adhesive for plastic drainpie?

For reasons that will probably appear ridiculous, I have an outside project that requires a durable, weather resistant container a few inches in diameter. Since I have a length of

68mm black plastic downpipe I'm considering using that.

One thing I have to do is to make or buy some end caps for the pipe. I've done a few experiements and discovered that the plastic (anyone know what it is?) is thermoplastic - gas mark 3 for

10 minutes. However, it does not melt - it just chars.

So since I won't be able to weld pieces together, it looks like I'll have to glue them. But what with? I need the joints to bond securely and be weather/UV/water/frost proof. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Reply to
pete
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It's probably uPVC and will solvent weld with "drainpipe welding solvent cement"

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Reply to
Owain

local building site: Slice the pipe axially so it is now a curved sheet, put it in a pan of boiling water for a few minutes, pull out and place on flat surface and squash flat with a heavy flat object (used to use the bread board!). You now have a useful flat sheet of pvc to make your ends. Cut to size and glue using the solvent weld adhesive sold to glue drain pipes.

AWEM

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

Owain ( snipped-for-privacy@gowanhill.com) wibbled on Friday 07 January 2011 15:08:

Seconded - the OP can test a bit with some uPVC cement - it will be quickly clear if it welds or not.

Reply to
Tim Watts

If it won't solvent-weld as suggested, I'd go for Waterweld which is great stuff (cheapest supplier I know is:

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(no connection other than as a satisfied customer)

David

Reply to
Lobster

Thanks for that Owain. I have some good news and some bad news. It does sound like it's uPVC (or PVCu as I've seen it called) but the goop from Wickes looks like it only welds ABS. It smells just like polystyrene cement, so I presume it only acts as a solvent for styrene based plastics. On my plastic sample it adheres to the surfaces, but does not dissolve them. So I can get normal adhesion, but not the extra bind-strength from a solvent-welded joint.

Plan B would be to try some PVC specific compounds, and Plan C is to get some ABS tubing - now that I have a solution for it :)

Reply to
pete

Thanks David, I'll bear that in mind. I checked locally and couldn't find any retailer with a website that was local to me and stocked it. If needs be and plans B & C don't produce the results I'll get some off eBay - though I was hoping not to incur the ordering/delivery delays of eBay/internet. After all, there's nothing quite so instantly gratifying as instant gratification.

Reply to
pete

Try plastic conduit solvent. This says it's for PVC

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ACETONE BUTANONE CYCLOHEXANONE TETRAHYDROFURAN

Owain

Reply to
Owain

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> Contains ACETONE BUTANONE CYCLOHEXANONE =A0TETRAHYDROFURAN

For comparison the Wickes stuff is Methyl Ethyl Ketone Cyclohexanone Tetrahydrofuran

I don't know if the acetone will be better than the MEK (or even if it's the same stuff really)

Owain

Reply to
Owain

I'd reckon that one ketone is much like another so far as the solubility stakes are concerned. MEK's probably less volatile, having a higher molecular weight and possibly less harmful as it replaced acetone as the industrial solvent of choice.

Interstingly the jar of goop I got from Wickes contains Bisphenol-A and Epichlorohydrin, which I hadn't heard of before. A quick shufti on wikipedia about it brought back all my old chemistry A-level memories - I can smell the lab now :) phew!

Reply to
pete

Hot glue is pretty useful stuff.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

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