (aka Perspex, Lucite, acrylic glass, or just "acrylic") can be joined using CA glue or liquid di- or tri- chloromethane.

I did a quick test, CA *does* work for gluing metal to Pexiglas, but you need a CA accelerator to make it set. Whether it's strong enough will depend on the intended use.

Di- and tri-chloromethane are solvents, so they'll only work for gluing Pexiglas to itself. Check the yellow pages under "plastics", you might be able to find a local business that sells it.

For acrylic to metal I'd go epoxy. Even if CA holds well enough, CA often fogs transparencies. For acrylic to styrene, sometimes Microglaze or some other white-glue-based stuff will work, but I doubt it would handle metal.

be a lot easier to drill and screw. is that out? some 2 parts exposies will work but i have doubts long term. they do disintegrate.

I would try GE's Lexan 100% Silicone Sealant. Comes in a 2.8 oz tube sold in HD where the plexiglass sheets are. I used it to make a 2' x 6" x 6" plexiglass display case. What it says on the tube: translucent outstanding adhesion quick setting permanently flexible UV resistant

I use Weld-On #3 to build display cases and the odd fish tank from acylic sheet aka plexiglass. It is the primary reason for its purpose. Forms a strong tight bond that is nearly invisible.

A FWIW--before you start applying adhesives, make sure you really know what material you're working with; is it truly "Plexiglas", or is it Lexan? To the layman the word Plexiglas has come to mean virtually any clear plastic sheet, like any facial tissue is a kleenex. Plexiglas is an acrylic, Lexan is a polycarbonate. The ONLY similarity is that they're both plastic-like material, and generally used in a transparent form (both are sold in hardware stores for use as windows). One can be thermal-formed, the other cannot. One will actually absorb the energy from a .50cal round, the other will break apart. Plexiglas doesn?t machine well, it?s too soft (it also scratches relatively easily). Lexan machines quite well because it?s incredibly hard, but that also translates into brittle. If it truly is Plexiglas, epoxies won?t even work well, you need to mechanically attach the metal to it via bolts, screws, rivets, etc., and you need special drill bits for it. If you were joining Plexiglas to Plexiglas, it?s not ?glued?, but a chemically welded joint like PVC pipe. Confused yet?

Disco make a very valid point!

Plexiglass or perspex machines ok if you know how to make the tool to do it and the speeds to machine it at . I have machined 100mm(4") diameter acrylic on a lathe to manufacture laboratory containers for use in a spectrometer in a radiation laboratory. They had to be crystal clear when finished , just a matter of the correct tool ,feed and speed and a light polish afterwards.