Splicing adhesives

Discussions about rockets, construction materials, adhesives, nozzles, nosecones and fin design.
PETrockets
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Splicing adhesives

Post by PETrockets »

Hello everyone, in my years of building water rockets every time I made a splice i have used PL premium to glue both bottles, my problem is that I have to import the glue and that just doesn't work anymore for me. Recently I found that some people glue both both bottles with Sikaflex 11FC (which it's available in my country) an then reinforce the splice with a sleeve glued with PL Premium so my question is if there's any other glue that I can use to glue this "sleeve".
Thanks
kitestring
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Re: Splicing adhesives

Post by kitestring »

PETrockets wrote:Hello everyone, in my years of building water rockets every time I made a splice i have used PL premium to glue both bottles, my problem is that I have to import the glue and that just doesn't work anymore for me. Recently I found that some people glue both both bottles with Sikaflex 11FC (which it's available in my country) an then reinforce the splice with a sleeve glued with PL Premium so my question is if there's any other glue that I can use to glue this "sleeve".
Thanks
If you are OK with pressures around 100psi and on small bottles like 1 lite and 1.25L then you should have no issue with 11FC. Its not as good as PL, but i don't import it either. A couple of 2 litre splices have let go around 95psi with 11FC but most of them seem Ok up to 100psi. I don't bother with any outer sleeving. Just make sure the slices are done really well. You can still have fun a lower pressures. I haven't tested any rockets above 115psi yet... My average pressure is 90psi. cheers hope that helps.
motorcyclepilot
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Re: Splicing adhesives

Post by motorcyclepilot »

I have built a 5 liter pressure vessel using four 1.25l bottles. Two assemblies of two bottles each, spliced. Two of the spliced assemblies are coupled together with a tornado tube type coupler I made myself from two caps and a small section of thin-walled pvc.

I spliced the bottles with Loctite (tm) PL premium and glued the coupler with 5 minute epoxy.

The entire assembly survived for ten minutes at 120+ psi (water filled, for safety) with no detectable leakage.

I believe with MOST adhesives that the glues work mechanically with PET, so roughening the surfaces to be glued is important.
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Alien Space Agency
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Re: Splicing adhesives

Post by Alien Space Agency »

Anyone heard about builders bond? The description really appeals to me. It says its flexible, strong bond but... its solvent based. Should I buy it? Its as cheap as silicone.
Nothing can stop a curious mind from inventing- Anonymous
Discovery WR
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Re: Splicing adhesives

Post by Discovery WR »

You can also use Bison Combi Power. It's a 2 component strong PU glue. But if you do some research of glue company's, there must be more strong PU based glues.
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Alien Space Agency
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Re: Splicing adhesives

Post by Alien Space Agency »

Oh, I did forget to mention that PU sealants are widely available here. But no PU adhesives. Thats why I am looking for an alternative, aside from epoxy.
Nothing can stop a curious mind from inventing- Anonymous
beginingrocket
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Re: Splicing adhesives

Post by beginingrocket »

When I splice water rockets I generally use pl premium,but that's just me