Best Glue for PETG & PLA

[dreamcutter]

I'm a 3d model developer and using Simplify3d to print (& paint) models as for a mail order sales. I have been printing complex models of vegetation in piece parts in PETG and PLA that must be glued together for assembly. I needed a fast holding, strong bond to get get leaves, blooms, fruits to adhere to branches that allowed me to assemble delicate parts at unsupported orientations.
I tested many types of glue: Lok-tite Plastic 2 part, Epoxy putty, instant and plastic, cyanoacrylate (super glue) liquid and jell by many brands including Gorilla and Loktite, and solvents such as Testers and Tamaya model cements, and even Acrylic solvent. Cyanoacrylate jell is ok, but it dries brittle. Solvents if they work deform and have long hold times. However there is some new stuff - kind of hard to find and I'm more than reluctant to share here.. but now I just ordered a dozen tubes I can let out the secret. It 3DFuse by Katamco.
3D Fuse really is the best glue for 3d printed parts. It dries and holds like a super glue jell, yet has a mild solvent that blends the cement into the print layers. It dries very much like clear urethane, but blends with the PLA/PETG/ABS. For instance I am able to press and hold tree leaves printed in PETG horizontally on a branch part for 15-30 seconds and initial bind is achieved enough to continue to glue the next leaf and then glue the branch on the trunk in an uninterrupted process. So it really hold small surface bond parts in unsupported orientations. The Label says it works on ABS, I have not tried 3dfuse on ABS. I found it on EBAY but now I see it is also on Amazon. Damn good stuff.

[Ret]

I've noticed CA glue(superglue) works great but starts to form a white haze on some prints many days down the line. Does this 3Dfuse glue do that too?

[arhi]

bison plastic - works great for me, only it's not "quick dry" but it's very strong, not brittle, holds petg and pla very strongly

[shocksofmighty]

The best glue will always be by solvent welding. Buy paint stripper that is/contains methylene chloride (dichloromethane). It will solvent weld both PLA and PETG.

[greybeard]

I did some stress/strain testing some time ago and compared the results with a Youtube on glues for PLA/etc. I'm sure the video is still posted...

My results were similar to the those in the video. Screenshot (of video results) shows Loctite Gel Control to be stronger than others... I used it on my motorcycle fender and it's still holding

[inventabuild]

I've had good success with Loctite 401 for bonding PLA. Still it looks like there is a new adhesive that might take the cake for bonding PLA called 3DGloop. Here it is tested against cyanoacrylate and epoxy and the 3DGloop won handily. In fact the PLA failed before the adhesive failed:

https://youtu.be/qfBLdiyoRdI

Here's where to but it:

https://www.3dgloop.com

They sell a version for abs as well. I know solvent bonding abs with acetone works well too, but I'm not sure which is easier to work with and which dries fastest.

It's interesting (and maybe a stretch) that they say 3DGloop for abs can be used to keep abs parts attached to the print bed without even heating the bed and you can still pop the part off when done; although they do recommend a heated bed for best results.

They also say 3DGloop for ABS can be used to smooth parts by spraying it on. I tried an acetone vapor bath to smooth my parts and got mixed results in terms of quality so their spray version sounds interesting especially if it's really as easy as just spraying it on and the fumes are less toxic than acetone...I have not verified either of these questions yet.

I have not tried 3DGloop, but I'd be interested to hear your results if you do.

I don't think they have a PETG version yet.

[shocksofmighty]

I've had good success with Loctite 401 for bonding PLA. Still it looks like there is a new adhesive that might take the cake for bonding PLA called 3DGloop. Here it is tested against cyanoacrylate and epoxy and the 3DGloop won handily. In fact the PLA failed before the adhesive failed:

3DGloop is dichloromethane. See my post above.

[inventabuild]

Thanks, good to know. I had not checked out the MSDS yet.

[Raise3D Pro Plus 2]

To perfectly glue PLA use Acerone... works perfect...

[mntbighker]

3DGLOOP tested next to CA and others on PLA.

https://youtu.be/qfBLdiyoRdI

Interesting to hear it's basically paint stripper.