CAPILLARY CEMENTING ACRYLIC SHEET

CAPILLARY CEMENTING

Capillary cementing uses a syringe to apply clear cement to a joint. The edge cut is very critical in this application. Depending on the application, the viscosity of the cemant can be adjusted by dissolving some acrylic sheet or resin into the cement.

Capillary cementing is probably the most popular way of joining Vical acrylic acrylic sheet. It works because of the ability of low­viscosity solvent­type cement to flow through a joint area by capillary action. Properly done, capillary cementing yields a strong, transparent joint.

Solvent cements are available from Vical acrylic acrylic sheet distributors. They can recommend the best ones for your projects.

To capillary cement, first make sure all parts fit together properly. Then, join the pieces together with masking tape or clamp them into a form that will support the pieces and hold them firmly in place.

When solvent cementing Vical acrylic acrylic sheet 1/4" or thicker, keep the joint in the horizontal plane and space the two edges with .004 inch shims. Insert shims every two feet for long edges.

Let the cement soak into the edges 45­60 seconds before removing the shims. At this point, the surfaces will be soft. Apply a small pressure of about 0.7 to 1 .4 Ib./sq.in. (50­100 grams/sq.cm) for three minutes, until the joint is set.

If the cement does not flow completely into the joint, tilt the vertical piece very slightly (about 1 ) toward the outside. This should allow the solvent to flow freely into the entire joint. then, tilt the piece back again for a square corner.

The initial bond forms in five to ten seconds. Wait three hours before doing subsequent processing. High strength is reached in 24­48 hours. Strength will continue to build for several weeks.

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