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Glue Guru Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ's.
I NEED A GLUE FOR PLASTIC?
Please do not ask us this question. If you are serious about bonding plastic, the most important consideration is what sort of plastic you are trying bond. Are you bonding your plastic to itself or to a dissimilar substrate? Is the plastic and the glue joint exposed to extreme temperatures, moisture, dynamic stress, vibrations etc
Certain plastics can be bonded simply by using a solvent based syrup. PVC pipe is probably the most common using this method, while others aren’t so simple and can only be bonded by welding.
Plastics have become an integral part of everyday life. It would be difficult to identify a manufacturing process which does not use plastics in one form or another. Even products which appear to be composedexclusively of metals are usually coated, sealed, or adhesively joinedusing polymeric materials which improve the performance, appearance, and longevity of the metal products.
Plastics have achieved widespread acceptance due to the virtually limitless combinations of plastic types, fillers, and additives which canbe compounded at relatively low costs and processed by a wide variety of methods. This gives plastic producers the ability to tailor their products to the specific needs of manufacturers with great precision. By properly selecting the plastic types, additives, and filler, as well as blends of different plastic types, the physical, chemical, and thermal properties of a plastic can be made to meet or exceed the performance requirements of almost any application. However, while the limitless variety of plastics is an invaluable asset to a designer selecting a plastic, it is the designer’s biggest limitation when selecting an adhesive.
The countless adhesives available, coupled with the virtually limitless grades of plastics available, make it highly unlikely that there will be any specific bond strength data for the adhesive/plasticcombination in the designer’s application. Moreover, every year new grades of plastic are created, and old grades of plastic are discontinued or reformulated, making the acquisition of comprehensive bond strength data on specific grades virtually impossible.
DOES GLUE HAVE A SHELF LIFE?
All glues have a shelf life of some sort. Chemical setting glues are generally long life, oncel the catalyst is mix in,then they set. The PVA family of glues are about one year in a firmly sealed container. PVA goes thick when it is to old. It is wise to replace your glue once it reaches the recommended 'use by' period.
WHAT IS THE BEST GLUE FOR OUTDOOR USE?
Any glue that is labelled as having a water resistance rating of D3 or D4 is a must. If the outdoor construction is going to be coated with paint or similar, then D3 is adequate, but if it is an in-ground or unsealed structure, like furniture then the D4 is a imperative. Resorcinol, Urea Formaldahyde, Polyurethanes, Epoxies and the new D4 PVA's are all recommended for exterior applications.
WHERE IS CONTACT CEMENT USED?
Contact cement has had many industrial uses. The Footwear and Cabinet making industries are traditional users of contact cements. They are also a very good adhesive for those applications where an instant or a waterproof joint is required.
See our article on contact adhesvies by clicking here
WHERE IS HOTMELT ADHESIVE USED?
Hot melt's are widely used in industry,where their very quick setting time is an advantage in assembly production. They have good gap filling properties, but a relatively low strength. Typical use is the gluing of HPL plastic laminates to kitchen bench tops ~ cardboard carton ~ electronics.