Advice for gluing flex parts together

Ironwood_Eng · 2016-09-21T09:27:31.000Z

I am looking to glue some flex parts to one another and have not had any luck finding a recommended method.

I am currently running SemiFlex, but also print with NinjaFlex.

To be clear, I am not having troubles sticking to the bed, I want to stick the printed parts together!

Any help you can provide would be much appreciated.

David_25 · 2016-09-21T12:16:54.000Z

Hello

I have had a lot of success with gluing PLA and ABS parts together with Simple glues like Super Glue and the glue you get in model kits like Airfix but have not tried with flexible filaments. The flex filaments I have are PLA based and cannot see why they would not glue together.

Another technique i use for fixing parts together is welding with a 3D pen. You can get a 3D pen for as little as £15 from eBay and Amazon. This would enable you to use the same filament and physically weld the seems together just like welding metal. The join is incredibly strong and would work with every kind of filament that you printed the parts from. I have then successfully sanded down the welds (PLA / ABS) with a dremal, hand file and sandpaper.

The welding with a 3D pen technique is also very handy for adding small details or even fixing breaks / cracks / holes. Or even just to thicken an area for added strength.

I hope this helps

Ironwood_Eng · 2016-09-21T12:41:52.000Z

I will give the 3D pen a try. Super Glue has not worked on any of my Ninjaflex parts.

Has anyone tried Flexible filaments in the 3D pen? I should get it tomorrow, so I will give it a try regardless.

David_25 · 2016-09-21T13:21:09.000Z

I have used flexible filaments in a 3D pen and all works Ok as long as you have it set to extrude slowly.

You could also try a flat bit in a soldering iron to melt the surfaces and press them together before they harden.

MindFuLL · 2016-09-21T14:24:59.000Z

Flexible parts are cannot be glued, as others have recommended they must be welded. Best tools for this are a soldering iron or a 3d pen, but if you get a 3d pen for this purpose, make sure it can do flexible filaments.

-Jesse

David_25 · 2016-09-21T15:35:45.000Z

Hyer

Another idea might be to try adding mortise and tenon joints that could be heated before insertion so as to spread out and make a really tight fit.

Regards

Dave

3lektron · 2016-09-21T15:46:05.000Z

Plastic welding, rubber cement and acrylic adhesives have varying amounts of success. Are you trying to adhere static plains or does it need to bend at the adhesion point?

David_25 · 2016-09-21T15:59:10.000Z

Hi All

The last comment just gave me an idea you could try. Silicone / mastic The kind used for kitchens and bathrooms. My lad is a builder / window fitter and they use silicon to stick all sorts of things.

It is also flexible so might work really well when joining flexible parts together.

Just a thought that might help.

Ironwood_Eng · 2016-09-21T18:08:48.000Z

I actually tried that first. It did not stick to the SemiFlex at all.

Ironwood_Eng · 2016-09-21T18:10:31.000Z

I want it to be flexible, but does not HAVE to be.

I am also working on printing 2 materials at once so I have some ABS or PLA interfaces embedded with the Flexible print. However, that is another battle with Simplify3D that is not making sense to me. But, one thing at a time.

- Gavin

David_25 · 2016-09-21T18:46:58.000Z

Have you tried a hot glue gun???

3lektron · 2016-09-21T19:25:20.000Z

Gavin,

Try scigrip 16 fast set acrylic weld. I have not tried it on ninja flex but from the composition it should work well.

It is both solvent welding and an industrial adhesive mixed. Haven’t found anything plastic that it won’t bond.

It it will make the adhesion point stiff though.

David_25 · 2016-09-21T20:16:43.000Z

Hyer

Lots of us have now chipped in with ideas. IF? you find some of them work please let us know.

Also don’t forget you could always use nuts n bolts or bend some 6 inch nails over once hammered through LOL!!!

Ironwood_Eng · 2016-09-22T12:57:28.000Z

Hi all, Thanks for chipping in I was about to go get an industrial stapler, which for my application would have worked, but the 3d pen worked great with the SemiFlex filament. It welded together nicely… my welding needso some work, but otherwise it will get the job done! Thanks

David_25 · 2016-09-22T14:19:26.000Z

Great news the 3D pen welding worked for you and thanks for letting us know.

Regards

Dave

Auxetic · 2016-09-23T15:09:33.000Z

Hey,

For the flexible filament, you can also get a flexible glue - this might be helpful,

amazon.com

Amazon.com: Sureflex Multi-Purpose Adhesive-29 ml: Arts, Crafts & Sewing

Oz, sure flex adhesive, multi-purpose, creates a flexible bond which never becomes brittle, can be used to bond & repair hard plastics, metals, wood, tile, china, fabric, rubber, leather, vinyl, ceram ...

Alex

gomper · 2018-08-04T22:43:10.000Z

For those still looking for a good adhesive for Ninjatek flexible filaments, I had unqualified success with this Loctite Plastic Bonding System product:

amazon.com

Amazon.com: Loctite Super Glue Plastics Bonding System with Activator 2-Gram (681925): Home Improvement

We combine innovation and technology leadership and close customer partnership to deliver solutions that are an essential part of countless industrial and consumer goods. We utilize our global presenc ...

The package says that it will simply glue all plastics - and, I can certainly attest that it works beautifully on NinjaTek Cheetah. I tried pulling a test bond apart, and the part snapped in two without the bond suffering any damage. I’m sure it will do equally well with the others they offer. It also worked perfectly with ColorFabb XT-CF20 carbon fiber filament. Haven’t tried any others yet, but I couldn’t be more impressed so far.

Moonknight75 · 2019-02-08T19:50:48.288Z

I have confirmed that Gorilla Glue works, in particular I am using the Gorilla Glue Pen (not the superglue). I am printing a belt out of TPU for my wife’s cosplay that requires me to print it in 7 pieces, following the directions I wet the area to be bonded (both sides) with a damp paper towel, put the glue sparingly on the mating surface and placed the other part on top, I then put some weight on it (a small box with a couple hard drives in it) for an hour, once the initial cure completes the shearing strength feels good, (can’t pull them apart by stretching the belt) now I was able to find a spot that I missed the glue on and was able to peel the parts apart but even that was pretty tough to do.