ABS plastic?

[Josh Jay]

I'm considering investing in a 3D printer that outputs models in ABS. Has anyone had any experience using ABS? Can anyone recommend a paint and adhesive for priming and gluing?

Thanks

 

[epilepticsquirl]

I can tell you my foot hurts after stepping on a lego brick. :lol

 

[robn1]

ABS is very similar to styrene, just a little tougher and less brittle. Painting is the same, whatever you would use for a styrene kit will do fine. It's a bit resistant to plastic cement, Testors tube glue may not make a good bond. But something like Tenax or Ambroid pro weld will work fine.

 

[Jun Austria]

ABS is very similar to styrene, just a little tougher and less brittle. Painting is the same, whatever you would use for a styrene kit will do fine. It's a bit resistant to plastic cement, Testors tube glue may not make a good bond. But something like Tenax or Ambroid pro weld will work fine.

TAMIYA is also selling cement for ABS. Got mine from HLJ.

 

[Josh Jay]

Can you use super glue (Cyanoacrylate)?

Has anyone tried priming it with Plastikote?

 

[IEDBOUNTYHUNTER]

ABS is a standard plastic. you should have no problems with CA or any regular primers.

I get parts printed all the time and never been a problem to glue, sand or prime them.

 

[epilepticsquirl]

Or just buy some Legos and experiment with them. :thumbsup

 

[Drewid]

I'm considering investing in a 3D printer that outputs models in ABS. Has anyone had any experience using ABS? Can anyone recommend a paint and adhesive for priming and gluing?

Thanks

I typically use ABS weld available from any hardware store. You can also make some using scrap ABS, acetone, and some MEK. You can use just acetone and ABS to make an ABS filler. Epoxy, e6000, and CA all work great with ABS.

For painting I tend to stick with Testors enamels or Rustoleum's spray paint for plastic.

Which printer were you thinking of getting?

 

[JMChladek]

Styrene is a componant of ABS since it is a merger of three types of plastic to make something that is stiffer and harder than normal styrene. Hot solvent glues like Tenax, Ambroid Proweld and Weld On 3 thru 10 work fine on it (something with Methyline Chloride typically). Testors liquid cement (which I believe is a diluted MEK based solvent glue) will not. Usually if the glue has a stinky vinegary odor, it is likely MEK based. If it doesn't have much of an odor, typically it is the hotter stuff.

Polar Lights in the old days (i.e. kits from the first 3 years of operation) and Moebius models today typically do their kits in ABS.

As for Cyano Acrylate, it will typically glue anything except for Poly propolyne (sp?) plastic, which is that waxy stuff that gallon milk bottles (and CA glue bottles) are typically made of.

 

[redwizard3d]

you can mix a little ABS powder into some acetone (it dissolves) and with the right ratios you can create an ABS glue that literally fuses the sections together.

 

[CJS]

Ive been using standard ABS plumbing cement on my Optimus Prime gun, its that yellow snot type. It works awesome and you can sand down any dry excess. I have also found it bonds wood to ABS amazing. If you scuff up the wood a bit.

 

[NAZGÛL]

CA works fine for me.

 

[arrowguy]

CA glue or ABS cement, just depends on your preference of adhesion properties. Either one should work great though.

 

[CLWTUSKEN]

I am working on the ABS shoulder armor for my wife's Boushh costume today. The 3 piece armor glues together, so there are 2 overlapping seams that need somehow molded in to get a flush look. I used standard Oatey ABS cement to glue it, now I have this overlap to figure out. Any suggestions? Do I need to take a body work course?

I cant get a photo to show up here from Flickr or Photobucket but here is a link.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54022602@N02/7603977352/

 

[CLWTUSKEN]

So apparently I did this wrong. I'm told what I should have done was not overlap the pieces. I should have butt them together and used a piece underneath to help hold them together. I'm new to prop building so live and learn... I guess I'll try and sand down the edge and maybe blend it in with some kid of putty/bondo type product.