Question Glue for Polystyrene Moulding

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monkey

monkey

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
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Westchester, NY
I know Polystyrene Moulding uses a special glue for plastics. Does anyone know if this glue is Cyanoacrylate, aka Super Glue and Crazy Glue?

If the glue is Cyanoacrylate does that mean we can use a Cyanoacrylate Accelerator to speed up the bond. Has anyone tried an Cyanoacrylate Accelerator on Polystyrene moulding? Miter Fusion glue from Omega says that it contains Cyanoacrylate ester, so I wonder if I can use an Accelerator with it.

I don't usually work with Polystyrene moulding but I'm thinking about trimming out my Sample Moulding wall panels with it because Polystyrene moulding really affordable. I'm thinking about ordering some Cyanoacrylate glue and Accelerator to help speed up the process.
 
The two glues I used to use were Cyanoacrylate and Methyl Methacrylate. Both worked pretty quickly and I never felt the need for any kind of accelerator. If you have a choice, I always found the gel easier to use than the liquid and I used to apply it with thin strips of card to avoid getting it on my fingers and marking the face of the frame.
 
I like plastibond 1500. It dries in about 30 seconds. Do you need it to dry faster than that?

Ed
 
Yes, cyanoacrylate aka SuperGlue, aka Crazy Glue, is the correct adhesive for poystyrene mouldings, and its accelerator will work on the miter joints. The gel varieties allow better control of the dribbles, which would ruin the molding's finish.

Also, you still need to use mechanical fasteners, such as v-nails, brads, or plastic inserts.
 
Thank you everyone. I was thinking about using the accelerator for an instant bond but 30 Sec with plastibond 1500 is pretty quick.
 
I use one of those pu expanding wood glue on plastic (if I bother ) it gives a great bond but because it isn't runny and doesn't go off quick you can glue up a whole pile of pieces and then pin. pretry important for commercial work you don't have time to be gluing each one individually.

Also why do you want it to go off instantly.? you wouldn't
If it was wood, plastic is no different.
 
graysalchemy said:
I use one of those pu expanding wood glue on plastic (if I bother ) it gives a great bond but because it isn't runny and doesn't go off quick...
Click to expand...
Are you referring to polyurethane glue, such as Gorilla Glue? It certainly is strong, but I wouldn't use that on miters, because its foaming action, which is a chemical reaction to humidity, is unpredictable and uncontrollable. And if the glue were to foam out of the joint and onto the moulding's finish, it would be ruined.

When you say "if I bother", does that mean you do not always glue your miters?
 
Yes gorilla pu is a brand I have used. I have used it on thousands of frames over the last 12 months and yes you can get leakage but if you put the glue carefully to the bottom of the mitre this usually mitigates leakage. I have also found on plastic mouldings that if you do get foaming it can usually be rubbed of once dry as the point of contact is quite often only the mitre. petroleum lighterfuild also seems to get it off.

With regards to gluing joints. many of us in the contract commercial sector won't glue joints anyway though I do make a judgement on the size of frame and width of moulding and what's going in it. 99% of my commercial jobs will be professionally hung using screw fixings on the side and bottom rails which means the joints bare far less weight than if they were hung by wire or string.

I have tried the gorilla superglue gel which doesn't slip off the moulding and the lengths can be glued on mass without it dripping onto other moulding the bench or go off prematurely.
 
I ended up using Bob Smith Industry Cyanoacrylate with the accelerate from Amazon and my project worked out really well.

Graysalchemy,
Reason I needed an instant bond is because I was trimming out my moulding sample wall panels. I glued the miter one section at a time and then nailed them to the wall. The wall panels were over 20 FT long so I had to join several stick together. The instant bond made is much easier and faster.

I did notice the accelerator didn't work as fast on the Miter Fusion glue from Omega as it did with the Cyanoacrylate glue. I think it is because Miter Fusion "Contains Cyanoacrylate esters" according to the ingredient listed.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0166FFCHS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Just though I share my experience.
 
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