Experience with glueing acrylic face to face!

[adam smiz]

Hey SMC,

I did not find any recent posts on this topic and would like to see if anyone has had any experience doing this. I am considering gluing three pieces of acrylic together. It will be 1/8" clear, 1/8" color, then 1/8" on the top. This will also be above water and has a tendency to bow. Anyone know if I used like a weldon if it would almost bond the sheets as one? Or will some sheets bow apart from others?

Any experience is greatly appreciated!

[adam smiz]

I am also looking into almost laminating several pieces together. I have read a few posts that mention a uv solvent but they were never concluded. Anyone out there have any knowledge on any of this!

[adam smiz]

Well, talked to a few chemical company's and acrylic manufactures. Conclusion is to use a weldon 40 or 42 to achieve a bond of two faces. Ordering it now, will report back with results!

[Paul Phillips]

Hi Adam, I've never tried it on a large piece but I have seen a local shop that does it for a living, they use the #40, he said the idea is the slower the cure time the less likely you are to have bubbles which seems to be the trade secret, how not to leave bubbles is the trick! good luck!

[adam smiz]

Hi Adam, I've never tried it on a large piece but I have seen a local shop that does it for a living, they use the #40, he said the idea is the slower the cure time the less likely you are to have bubbles which seems to be the trade secret, how not to leave bubbles is the trick! good luck!

Thanks Paul! I will have to go ahead and get some 40 and give it a try now! Curious what application your local shop was using this for. Any idea?

[Paul Phillips]

Yeah, they make custom built Acrylic furniture, I've seen them do some very cool things but they told me that the larger the area you are trying to glue, the more chance you have for bubbles, I don't know what the secret is, you may be able to find it if your google fu is strong enough! I'm guessing ambient temperature and humidity will play a part, as well as how you mix the stuff, beyond that I can't be much help, sorry.

[Eric Weinheimer]

use weld on 3 or 4. apply or flood the area to be glued and sandwich two at a time. leave enough area on the edges for trim.

[John Blazy]

Yes, Adam, please let us know the results - you did this several months ago, so hopefully it turned out. I have been tempted to do this as well, and have laminated epoxy and other liquid glues in my vacuum laminator, but haven't tried the solvent welding 2 part Weldon for full flood laminating (I use 2 part Weldon all the time, just not for full panel laminating), and would like to know.

if I were to do it (assuming a 24 x 24" panel for example), I would get fully set up with clamping caul plates top and bottom (like 3/4 birch), or tempered glass with release liner faces. Then mix the Weldon either slowly to not get bubbles, or place in my home-made vacuum tank (made from an old propane tank) to de-air the mix.

Then pour the mix into the middle of the 1st acrylic sheet, and pour an "X" pattern if its square (pouring in lines approaching the corners), with most of the resin in the middle. Then bow the acrylic to contact the middle, then lay it in slowly to not trap bubbles. Then use a pressure roller to roll much of it out near the edges. Then place the top clamping caul over the panel and use a deep throat clamp to press the middle, or use a vacuum press with edge pinch eliminators and press until squeeze out is seen.