Is it possible to glue Acrylic to Wood? If so, What Kind of Glue Should I Use?

[Scott Memmer]

Howdy Howdy, love this forum.

In my weird little business, I have to make all my own basic tooling by hand, as my needs and applications are so specific.

I have a work-holding tool I need to create for a couple specific tasks. The end of the tool will be exposed to water (while sanding and grinding the work piece), so either metal or plastic would be better than wood. The wood I'll be using would be a 2x2, or maybe 1.5 x 1.5". Is there a glue that would hold the Acrylic to the end long-term? I could also put in a couple screen to snug it up.

What would be perfect does not appear to be available. An Arylic square rod (or any durable plastic) at 2x2 would work great but Acrylic seems to stop at 1.0" square. Does anyone know if you can get Acrylic larger, or any other kind of durable plastic?

Thanks in advance for your insights and suggestions.

sm

[Richard Coers]

I have no idea what glue would work, but I highly recommend polycarbonate instead of acrylic. Acrylic will crack and shatter, polycarbonate will not.

[Paul F Franklin]

Mcmaster has polycarbonate bar 2x2, but you won't like the price! While you are there, you might look at garolite or fiberglass as a more economical choice. Or even PVC.

[Andrew Seemann]

Maybe polyurethane glue if you roughed up the acrylic or polycarbonate, but if it is going to be near water, I have my doubts. I certainly would not expect it to have any strength for any length of time, and your reference to grinding doesn't bode well for this solution.

I would recommend finding a way to use metal fasteners or else get some aluminum 2 x 2 square tube and mount it to that. Maybe a different plastic that is available in 2x2 solid or tube. For that matter, would a piece of 1 1/2" PVC pipe work?

[Scott Memmer]

I have no idea what glue would work, but I highly recommend polycarbonate instead of acrylic. Acrylic will crack and shatter, polycarbonate will not.

Thanks, Richard. I need something cheap, but will still take a look. Sometimes you can find end runs or remnants of stuff like that on eBay.

Thanks Again,
Scott

[Scott Memmer]

Mcmaster has polycarbonate bar 2x2, but you won't like the price! While you are there, you might look at garolite or fiberglass as a more economical choice. Or even PVC.

Thanks for the tips, Paul. Worth a look-see.

Scott

[Scott Memmer]

Maybe polyurethane glue if you roughed up the acrylic or polycarbonate, but if it is going to be near water, I have my doubts. I certainly would not expect it to have any strength for any length of time, and your reference to grinding doesn't bode well for this solution.

I would recommend finding a way to use metal fasteners or else get some aluminum 2 x 2 square tube and mount it to that. Maybe a different plastic that is available in 2x2 solid or tube. For that matter, would a piece of 1 1/2" PVC pipe work?

Andrew, thanks. For this application a hollow tube won't work. I think metal could be a good solution.

Thanks,
Scott

[johnny means]

Are you trying to solve a nonexistent problem. I can't see why an appropriate wood wouldn't work. Boats and oars have been serving in waterlogged environs for millennia. What do you think the problem wood be?

[Doug Garson]

Can you use wood and seal it in epoxy?

[Mike Burke]

I have had some 2x2 hdpe or uhmw plastic before
Uhmw pe (4) 2X2 1FT bar stock natural polyethylene 7LBS (rockford-industrial.com) (https://www.rockford-industrial.com/Presses-/Rockford-/West-/Uhmw-pe-4-2X2-1FT-bar-stock-natural-polyethylene-7LBS.HTML)

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Maybe micarta or G-10 would work, seems that they would both be tougher.

[Brad Shipton]

How about a 6x6x2 piece of UHMW plastic you can cut up. https://www.mcmaster.com/8752K931/

McMaster has a number of inserts as well you can look at.

[Jim Becker]

You can also laminate four or two smaller pieces of material to make your "stick" if you can get that material more economically. Solvent welded "plastic" materials pretty much become a single, monolithic structure if you do things correctly.

[Dick VanNewkirk]

I’d look for aluminum stock at the scrap yard. My experience is that I can buy scrap metal for the salvage price. If you can only find tubing, could you make it work by filling it with Bondo?

[Bill Space]

Are you trying to solve a nonexistent problem. I can't see why an appropriate wood wouldn't work. Boats and oars have been serving in waterlogged environs for millennia. What do you think the problem wood be?

This ^^^

There may be obvious reasons we cannot see from the distance. What might they be?

[John K Jordan]

It would be nice to see a drawing of what you want to accomplish.

2x2 square solid aluminum rod is not unreasonable in price: https://onlinemetalsupply.com/2-000-6061-t6-aluminum-square-bar/

2x2 square aluminum tubing is cheaper: https://onlinemetalsupply.com/2-x-2-3-16-wall-6063-t52-aluminum-square-tube/

Does it have to be square on the end?

I've bought round rod of various sizes in nylon, delrin, acrylic, hdpe, and others in various sizes from these guys.
https://onlinemetalsupply.com/plastics/?_bc_fsnf=1&Shape=Round+Rod

I've also bought colored cast acrylic round rods from these people for turning on the lathe:
https://www.delviesplastics.com/c/acrylic-rod-tubes.html

If your thing needs to be square on the end, various plastics are easy to machine into any shape. You could get a larger diameter round rod and machine it square, if you need square.

As for wood, lignum vitae will stand up to water indefinitely, osage orange is good too. Easy to come by and easy to cut to a particular shape.

JKJ

[jamil mehdi]

I would saturate the end of the wood with penetrating epoxy and let that cure for a day, then scratch up the mating surface of the acrylic and use thickened epoxy to join them. The penetrating epoxy is key. It will keep the wood from rotting away from the acrylic. You can use cabosil or west systems 404 for the thickener to make a strong adhesive.