Getting bubble free Acrylic joints

[Michaelx]

Hey everyone

I'm trying to build a watertight acrylic box. Unfortunately I've very little success welding clear acrylic joints despite the edges being flat.

Extra info -

I'm using Cast Acrylic with 6mm to 14mm thicknes. Here is the dilemma-

1. With Weld On 3 or Acri-bond 105 the curing is quick and easy but leaves bubbles.
2. With Acrifix 0192 which is a UV reactive I get optically clear bonds but due to being viscous it gets out of the edges and you can't wipe it without leaving marks. The result is while the joint look clear the sides look hideous.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

~Mike

 

[lapin]

Welcome to the tank building side.
First:
Are you leaving a fillet on the outside so the #3 or 4 or 105 can flow thru the joint and has somewhere to settle? If not it will pull in air from the outside. Also if the joint is not full it can pull air in. As you drag the needle (at an angle) along the joint the bonding agent should flow ahead of the needle point.
Are you shimming and using pins to be sure there are no uneven gaps?

Second:
Are you leaving a fillet on the outside when using #0192 ? The stuff will flow into a joint and out the outside. Like above the fillet will allow for the liquid to have some where to go so it does not pull in air as it drys. You might have to tilt the joint 45 degrees so it flows into the joint and use tape on the outside to keep it from running all the way thru.

Now for your wipe mess.
Most builders will use a flush trim router to trim off the fillet leaving a clean edge after all is dry. Then a quick polish with 2000 or 3000 grit wet/dry paper