DIY plexiglass repair

A very common and demanded material, organic glass, is a versatile substance. Working with acrylic glass is many times easier than with ordinary glass. Plexiglas is very resistant to mechanical stress, has a low weight, lends itself well to bending and cutting.

But, nevertheless, cases of damage to plexiglass happen quite often. Over time, acrylic glass can scratch and tarnish. Even options are possible when the plastic bursts, which is a significant problem and requires certain repair actions.

In a situation where the plexiglass is scratched or faded, the plexiglass needs polishing. If the scratches are quite deep, you need to use a sander to first get rid of the deep scratches, and then go over with a polish to give the surface a transparency and shine.

Repairing plexiglass in case of glass breakage will be quite difficult, but doable, even at home. Plexiglas repair is carried out by gluing acrylic cracks. For a secure connection, you need a good adhesive specially designed for plastic. The best adhesive that firmly connects two pieces of plexiglass is dichloroethane. This substance is very harmful to the human respiratory tract, as a result of which, when using it, it is necessary to use protective equipment, for example, a respirator.

Dichloroethane is a very caustic substance, when carried to organic glass, it dissolves the top layer of the glass, making the place of contact of the parts being repaired soft, that is, as if soldering these parts. Therefore, it is necessary to allow some time to dry in order for the parts to stick together as much as possible.

In addition to dichloroethane, you can use super glue or silicone sealant, these substances also do their job well. You can also use the Modelist glue, which is used when the plexiglass is being repaired.

Hello, friends! Let's talk about what you can do from ordinary plexiglass with your own hands and make money on it. Or reduce your expenses for purchasing products from them.

I show in photos using the example of a workshop, but all this can be applied to home (garage) conditions.

Plexiglas is very well processed and that is why it has gained such popularity. One of the simplest products from it will be a price holder. To make it, you need plexiglass with a thickness of 1.5-3 mm or PET with a thickness of 0.5-1.5 mm. Those. what you find. But most often there are price tags made of PET-0.5 mm, as the cheapest in terms of material cost.

But now we are going to make it out of plexiglass. Suppose you need a price tag holder for a tabletop with a field size for a price tag 4 × 6 cm, vertical. We make a single copy.

1. We take the workpiece and cut it to the desired size.

• Circular saw. If the saw is sharp, then the additional

end machining may not be necessary.

• No circulars - we cut with a jigsaw, followed by refinement with a plane or grinding. The electric cutter perfectly cuts the ends of acrylic.
• With a cutter, again with revision.

2. We put marks with a felt-tip pen on the protective film of the plexiglass, if there is one, put it on the heated nichrome wire and apply it to the stop set along the ruler. Or we just put it according to our marks.

3. Turn on heating:

4.Wait for the glass to warm up and bend it in half.

IMPORTANT: We bend to the side opposite to heating, so it’s better to get the place of the bend.

We put a gasket under the edge, to form a thin slit under the paper of the price tag and press it with a weight:

5.Then, in the same way, we make a second bend for the price tag leg.

Important: We slightly shift the fold line so that the paper price tag itself 60 mm in size can be inserted into our price tag holder. Those. we shift the heating place to the edge of the leg by 1.5-2 mm.

But now we apply the workpiece to the inclined stop (or wait for hardening "by eye") and press it with a load:

6. Now remove the film and everything, the main thing is done!

See what the end of the plexiglass looks like after sawing:

And here's how you can make this edge shine in just 2 minutes:

How to do it - another time!

Did you like the article? Share with your friends, and here - your experience!

How to glue plexiglass- see the article 5 options for how to glue plexiglass

If your house has any products that are made of plexiglass, then sooner or later you will be interested question - plexiglass repair... The most common plexiglass aquariums in modern apartments, which means that their repair is most often an urgent problem. Below we will consider how to effectively and independently repair the place of residence of your fish at home.

First of all, it should be noted that repairing an aquarium made of plexiglass is much easier than repairing a frame aquarium. The first step is to mark the place where the leak appeared, then catch the fish and transplant them into a temporary aquarium, the water is drained and the damaged aquarium is left to dry. Using the stand, it is necessary to position the aquarium at the exact corner where the damage is found.

The joint on which you managed to find damage should be carefully grease with special glue... After the first layer of glue has dried, apply another layer. If you are using a thin glue, it will be convenient to apply using a conventional medical syringe with a thick needle. You can also purchase glue in a special tube, when the glue is squeezed onto the surface, the resulting trickle does not change in thickness.

In addition to gluing, to assemble an aquarium or any other Plexiglas products, you can use welding, which involves bonding two parts using hot air, after which the edges melt and they can be fastened together.

If we are talking about large products, then you can first assemble all the parts using screws, and only then proceed to welding all existing joints. If we are talking about an aquarium, then all of a sudden some mistake was made when repairing the plexiglass, it is possible that the aquarium will not be strong enough, and as a result, the seams may rupture. Complicated plexiglass repairs will be best entrusted to experienced specialists., in order to avoid unpleasant possible consequences.

Plexiglass repair, here they also often use a glue called Acrylic, it is actively used in dental prosthetics. This drug consists of a special powder and a solvent for it. After gluing, the product must be dried for a couple of days, and only after that it will be completely repaired and ready for further use.

The article was written by a person who has no idea of ​​the physical and chemical properties of plexiglass. To repair a used aquarium without first relieving stress is simply stupid. A million small cracks form at the gluing site, which are converted under load into a larger piece or large mother-in-law. temperature of 80 degrees. At least 3 hours, but in general the thicker the glass, the longer.

In our time, organic glass (hereinafter "plexiglass") has become a very popular and widely used material.

Where and for what purposes it is not used - you can make cases, front and decorative panels out of them, use them for “modding” computer cases, make three-dimensional figures, letters and much more. This material can also be used for light-dynamic installations (flashing lights, running lights, etc.), the light in the plexiglass spreads directly and evenly, due to which very bright and beautiful pieces are obtained that look spectacular in the dark.

The main advantages of plexiglass are:
- high light transmittance - 92%, which does not change over time, keeping its original color.
- impact resistance is 5 times higher than that of glass.
- resistant to moisture.
- environmentally friendly, does not emit any poisonous gases during combustion.
- easy to handle.
- the ability to give a variety of shapes using a hot air gun, without disturbing the optical properties, with excellent detail.
- mechanical processing is carried out as easily as wood processing
stability in the external environment.
- frost-resistant material.
- transmits 73% of ultraviolet rays, while UV rays do not cause yellowing and degradation of acrylic glass.
- resistance in chemical environments.
- electrical insulating properties.

But there is perhaps the most important drawback - plexiglass is very easy to scratch, so you need to work with it carefully.

How to cut and process plexiglass?

Many people cut plexiglass with a jigsaw or a hacksaw for metal, i.e. canvas. I do not like any of these methods, primarily due to the fact that a lot of debris appears during cutting, and the glass can be accidentally scratched, although there is a protective film glued to it.

I want to offer you another, more advanced, simple and “functional” way of cutting, after which not a single chip will remain - this is cutting with a hot spiral. This method is most suitable for thin types of plexiglas.

The advantages of this method:
- no debris remains after cutting
- when cutting with a blade or jigsaw, the plexiglass can be scratched or even cracked, especially if the glass is thin.
- when cutting with a spiral, you can completely control the process, cut any shapes.
- after correct cutting, plexiglass usually does not even need processing, but if melted glass parts remain at the edges, they are cut off with a knife or processed with a file.
- in this way, you can cut almost any plastic, not just plexiglass.
- no physical activity, sit in a chair and enjoy the cutting process =)

Now I will tell you how to make such a "cutter" and what is needed for this.

First of all, we need a spiral, almost any will do, the main thing is that your power source can heat it up. You can get a spiral, for example, from old variable resistors, soldering irons, or buy a spiral for heating devices in the electrical department. The length of the spiral is selected experimentally, because resistance is different for all of them. For example, I used a spiral from a burnt-out soldering iron, with a diameter of about 0.3 mm, with a length of 7 cm and when powered by 12 volts, it heats up almost to red (consumes 1.5 amperes). By the way, we do not have to heat the spiral to red, otherwise the plexiglass will smoke and stink when cutting.

The spiral at both ends must be fixed on metal pins, and the pins themselves must be soldered to the cable, which will be connected to the power source. If you want to get perfectly smooth edges after the cut, then the pins must be fixed on something so that the spiral is kept straight during cutting and is not bent like mine below in the photo. It is better to use a power supply with an adjustable output voltage.

I made myself such a structure as in the photo below, I cut a lot of glass in this way.

Generally speaking, the technology of gluing plexiglass is not simple and is very different from gluing ordinary glass. If ordinary glass is glued with silicone glue or a hot glue gun, then when gluing plexiglass, this will not give the best results.

Plexiglas should not be glued, for example, with cyanoacrylate glue, the glass at the gluing points may turn white because of this, it is impossible to clean it. Such glue is liquid, and flows where it is not necessary, and it grasps in a second, which is also not very good. The only plus of cyanoacrylate glue is that it grabs very strongly.

For gluing plexiglass, I recommend using dichloroethane, it is a transparent liquid, highly toxic, so you don't need to smell it! Dichloroethane dissolves almost any plastic and sticks them together. You can buy dichloroethane in the radio parts departments, or where adhesives are sold.

Before gluing, the joints of the plexiglass must first be leveled and cleaned, then dichloroethane is evenly applied to the surfaces to be glued and, without allowing them to dry, they are connected. Then you need to prepare a mixture of plexiglass shavings and dichloroethane, take shavings or pieces of plexiglass and dissolve them in this liquid. The consistency of the mixture should be similar to jelly, the seam must be filled with this mixture.
For the first time, it is worth practicing on unnecessary pieces of plexiglass.

I repeat, dichloroethane is very toxic, they shouldn't breathe! Work should be done in a well-ventilated area or outdoors. After work, wash your hands well in warm water and soap.

Plexiglas is plastic, it acquires plasticity at high temperatures, you can bend it at 90 degrees, or give the glass a certain shape. The most difficult thing when bending plexiglass is to bend it in the right place, as planned.

Plexiglas can be bent in boiling water, with a gas burner, in an oven or with a hot air gun. I will tell you about the bending of plexiglass using a hot air gun and a spiral. To begin with, you need to draw, or it is better to scribble a line on the plexiglass, you should not use markers because after warming up, it will be difficult to remove the traces of the marker. Next, we fix one half of the plexiglass on a flat table with a vise, take a hair dryer, or a hair dryer from a soldering station and start heating the glass along the line we have drawn. The temperature of the hair dryer should be set in the region of 150-180 degrees - it depends on the type of plexiglass. In the course of warming up, as soon as the glass began to give in, (by the way, this will be the optimal temperature), we begin to bend, during the process, you should not remove the hair dryer, you need to maintain the temperature and heat it further. In general, I advise you to warm it on both sides, with two hair dryers, if the plexiglass is thick, 5-6 mm. You need to bend it away from the heat source.

In order to heat only the section of glass we need, I advise you to cover the rest of the section with something just in case, leaving only a narrow strip open for heating and bending. Do not forget about various cylindrical objects, metal pipes for example, which can be used as a template for making a bend of the required radius, or even making a tube of plexiglass.

With the help of a hot air gun, you can make various forms of plexiglass for small structures, it is convenient to make forms from a piece of wood, we grind, cut out the desired shape, put plexiglass on it and heat it with a hairdryer, the glass will melt and begin to fit into the shape. After bending, the glass must be cooled smoothly and evenly.

Just the other day, I came across another interesting way. Thin types of plexiglas can be bent using the same spiral, for this we pull this spiral in the place we need, at a distance of several mm from the glass, and heat the wire. The moment when the glass begins to give way, you will feel.

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It is necessary to align the walls, something for painting, something for the lining. 1. Wall bordering the balcony (photo 1), for painting. Size, about 3 x 2.8 meters 2.Wall of tongue-and-groove slabs (not completed.

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Electrician in a one-room apartment I would like to ask for an approximate cost of materials. Thank you

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19 m2, wallpaper and take out the trash! Today!

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The water under the sink pours onto the floor. It is necessary that the tool and siphon are available. I will send the photo.

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Repair the locking mechanism and the window handle. Adjust and, if necessary, replace the seal on 2 windows.

Plexiglass (or plexiglass) has long gained popularity as a durable, transparent and unbreakable material for various household items and artistic creation. If, nevertheless, a plexiglass product breaks down, this is not a disaster, there are many compounds with which it can be glued.

For both repairing broken parts and assembling new products, use a suitable adhesive.

Specialized compounds for gluing plexiglass are of two types:

• Compositions based on acrylic fillers and strong organic solvents. In composition, they are very close to the substance of plexiglass, which makes it possible to obtain a homogeneous and sufficiently strong connection.
• Epoxy based adhesives are excellent for filling and repairing cracks, the joint takes a long time to harden, but the epoxy can bond tightly.

In addition, plexiglass can be dissolved, which means it can be glued with strong acids:

It will not be possible to glue the plexiglass with food vinegar (acetic acid with a concentration of 7-9%); at least 70% vinegar essence is required. Acetic acid does not dissolve the entire surface layer of the material, but only softens it, so the parts will have to be strongly compressed and held for a long time.

According to their principle of operation, all adhesives are divided into two large groups:

• dissolve the near-surface layers of both parts to be bonded, ensures their interpenetration, the parts, and the seam material form a single whole. This type of bonding is sometimes referred to as "cold welding".
• The surface layers do not dissolve to any significant depth; a layer of adhesive is located between the parts, which ensures adhesion. Such a connection is less durable, since plexiglass has a very low porosity. Adhesives, even those with high intrinsic adhesion, simply have nothing to cling to.

It is best to choose a special plexiglass adhesive. Such formulations can be purchased at the store or made yourself.

Important! the components of the adhesives are highly active chemicals, they are hazardous to health, and are highly flammable. Therefore, they must be handled with great care.

Self-adhesive tapes are a good alternative for repairing plexiglass products. Their undoubted advantage is the ability to glue both two plexiglass parts and plexiglass with other materials.

There are three main types of such films on the market:

• Baseless adhesive films. In fact, it is a thin layer of adhesive several tens of microns thick. It is stored between two plastic transport films, which are removed just before gluing. Such adhesive films can bond smooth, perfectly flat parts with a low coefficient of thermal expansion.
• Films with a thin transparent base, several hundredths of a millimeter thick. Also requires a smooth surface, but the requirements are somewhat lower. The connection turns out to be less strong and theoretically detachable - you can try to remove the film.
• Films with a thin foamed base, similar to the so-called double-sided tape. The base thickness ranges from tenths to several millimeters.Plexiglass can be glued with such films, even if the surfaces are not very even, but the bond strength is very low. Suitable for structures that are not subject to heavy loads.

The requirements for surface preparation and the maximum loads that the joint can withstand are specified in the manual enclosed with the specific film.

Speaking about the popular compositions with which you can glue plexiglass, it is worth dwelling on the following:

• formulations of the Acrifix family, specially formulated for acrylic-based materials;
• mixtures based on dichloroethane;
• acetic acid and its essence;
• Colacril family compounds;
• Cosmofen glue. It is also used to hold wood and plexiglass together;
• adhesives produced by Era-Henkel: Moment, Moment - seconds and others.

One of the most popular formulations for gluing plexiglass has a long and well-deserved popularity among home craftsmen.

It has the following advantages:

• excellent bond strength;
• high transparency of the suture material;
• short setting time;
• low toxicity, especially compared to dichloroethane;
• high penetrating power makes it unnecessary to squeeze the parts hard.

Unfortunately, the Acrifix 117 also has disadvantages that make it difficult for DIYers to access it:

• packing in liter cans;
• high price.

Experts recommend adding one-tenth the volume of Acrifix 116 to Acrifix 117. This contributes to better filling of microroughnesses and increased adhesion.

In composition, it is close to grade 117, but differs in greater density and viscosity. It is packaged in convenient 100 ml tubes, which makes it easy to use in home workshops.

They can glue rough surfaces that do not have perfect smoothness.

Budget replacement for expensive formulations. It is sold in stores of chemical components and stores of radio components. If the surfaces are perfectly smooth and even, they can be glued with dichloroethane without any additives. It is applied with a medical syringe into the gap between the parts to be joined. The seam turns out to be perfectly flat, high transparency. If the surfaces are properly prepared, the seam will be bubble-free.

If the surfaces are not perfectly smooth, then there is another way to glue them. A little plexiglass shavings (sawdust) are poured into a bottle with dichloroethane after dissolving, a thick composition is obtained, which can be applied with a spatula or wire.

Attention! Dichloroethane is a very active and very hazardous substance to health. It should be stored in a tightly closed container in a place safe from children.

In the room where they work with dichloroethane, it is imperative to have high-quality ventilation.

It is another inexpensive substitute for commercial pro formulas. Allows to glue plexiglass firmly enough.

The disadvantages include the short service life of the seam in comparison with other compounds.

Severe internal mechanical stresses occur on the folds of the parts, which can lead to cracking of the plexiglass.

Experts recommend using vinegar essence to glue small items that are not subject to heavy loads.

The Colacril family serves as a functional replacement for the expensive Acrifix family of adhesives.

Colacril 20 is highly fluid and Colacril 30 is viscous.

Experts blend them to obtain the optimum consistency for each specific compound.

The compositions allow you to glue the parts and get a beautiful and even seam, transparent and without bubbles.