best glue for polyethylene plastics?

alpha993 · Post by **alpha993** » 11 July 05 10:47 am

<P>spent some time at Bunnings looking for a glue to bond 2 polyethylene plastics for an upcoming cache without success. Every one I found had "not for use with PVC or poly plastics"

<P>has anyone had any luck with this and if so, can you suggest a suitable product?

<P>solution needs to be strong enough to bond magnetic badge clip to plastic container and not break with repeated removal and attachment from metal surface, enough said

Mix · Post by **Mix** » 11 July 05 11:03 am

liquidnails.

maccamob · Post by **maccamob** » 11 July 05 12:15 pm

I once contacted Selleys for their recommended product for polyolefin plastics, and was advised that "none of the Selleys adhesives will adhere to Polypropylene or Polyethylene". Check their individual product data sheets on line if you're not sure. Many of them are also not water resistant in outdoors situations. Selleys actually referred me to Loctite for a suitable product. Loctite 770 Activator/Polyolefin Primer is designed for "difficult to bond substrates which include polyethylene, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and thermoplastic rubber materials". You can read more about it, and suitable adhesives to go with it, here. Loctite 406 seems to give the strongest bond with polypropylene, which is what most plasic cache containers, such as Sistema, are made from.
http://tds.loctite.com/tds5/docs/770-EN.PDF
The stuff is a bit pricy though.

Udderchaos · Post by **Udderchaos** » 11 July 05 2:18 pm

ive had reasonable success with silicone and hot melt glue guns.

But only when used in ridiculus excess.......

Scratching the surface up a bit with some really course sandpaper on the polyprop also seems to help as it gives some edges for the glue/silicone somewhere to hold onto.......

Papa Bear_Left · Post by **Papa Bear_Left** » 11 July 05 2:40 pm

If possible, go for mechanical fixing (i.e. bolts and nuts or screws into something) and seal the holes with silicone or lashings of hot glue.

Not as pretty, but much more secure. Washers to spread the load under the head of the bolt and the nut are also a good idea, as they might 'pull through' eventually.

energizer61 · Post by **energizer61** » 11 July 05 3:37 pm

If you're wanting to stick Poly to Poly, Go to an Electrical or plumbing wholesaler, ask for Conduit (at the electrical wholesaler) or Stormwater (at the plumbing wholesaler) solvent cement. sticks Poly like S$*t to a blanket

The type I use is "Type N Solvent cement" Made by Vinidex designed for non pressure applications, the other type is "type P" designed for pressure pipes etc, which may be better if you are looking for a totally waterproof seal.

Or if you know any electricians/plumbers, ask them if they've got a sample (most would have half empty bottles rolling around in the van everywhere).

Read the instructions (the first thing it say's is "Solvent cement jointing is a trade skill & should be executed by appropriately qualified persons") & you shouldn't have a problem.

More info here;
http://www.vinidex.com.au/VINIDEX/LIVE/ ... dy&FFFF264

maccamob · Post by **maccamob** » 11 July 05 6:03 pm

energizer61 wrote:If you're wanting to stick Poly to Poly ...

Be aware that there are many different 'poly' plastics, and what works for one may not work for another. Energizer is of course referring to PVC (polyvinyl chloride) as used for pipes and conduits. Plastic containers will usually have a triangle (recycling) symbol with a number or letters to indicate the kind of plastic used. See http://www.pacia.org.au/_uploaditems/do ... system.pdf for examples of these. They include polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene etc. It is usually the ones with a slippery or greasy feel (polyethylene, polypropylene) that are difficult to glue. I'd agree with Bear Left that mechanical fixing for those is the surest way to go if it is practical.

xf king · Post by **xf king** » 11 July 05 10:13 pm

The only glut that I have found that sticks well to PVC or many types of plastic is Epoxy glue, give the area a light sand before you join it with glue first though.

Hope this helps..

Matto

Zytheran · Post by **Zytheran** » 12 July 05 9:44 am

Having been down the road once before of needing to glue, with a flexible joint, polyethylene to silicon molding compound I can say that polyethylene is a total dog for adhesives. It can be done but the chemicals are very expensive, see Dow Corning industrial adesives, they are (in the 1980's at least) the gurus on adhesives. Although polyethylene is Gods gift to engineers, mechanical fastening should be fully explored first. Even if it does get glued any bending/movement on polyethylene will usual destroy the joint.
With that all in mind though Liquid Nails might be worthy of further testing, it seems unnatural in how bloody sticky that stuff is, it sure sticks to oily skin as good as super glue and isn't as brittle.

Why don't we make up a table of Product A vs. Product B and the best glue for *caches* that people have actually had success with, not just what the manufacturer claims?

It can go on the Wiki.

Rabbitto · Post by **Rabbitto** » 12 July 05 2:54 pm

energizer61 wrote:If you're wanting to stick Poly to Poly,

I just feel sorry for the poor parrots

Cached · Post by **Cached** » 12 July 05 5:51 pm

I've started paraphrasing this here - http://wiki.geocaching.com.au/wiki/Adhesives . The table Zytheran suggests would be great.

The Coffee's · Post by **The Coffee's** » 12 July 05 8:28 pm

I am a bit stuck for an answer at the moment

, has anyone tried mixing 2 or 3 glues together to see what happens.

Post by **caughtatwork** » 12 July 05 9:07 pm

Mr.Coffee and the Clan wrote:I am a bit stuck for an answer at the moment , has anyone tried mixing 2 or 3 glues together to see what happens.

Where's the KABOOM smilie?

Geof · Post by **Geof** » 13 July 05 11:36 am

C@W

Mr.Coffee and the Clan wrote:
I am a bit stuck for an answer at the moment , has anyone tried mixing 2 or 3 glues together to see what happens.
Where's the KABOOM smilie?

I know if you mix baking powder with super glue it gets hot and sets realy quick. Don't think it would be good for that type of plastic though.

I know methylethylketone is the stuff (solvant) for ABS plastics. Have made glue from ABS plastic and filled large holes etc with if.
Contact and smelling should be avoided as it isn't real nice stuff for the liver I'm told.

Try puting an old harddrive magnet or 3 inside the container. I know one 400ml Sistema held by one only of these.

Ebenezer · Post by **Ebenezer** » 13 July 05 10:01 pm

We found superglue to be totally useless, but eventually got somewhere with Araldite. It is not brilliant, but much better than superglue.