12/3/09

Gluing Plastic

Question: I am attempting to animate a skeleton that I purchased. My question for you is what type of glue will bind wood with plastic? Also, will plastic wood or wood dough bind with plastic?
Thank you for your help.
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Question: If the skeleton is made of lightweight molded Styrofoam as were some of the heads I have worked on, then carpenter's white glue works about as well as anything.

But if you have a skeleton made of the rigid molded plastic that is used for the manufacture of plastic toys, the task is more difficult because there is no readily available over-the-counter glue that will provide a permanent bond between the plastic and itself, or the plastic and any other material. I have had good success bonding wood to such plastics by first grooving the surface of the plastic (leaving it as irregular as possible) and then gluing the two pieces together with 5-minute epoxy. Or by drilling small holes in the plastic for the epoxy to seep through before hardening, thus "locking" the pieces together. Screws and rivets used as fasteners in place of glue (where possible), make a good alternative to glue.

You will see photos of many such plastic novelty puppets in my photo albums. See Mr. D's Photo Albums, (see left sidebar. Specifically: Clinton's Novelty Creations 1969-1989 and Clinton's Novelty Creations 1990-Present )

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