Have you started looking into whether you can weld ABS plastic, and how this works? It’s always important to do thorough research before you try to weld anything that is made of plastic, because different kinds of plastic will behave in very different ways, depending on how they have been made and what the ingredients are. Don’t just assume that if you can weld one kind of plastic, you can weld all kinds of plastic.
You also need to check whether the weld that is achieved will be as chemically strong as the rest of the plastic, because if it’s weaker, the join may get broken when you try to use the item. If you are trying to repair something that has broken, be aware too that it might be taking more stress than the other parts. You may need to reinforce it in some way to prevent it from getting broken again.
Many of the plastic welding options work by slightly melting the plastic sides to create a good grip, and then forming a bond between the two, which generally makes a strong fix. If you don’t use the right bonding material, it’s likely that the bond will break after some use, so make sure you have looked into the solvent and checked whether it will serve in the long term.
Can ABS Be Plastic Welded?
You should be able to weld ABS plastic as long as you are happy with seeing a small join where the two pieces of the plastic meet, and having a visible “melt” line at that point. You will need a reasonable amount of surface area on both pieces of plastic to work with, but as long as you have that, you should be able to join both sides firmly. A chemical bond should be as strong as the main body of the plastic if you weld it correctly.
You will often need a solvent glue in order to weld ABS plastic; these glues work by creating a chemical reaction that melts the edge of the plastic where they touch it so that they can form a tight bond with the melt. The plastic will then harden again as the chemical reaction stops, and because the two pieces have been firmly pressed together, the glue will bond them strongly. It is worth testing what effect the solvent has on an invisible area of plastic if you are able to, so you can make sure it does have a chemical reaction that melts it.
ABS plastic is fairly easy to weld and you should be able to create a strong bond as long as you approach it correctly. If you find that a weld has not worked, you may want to try another solvent, or repeat the process but push the two surfaces together more firmly while the glue is fixing.
What Is The Best Method To Weld ABS Plastic?
There are multiple options for welding ABS plastic, including using a lead soldering iron, but for many people, the best method is to use a solvent-based glue such as superglue, which will generally create the reaction described above – melting and binding the plastic. Another great alternative is acetone, which will create an even bigger melting reaction, and therefore a better bond. Some people find that superglue creates a brittle bond, whereas acetone offers a stronger one.
Some people prefer other solvent-based adhesives, such as MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone), which are more aggressive and may be capable of creating a stronger bond in some situations. However, these are often harder to get hold of and can be significantly more expensive than either superglue or acetone, so you may wish to try one of these options first, and move on to other ones if you find that you aren’t getting a very good bond between the two surfaces.
In some cases, a combination of the above methods may work; try fixing the two pieces together using superglue, and then apply something like acetone to melt the plastic and create a stronger bond between the two. This may be easier and means you don’t need to hold the pieces in place while the glue dries.
How Do You Weld ABS Plastic?
If you are going to use acetone to weld ABS plastic, it should be pretty straightforward: you should pour a small amount of acetone into a shallow tray that you can fit the pieces of plastic into. Place the two surfaces that you wish to bond into the acetone so that it can begin reacting and melting the plastic, and wait for about 3 minutes. When you have done this, you can lift the two pieces out, press them together for a few minutes, and then check the bond; this should have sealed them strongly.
If you want to use both acetone and superglue, the method is similar, but you should start by tacking the first piece onto the second using a few drops of superglue. The aim isn’t to create a strong bond, just to hold the plastic in the right place. When you’ve got the two sides held together, tip some acetone into a small bowl.
Next, use a fine brush to paint the seams of the bond with a generous amount of acetone, and allow the chemical to start reacting with the plastic. Once it has done so, you should have a neat, strong bond, and you can always add a second coat of acetone if you aren’t satisfied with the connection you have achieved. Once the acetone has finished reacting, test that the join is strong and that you are happy with it.
Can You Use ABS Plastic Repair Resin To Weld Abs Plastic?
ABS Plastic Repair Resin has been specifically designed to make it possible to weld two pieces of ABS plastic together, so this is another great option for repairing plastic. You will probably need to buy it specifically, rather than using something you already have in your home, but it may be worth it to create a proper bond in the plastic, especially for important items.
You can use ABS Plastic Repair Resin straight from the bottle and it is designed to repair any kind of ABS plastic, no matter how badly it has been damaged. You will need to squirt the liquid onto the area that you wish to bond, and then press the two parts together firmly and leave them to stick for a full 24 hours in good, dry conditions. Do not move the two pieces before this time period has passed, or they may not stick properly, as the resin won’t have fully cured.
The biggest advantage of using ABS Plastic Repair Resin is that it should work on all kinds of ABS plastic and on big and little joins, and it creates a bond that is as strong as the original plastic. You can also sand and paint it just like you can the ABS plastic, meaning that it is easy to hide the join and make the plastic look as it did before. Even a big area of damage can be concealed by using the correct resin, while other options will leave a visible join.
Is It Worth Welding ABS Plastic With Acetone?
Many people advise that you weld ABS plastic with acetone and this can be a great option, especially if you already have the acetone and you don’t need to make an enormously strong join or one that is invisible. However, it does depend on your needs, and acetone may not always be a great solution. Because it melts the plastic, it will leave a visible bond, and this may mean that it isn’t as strong or effective, and that it doesn’t look as good.
In many cases, these drawbacks won’t matter, and acetone can be a cheap, easy, and very quick way to bond ABS plastic; it should only take a few minutes, rather than several hours, which is a big advantage if you are working under time pressure and you can’t leave something undisturbed for a long period.
You will need to weigh up the pros and cons for yourself, and the answer will depend heavily on what you need the plastic for, how much the aesthetics and speed matter, and how strong you need the bond to be. However, many people do find that acetone is a suitable way of connecting two pieces of ABS plastic, and it should work in most situations.
Conclusion
You have many different options when you want to weld ABS plastic, but you should think carefully about the method before you start, because it will make a big difference to the outcome. If you need a really strong, neat bond, you may wish to use ABS Plastic Repair Resin to create the join, but if you want a quick, functional, and reasonably strong bond, you should be able to use a solvent such as superglue or acetone. Choosing carefully will help to ensure that your finished piece looks great and can stand up to a reasonable amount of use without breaking.
