In everyday life, there are often situations when you just need to know how to glue plastic as reliably and accurately as possible. Although modern material is especially popular with manufacturers of many attributes, there is no single way and means to restore integrity in case of damage. Therefore, in order to prolong the life of a broken, but not completely damaged thing, it is worth learning a few secrets regarding gluing plastic.
A thorough analysis of the situation is the key to success
In order to reconstruct the plastic correctly and return the material to its former strength, you need to fully think through every step. Therefore, before gluing plastic, you need to pay attention to such nuances:
- Determine the material type. To do this, you need to understand the markings that are applied to the product.
- It is worth carefully considering the place of failure. If there is an oblique chip, then it is easier to glue the surface. If a part with even edges breaks, repair may not always be possible.
- Need to decide onby the functional load that the damaged area of the plastic can withstand. At maximum exposure, conventional bonding may become useless.
- If you need to combine plastic with another type of material, then you need to determine the features of such a repair.
Sometimes there are additional conditions and circumstances that you should also pay attention to before doing work.
What kind of glue to glue the plastic
Choosing a fixing agent to restore the integrity of plastic is quite simple if you correlate the type of material and the label on the packaging of the substance. Usually, a reaction adhesive is used for this kind of repair. Such a product is divided into 2 types: one-component and two-component.
First, is a substance that is already mixed in production. In this case, it is enough just to apply the agent to the material. Two-component formulations require mixing, which is done exclusively before work.
In order not to look for a long time which option is suitable for repairing the simplest and most common things, you can decide exactly what means to glue the plastic. The best option is the well-known "Moment", which has a definitive name - "Plastic".
Option for gluing plastic with other types of material
There are often problems with bonding plastics to other types of materials. Repairusually ends in failure when it is necessary to fasten to metal, glass, wood, concrete. But such a problem can be avoided if you choose the right remedy.
Which product, gluing plastic with other materials, should you choose by composition:
- The following types of fasteners will help to connect a thing with metal surfaces: epoxy, polyurethane, phenol rubber.
- There is a universal adhesive that can bond plastic to glass, ceramics, plaster.
- The cyanoacrylate component helps make the fixative suitable for bonding to wood, rubber, and other plastics.
Usually, manufacturers indicate the features, characteristics and principles of operation of their product. Therefore, before buying, you should carefully read not only the composition, but also the recommendations, the instructions themselves.
What methods can be used to fix material breakage other than glue
In addition to glue, other methods can be used for repair, correction and reconstruction. Thermal exposure options are especially popular in this situation.
In everyday life there are a huge number of types of plastics. Some of them are easy to weld. This type of thermal treatment brings very positive results, making the parts look like new.
Almost all types of plastics can be cold welded. It is necessary to perform such an actioncarefully to get a positive result. It is desirable to have experience in such work, it is better to practice on similar material.
If the breakdown is not in a visible place, then you can apply the "barbaric" method - to solder the parts. In this situation, it is very simple to decide how to glue the plastic. You need to take a piece of the same material and melt it into chips, press the parts. This option is a temporary substitute for a stronger connection.
How to make your own plastic adhesive
The best option for processing plastic parts that are damaged and need to be reassembled is homemade glue. Preparing the remedy is quite simple if you stock up on just two components, which are taken in a 1: 1 ratio.
Preparing homemade glue with maximum effect:
- Pour the solvent into a metal, but better glass container.
- Need to make shavings out of repairable plastic or similar material.
- Pour the workpiece into the solvent and mix well. Wait about 1 hour until the chips are completely converted into a homogeneous mass.
Knowing the recipe for homemade glue, it will be very easy to cope with the repair. It is only necessary to understand the process of how to glue plastic, taking into account the mechanical principle.
Principle of gluing plastic with homemade glue
Having prepared a homemade composition, you need to know exactly how to glue plastic at home. The principle of this action is a simple chemical reaction. Since homemade adhesive is made from solvent and plastic shavings, the following changes occur:
- After applying the substance, the solvent evaporates in a few hours.
- The plastic that was part of the paste becomes viscous and solder the fracture.
- Within a day, the dissolved mass will harden and finally connect the fault.
In order not to spoil the appearance of the product and the composition is well frozen, you need to apply glue in small portions. It is also worth making sure that there are no extra drops or smudges on the surface of the material.
Plastic adhesives
Depending on the type of plastic, a substance is also determined that is suitable for holding the debris together. Don't use trial and error. Having determined the composition by marking, you can accurately choose how to glue the plastic tightly:
- Polystyrene bonds well with plastic cement, epoxy product.
- A mixture of plastic resins is bonded with a cyanoacrylate agent.
- Polyethylene or polypropylene is joined with super glue.
More experienced craftsmen use thermal and technological methods to bond plastic, which differ in mechanical action, without the use of adhesives.
How to properly glue
Sometimes it's hard to figure out how to glue plastic tightly at home so that the material can withstandheavy loads, and the product looked decent. In this case, it is important not only to choose the right fixing agent, but also to be qualified to do the work itself.
How to glue plastic at home:
- Determine the type of material and choose the right adhesive for it.
- Remove debris from the surface and treat sharp chips. If the material is divided into layers along the fault, then it is advisable to cut off the weak points.
- You need to pre-wash the area, removing dust, dirt and small specks. Dry material completely.
- After cleaning, you need to degrease the plastic. For this, ordinary acetone is used.
- Apply a small amount of glue to problem areas and hold for a few minutes to thicken the substance a little.
- Next, the composition is re-applied to the chipped places, after which the parts are compressed. Better put them under the press.
- Keep the material under the weight for 1-3 days. It is not necessary to check the clutch before the set time. Due to the loss of the press, the procedure may not bring good results.
If all the steps and preparation are followed correctly, the material will hold together for a long time and with high quality. At the moment of compression, an excess amount of glue may come out from under the faults. It is necessary to immediately remove the residues, since after drying it will be impossible to remove the defect.