Buying liquid cement in bulk?

MillenniumFalsehood · Post by **MillenniumFalsehood** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 8:44 pm

Is there a product you can buy at the hardware store that will chemically bond styrene and ABS? I've heard MEK is nasty stuff and will . . . clear your sinuses, so I'm not sure I want to use that (I work in the basement where there is *no* ventillation).

I saw a can of stuff at this plastics shop where I bought a big 4'x8' sheet of styrene, and I thought maybe a place like ACE Hardware or Home Depot might have some.

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:55 pm

Ethylene Chloride will work. It and MEK are what I use. I bought some from a plastics supplier years ago and I decant them into Testor's cement bottles.

I hope this helps.

Kenny

Andrew Gorman · Post by **Andrew Gorman** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 10:53 pm

Just get the TAP plastics acrylic cement- MEK is not nice stuff! The TAP cement comes in up to a quart can:
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=130&
Unfortunately you will not find it at Home Labyrinth, but a pilgrimage to TAP or paying for shipping is worth the effort. In a real pinch in a desert motel room I used PVC purple primer- it worked well as a cement, but stunk to high heaven.
Slight edit- there is no TAP near you, but any plastics wholesaler should have some plexiglas/acrylic cement available. Methylene Chloride is the solvent that makes it work on ABS and acrylics- also not a nice material, but not as bad as MEK.

MillenniumFalsehood · Post by **MillenniumFalsehood** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 3:18 am

I was kind of hoping I wouldn't have to travel to get it. Gas is getting too expensive and Wichita has a plastics supplier which carries styrene bonder. Guess I'll just have to make another trip up there.

I would buy online, but I hate paying for shipping.

USSARCADIA · Post by **USSARCADIA** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 9:43 am

I just get the Weld-on #3 from my local plastic house. Yes it's toxic, but it works. I actually met the guy who formulated it. He's got cancer now from working around chemicals all his life.

So wear a respirator.

srspicer · Post by **srspicer** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:28 pm

Hey MilleniumFalsehood,

I use Rez-N-Bond for all types of plastics. It will weld styrene and ABS. I buy it in Gallon & quart containers. If you do a Google search you should be able to find it near you, maybe even have it shipped.

Nothing personal, but I wish we could do without MEK. It is just sooo nasty! It is highly carcinogenic! It is used to melt plastics and foam from electroplate masters after the plating process is completed, amongst other things.

Good luck with you search.

Scott

AbsoluteSciFi · Post by **AbsoluteSciFi** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:41 am

Even thought I use CA religiously, I stock a can of MEK in my arsenal, I am not even sure why...

MEK is industrial stuff, if you decide to use it in quantity, you definitely want to be outside, and have a fan blowing (still outside). It is an Acrylic solvent, and it will work on most plastics, but not PVC or vinyl related products. This leaves styrene, poly-carbonates, (lexan, plexi) and acrylic.

The MEK Top Ten DO NOT list:

DO NOT...
1) use in an unventilated area
2) touch the solvent to bare skin
3) leave in a bowl near the dog's water
4) store in a bottle on the shelf in the kitchen marked: The Good Stuff
5) serve this at your next poker game telling everyone, "This stuff helps avoid a hangover..."
6) use as ear drops
7) gargle with
8) use to strip paint off your styrene model
9) use to treat algae in your daughter's plastic swimming pool
10) bring to work and leave it out by the coffee maker with the fake mock label "Makes Everything Kinky"