Thread: Glue for Polycarbonate

Poly carbonate is different from perspex.
Perspex is Poly methacrylate and is not as strong or flexible as PC.

Trasparent bonds can be formed using di or tri choromethane. Probably just as hard to find as chloroform.
The runnier types of superglues also forms a semitransparent bond but some are better than others so you would need to experiment to see which works the best

Beware. Perspex and Polycarbonate are entirely different animals, and require different solvents. When I was working with Polycarb, we used Methylene Chloride as the solvent of choice. This is widely used as paint stripper, and I suggest a trip to Bunnings and a read of stripper labels.

Don't know what to use for Perspex, but I'm sure a google will reveal all.

The trick will be actually knowing what you actually have.

Originally Posted by chrisb691

. . . . .The trick will be actually knowing what you actually have.

A thin strip of real PC will fold without breaking whereas Perspex will snap.

PC can be folded a room temperature which means if it is thin enough shapes can be bent up without the need for glue.
Being stronger PC can be much thinner and still be stronger than Perspex.

This PC TS guard is made from PC and was just folded. It needs to be slightly over folded to create a 90º bend.

Originally Posted by BobL

A thin strip of real PC will fold without breaking whereas Perspex will snap.

PC can be folded a room temperature which means if it is thin enough shapes can be bent up without the need for glue.
Being stronger PC can be much thinner and still be stronger than Perspex.

I was aware perspex was very brittle but thought it was therefore stronger. Thanks for the advice. Will try bending but with Canberra's cold temperatures think I will have to heat it with a heat gun.

Graham

Originally Posted by gmoss

I was aware perspex was very brittle but thought it was therefore stronger. . .

Well there are many varieties strength but about the only ones that Perspex might beat PC on is compressive strength and maybe tensile strength, but impact and bending strength the PC wins.

BTW my saw guard is held above the saw by a counter weight over against the wall. The counterweight and guard are connected by a braided SS wire and one time it has became disconnected while the blade was spinning. I could see it happening from about a metre away and there was nothing I could do about it. Expecting the worst it was all over in a flash, the blade cut a 50 mm long slot in the back of the guard (it's still there) - if it had been perspex it could have shattered

Be aware that polycarbonates are hygroscopic, and if heated up around 100C the water will 'boil' and the softened plastic will soon resemble a stiff translucent froth - DAMHIK.

Originally Posted by bsrlee

Be aware that polycarbonates are hygroscopic, and if heated up around 100C the water will 'boil' and the softened plastic will soon resemble a stiff translucent froth - DAMHIK.

Thanks for the advice Will be careful. Graham

G'day Graham,
A bit late but when I was in manufacturing we sourced a heap of engineered plastics including polycarbonate from Dotmar.
http://www.dotmar.com.au/
They used to supply us with a tube of glue for the polycarbonate made in germany...sorry but that was 15yrs back so can't remember the name.
Many be worth an email or phone call!!??
Cheers crowie

dotmar are still a major plastics supplier, though you may find a smaller plastics supplier easier to deal with.

yes perspex (acrillic) is a different product to poly carbonate.

the solvent of choice for acrillic is MEK.

cheers