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Bonding Styrene to Aluminum

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Bonding Styrene to Aluminum
Posted by RicZ on Thursday, August 29, 2013 6:20 PM

I need to bond (laminate) a piece of .040 styrene to a sheet of .064 aluminum.  What is the best adhesive to use?  Ideas I have had are Walthers Goo and Liquid Nails.  Anyone got some other ideas?

RicZ

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Posted by gandydancer19 on Thursday, August 29, 2013 6:22 PM

Super glue is an option.

Elmer.

The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.

(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.

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Posted by RicZ on Thursday, August 29, 2013 6:35 PM

This is a 4" x 10" piece.  Might take a lot of  CA.

RicZ

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Posted by hornblower on Thursday, August 29, 2013 6:38 PM

A contact adhesive might work.  Otherwise, some type of epoxy would work as well.  It really depends on how much strength you need.

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Posted by mlehman on Thursday, August 29, 2013 6:49 PM

Sounds like an ideal app for 3M #77 Spray Adhesive. Quick, easy, bonds great.

Mike Lehman

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Posted by Soo Line fan on Thursday, August 29, 2013 6:52 PM

3M super weather strip adhesive. Stronger than walthers goo and available at any parts store.

Jim

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Posted by dstarr on Thursday, August 29, 2013 6:53 PM

RicZ

I need to bond (laminate) a piece of .040 styrene to a sheet of .064 aluminum.  What is the best adhesive to use?  Ideas I have had are Walthers Goo and Liquid Nails.  Anyone got some other ideas?

RicZ

Both Goo and Liquid Nails are solvent based and might make the styrene go all crinkly.  I'd  put some Goo on a test piece of styrene to see what happens.  If Goo doesn't crinkle your plastic it will work.  Goo has enough stick, it sticks to anything and dries really tough.  Liquid Nails is a construction adhesive made to stick to wood and plywood.   Whether it  sticks to metal or plastic I don't know. 

  The usual choice for metal to plastic bonding is either Superglue (CA) or epoxy. 

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Posted by farrellaa on Thursday, August 29, 2013 7:43 PM

I use to use 8x10 sheets of double sided adhesive film, kind of like double face tape. I don't know who makes it now but a art supply store might be one place to look. It works very well and with a large surface area it is tough to take apart.

   -Bob

this would work: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Scor-Tape-Adhesive-8-5-x11-Sheets-3-pack-by-Scor-Pal-Double-sided-/130846857872?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e77149a90

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Posted by kbkchooch on Thursday, August 29, 2013 8:49 PM

 This is what you want in the Liquid Nails family. Silicone based, no solvents to make the styrene all wrinkly. Goo will attack thin styrene, as will anything with solvents.  

Karl

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Posted by doctorwayne on Friday, August 30, 2013 2:29 AM

Either LePage's or Weldbond Gelled Contact Cement will do the job permanently.  The only drawback is that it comes only in quart or larger-size cans, but you may find other uses for it around the house.  I used it to veneer kitchen cabinets, and it is permanent - still solid after 25 years. Smile, Wink & Grin

Use a cheap 1" or 2" brush, and first prep one surface of the styrene with a coat of lacquer thinner - this prevents the solvent in the contact cement from being drawn into the plastic, which results in a weak bond.  While that evaporates, use the same brush to apply the contact cement to the aluminum - cover it completely in as even a coat as possible, then do the same to the now mostly-dry styrene.  Let both pieces sit for at least 20 minutes (skipping this step is why solvent-type contact cements wreck plastic, and it also weakens the bond).              
If you need to align the two pieces for assembly, lay a piece of waxed paper over one - this will allow you to see what you're doing, and will not stick to the contact cement.  Line-up both edges at a corner, then slightly pull the waxed paper away from that corner and bring the two surfaces together.  Now, slowly withdraw the waxed paper, and follow along with your other hand smoothing and pressing the top sheet down to eliminate air bubbles. 


Wayne

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Posted by zstripe on Friday, August 30, 2013 2:49 AM

I use,and with great results.a product called, ZAP-A-GAP,Medium CA+,a little bit goes a long way,,will not have to be spread,,one bead around near the outer edge,one half way to the center and then the center itself,,put the pieces together,hold five seconds and you are done,,the strongest CA,I have used with no regrets....0.5 oz,for around four dollars..

Cheers,

Frank

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, August 30, 2013 6:24 AM

What's the application?  For scenery, which is static, almost anything will do because there's not much stress on it.  If there's any flex, though, you want to avoid "hard" adhesives like CA / Superglue, because they form a hard but brittle bond that would crack and weaken if flexed.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by zstripe on Friday, August 30, 2013 8:17 AM

The Medium CA+,I recommended,,will flex,,will only come apart,if tried to bend in half..

Cheers,

Frank

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Posted by RicZ on Friday, August 30, 2013 9:11 AM

Karl, what about Liquid Nails for Projects. It is supposed to be solvent-free and will not attack foam?

RicZ

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Posted by zstripe on Friday, August 30, 2013 10:11 AM

I just got through reading all about Liquid Nails products and it stated that,their Liquid Nails,,Perfect glue,,that's the name given it,,,will be perfect for all the things you want to do,,,including,Foam.....If you don't believe it,,,,,,,Google,,Liquid Nails and read for yourself....

Cheers,

Frank

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Posted by maxman on Friday, August 30, 2013 12:19 PM

My question about some of the products mentioned is how does one manage to get them spread thin enough such that a non-uniform lumpy mess doesn't accumulate between the two surfaces to be bonded?  I can see that the 3M spray product would not do this.

That all being said, the latest issue of MR (October) has an article where the author wanted to bond some sandpaper to styrene to represent a gravel roof.  He used a product called Zoom Creative Products double-faced adhesive film.  The way it was explained was that you remove the protective waxed paper from the adhesive film and apply to the first surface, and then remove the protective film from the second side and attach the other material.  I've not used this product myself, so this is only a suggestion.

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Posted by farrellaa on Friday, August 30, 2013 10:37 PM

Maxman,

Check this product out, it is what I was referring to in my previous post on this thread. The least mess and neatest product to use.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Scor-Tape-Adhesive-8-5-x11-Sheets-3-pack-by-Scor-Pal-Double-sided-/130846857872?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e77149a90

   -Bob

Life is what happens while you are making other plans!

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Posted by maxman on Friday, August 30, 2013 10:54 PM

farrellaa

Maxman,

Check this product out, it is what I was referring to in my previous post on this thread. The least mess and neatest product to use.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Scor-Tape-Adhesive-8-5-x11-Sheets-3-pack-by-Scor-Pal-Double-sided-/130846857872?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e77149a90

   -Bob

That product looks very similar to the Zoom Creative Products item mentioned in the MR article.  The description of its use is also similar.  Here is a link to the Zoom stuff: http://www.zoomcreativeproducts.com/SearchResults.aspx?Search=double+sided+adhesive
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Posted by Medina1128 on Saturday, August 31, 2013 8:26 AM

Soo Line fan

3M super weather strip adhesive. Stronger than walthers goo and available at any parts store.

I remember this stuff from my drag racing days. We used to call the "yellow death". You basically had to chisel the stuff off. I'm sure they have solvents to soften is, now. 

What you want to do when gluing ANY dissimilar material is to scuff up both of the mating surfaces, to give them some "tooth".

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Posted by RicZ on Saturday, August 31, 2013 9:22 AM

Many thanks,guys.  A lot of good ideas.

RicZ

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Posted by tgindy on Saturday, August 31, 2013 11:18 AM

...just purchased a new tube of Duco Cement from my LHS (Local Hardware Store) for $2.99.  Here's a thorough description.

maxman

how does one manage to get them spread thin enough such that a non-uniform lumpy mess doesn't accumulate between the two surfaces to be bonded?

Use a clamp like "Quick-Grip" (see Amazon webpage) with a trigger-squeeze -- Simply wipe away any excess "adhesive-ooze" along the edges after clamping.

Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956

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Posted by maxman on Saturday, August 31, 2013 4:43 PM

tgindy

...just purchased a new tube of Duco Cement from my LHS (Local Hardware Store) for $2.99.  Here's a thorough description.

maxman

how does one manage to get them spread thin enough such that a non-uniform lumpy mess doesn't accumulate between the two surfaces to be bonded?

Use a clamp like "Quick-Grip" (see Amazon webpage) with a trigger-squeeze -- Simply wipe away any excess "adhesive-ooze" along the edges after clamping.

 
Sorry, but I still don't see how this helps.  We are not talking about two small items to be bonded together.  What we are talking about is a relatively large sheet of something to be bonded to another relatively large sheet.  I looked at the link, and I see that the tube has a nozzle that will deposit a bead of glue (or goop as I'd say) on one piece of material.  This is similar to some of the other products, such a caulk, that were suggested.  So that bead of glue needs to be spread evenly across the surface of one of the sheets.  There is no way that clamping with the suggest clamps is going to accomplish that.  Plus if you get the glue lumped up in one place, that will add thickness between the surfaces at that one point and adjacent surfaces will be lifted apart and have no bond between them.
 
Or maybe I don't understand the process.  Is the intention just to spot bond the two materials and just leave large areas unbonded?  I personally am not comfortable with that idea as I've seen too many delaminated joints.
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Posted by mlehman on Saturday, August 31, 2013 5:41 PM

maxman
My question about some of the products mentioned is how does one manage to get them spread thin enough such that a non-uniform lumpy mess doesn't accumulate between the two surfaces to be bonded?  I can see that the 3M spray product would not do this.

Yep, that was one of the main reasons I recommended good ol' #77.

Mike Lehman

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Posted by tgindy on Saturday, August 31, 2013 8:11 PM

As already suggested in this thread, there are a number of ways, to bond the two pieces.

maxman

Is the intention just to spot bond the two materials and just leave large areas unbonded?  I personally am not comfortable with that idea as I've seen too many delaminated joints.

Personally, I would take a Duco-type adhesive approach, which only requires/uses a thin bead (not a thick glue/amount) of adhesive for starters -- To apply a continuous rectanglar bead apx. 1/4" from the entire outer edge of the aluminum piece, and perhaps two lengthwise beads down the middle, then; position the styrene on top of the aluminium before clamping.  "Temporary tape" can also be used during the set-up time to prevent styrene/aluminum pieces shifting sideways -- Along with two "Quick-Grip" clamps -- Also employing two protective pieces of scrap plywood on either side(s) of the styrene/aluminum pieces, or; substituting a workbench vise (due to scrap plywood protection) instead of the "Quick-Grips".  Clamping pressure does assure no residual glue-lumping between the two pieces -- Regardless of the adhesive-type used.

Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956

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