ABS plastic is one of the most commonly used types of thermoplastics today. It’s all around us, found in our homes, cars, and backyards.
It is also notoriously daunting to glue. Many people are frustrated with many unsuccessful attempts on bonding this tricky plastic.
Because of that, we decided to compile a list of the best glue for ABS plastic today. This list, along with our informative guide, will help you better understand the adhesives and the ABS plastic.
We are confident that when you finish reading the article, you will make your adhesive of choice. After that, you will be ready to finally bond ABS plastic successfully!
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Glue For ABS Plastic – Reviews
We started our research with more than 40 glue models and 5 different types of adhesives. After thoroughly reviewing each one, we came up with this list of the 5 best glue for ABS plastic of the highest quality. Those 5 all work excellent with ABS plastic and produce reliable and long-lasting bonds. You can’t go wrong with any of them!
Our Pick
Oatey ABS Extra Special Cement
Drying Color: Black
Setting Time: 5 Minutes
Viscosity: Medium
We had trouble picking one adhesive as the best for ABS plastic, but in terms of performance and the ability to bond the plastic, this Oatey ABS cement is a clear winner. It works excellently on every type of ABS plastic and will most definitely permanently bond it.
While we were conducting our research for this article, we tried numerous cement adhesives such as all-purpose cement, PVC cement, plastic cement, and such. This one is by far the best out of them all when it comes to bonding ABS plastic. That is because it is specially formulated for this very task.
The special formulation we are talking about here is the mixture of MEK or Methyl Ethyl Ketone, ABS Resin, and Acetone. All of the three are known to bond this type of plastic superbly. When mixed, they provide an inseparable bond on ABS plastic.
This type of cement works by slightly chemically melting or “welding” the ABS plastic. That’s why the bond is so reliable when you use this adhesive. You don’t glue the parts, but you fuse them, which makes the bond as strong as it gets.
Apart from the exceptional ability to bond the ABS plastic, this cement has an extra-quick drying time. Depending on the size of the parts and the amount of the cement, you can expect it to dry in just 5 minutes on average. If you got a lot of parts to bond, this will significantly increase the speed of your fix or your project.
The cement is fairly easy to use as it comes with an applicator brush that is located under the cap. You can use it without any additional equipment, and the brush makes the application much more precise.
Another thing that we like about this cement is that it is low VOC. Most of the cement adhesives are highly toxic and can cause nausea if inhaled. This is not the case with this adhesive, as it is perfectly safe to use indoors.
The drawbacks of this adhesive are the lack of versatility and the drying color. If you are looking to bond ABS plastic to another type of plastic, like PVC, or another material like metal, you won’t have much success with this cement. It is best for ABS to ABS application, and we recommend it for fixing broken ABS parts.
Another thing we mentioned is the drying color of this adhesive which is black. If you are looking to fix something where the bond will be visible, and the aesthetics are important, this glue might not be the best choice. Still, you can sand and paint the residue once it cures if the looks concern you.
So, this cement bonds ABS plastic the best but is limited to repairs or ABS to ABS bonding. This is what it does the best, and if that’s what you are looking for, then this cement is an obvious choice.
Bob Smith Industries Maxi Cure/Insta-Set Combo
Drying Color: Clear
Setting Time: 10 seconds
Viscosity: Medium
The runner-up on our list of the best glue for ABS plastic is the super glue and accelerator combo from Bob Smith Industries. This is the most versatile glue on our list and the one that will provide you with the fastest results.
The main advantage of this combo is the activator that comes with the CA glue. This spray solvent accelerates the polymerization of cyanoacrylate by producing the moisture that is needed for the super glue to cure. In short, it speeds up the drying process significantly.
When you spray the super glue, it will set almost instantly, making your work the most efficient possible. You won’t waste a second for the glue to dry as the bond is formed instantaneously.
When it comes to bonding ABS plastic, this super glue shines. It is the best super glue adhesive for ABS plastic we tried. It can bond ABS to ABS, ABS to other plastics, ABS to wood, ABS to metal, and more! It is the most versatile glue on our list by far.
The strength of the bond isn’t as reliable as with the Oatey ABS cement but comes pretty close. The bond strength will be sufficient for most applications.
A great thing about this set is that it dries transparently clear. There won’t be any trace of the glue when you finish bonding the ABS plastic, giving you nice-looking professional-like results.
This set is noob-friendly, which means that even a child can use it. All you need to do is apply some glue to the ABS plastic, spray it, and that’s it! The gel-like consistency of the super glue makes the application even easier as it won’t run or spill like the liquid super glue tends to.
The only drawback of this combo is the price. It is not as affordable as some other options on our list but is definitely worth the price. You will get the results much faster, and the bonds on ABS plastic will stay strong for a long time.
J-B Weld Plastic Structural Adhesive
Drying Color: Tan
Setting Time: 15 Minutes
Viscosity: High
This amazing urethane adhesive is specially designed for plastic bonding. It works wonders on almost all plastic types and bonds ABS plastic superbly. It is one of the best plastic adhesives we tried in a long time!
J-B Weld always has products that are just above all others in terms of bonding strength. This glue has a tensile strength of 3770 PSI, which is strong indeed. You can fix and bond even the most heavy-duty ABS plastic parts with this adhesive.
This urethane adhesive does bond ABS to different materials like aluminum and other metals. Still, the bonds are not as strong as when you bond plastic to plastic, which is where this glue performs the best.
Some people don’t like two-component adhesives because of the mixing that can go wrong easily if you don’t mix equal amounts. J-B Weld got around this problem since this glue comes in a special syringe designed to dispense equal amounts of both components.
You won’t be needing any additional equipment as J-B Weld includes a mixing tray and stick to help you mix the two components.
The adhesive sets fairly fast for urethane glue in around 15 minutes on average but dries tan color. This means that it isn’t suited for visible repairs since the colored residue can ruin the looks of the ABS plastic parts. This isn’t an unsolvable problem, as you can always paint the residue once it dries.
All in all, this is a very reliable urethane adhesive that bonds ABS plastic excellently. You can be sure that your bonds will be strong and long-lasting with this two-component glue!
Gorilla 2 Part Epoxy
Drying Color: Clear
Setting Time: 5 Minutes
Viscosity: High
Two-Part epoxies are one of the strongest commercially available adhesives. They can glue a wide variety of materials and extremely resistant to stress and environmental factors. That’s why we thought that we should give them a try for bonding ABS plastic. Out of all models we reviewed, this one from gorilla performed the best on this plastic.
The strength of this glue is sufficient to glue even the most heavy-duty materials and parts but doesn’t necessarily mean that it can glue non-porous materials like ABS plastic. This epoxy managed to do so and is a great option for bonding ABS plastic to many different materials.
The strength of the bond on ABS plastic is superb, and you can bond it to other plastic types, as well as different materials such as metal, wood, and even fabric!
We like that Gorilla really made mixing and preparing a two-part epoxy so easy. Anyone can mix equal amounts of resin and hardener with the help of the syringe that is designed to pour equal amounts of the two components.
Two features that set this epoxy apart from the competition are the clear drying color and fast setting time. This epoxy sets in only 5 minutes, which is insanely fast compared to the conventional 2 hour average drying time for epoxy.
It also dries clear, which is unusual for epoxies as well. You can expect clean and expert-like bonds with this epoxy.
This is a great adhesive for bonding ABS plastic to a lot of materials. It doesn’t bond as well to the plastic as some other adhesives on our list, but the bond is strong enough for most applications.
Glue Masters - Professional Grade Cyanoacrylate
Drying Color: Clear
Setting Time: Under 60 Seconds
Viscosity: High
The last glue on our list is what we refer to as “super super glue”, which means that it is an enhanced version of cyanoacrylate that we typically buy for a dollar at the hardware store.
The bonding strength and increased viscosity are the main differences between this glue and the regular super glue adhesives. It is also capable of bonding more materials than them, one of which is ABS plastic.
The quality of the bond is almost on par with the Bob Smith Industries super glue we reviewed above. We managed to glue ABS plastic to ABS plastic, ABS to PVC, ABS to metal, and ABS to wood. The strength of the bond is superb and should last a long time.
Like all super glue adhesives, this one dries swiftly. You can expect it to dry in just under 60 seconds in most applications. If you have an ABS plastic project that includes a lot of parts that need to be bonded, this glue will save you a lot of time.
The extra thick consistency we mentioned earlier is what we really like about this glue. It makes the application so much easier and more controlled. Absolutely no spillage or running occurs when applying this glue which dispenses slowly and steadily. This means less mess and more money saved on wasted glue!
As you’ve probably guessed, the drying color is clear, like with most super glue adhesives. No discoloration occurs, even when you apply the glue thick, which sometimes happens with cheap super glue models.
Overall, this is an excellent super glue of professional quality. It is stronger and tougher than most other cyanoacrylate adhesives and bonds ABS plastic to different materials very well.
How To Bond ABS Without Buying Glue
You might be wondering, how can you bond ABS without buying glue? Well, if you have a lot of leftover ABS plastic, you can save some money by using it as an “adhesive” for bonding other ABS parts.
ABS plastic is a thermoplastic, which means that it liquefies at certain temperatures, in this case, temperatures above 221 Fahrenheit. You can melt some of the leftover ABS plastic that you don’t need and use it like you would use hot glue.
This type of “glue” works phenomenally at bonding ABS to ABS, as it is the identical material. The bonds will be super strong and resistant.
If you find some ABS plastic parts that you don’t need, you can make this a fun experiment and save some money as well.
Glue For ABS Plastic – Guide
As we previously mentioned, ABS plastic is one of those materials that will give you a headache if you try to bond it without choosing the right adhesive.
It is everywhere around us and is present in just about every household in the world. It is used so frequently because of its great resistance to chemicals and physical impact. It is used for more than 50 years for manufacturing lego bricks.
Because of its unique properties, you have to choose a certain type of adhesive with certain characteristics. We will now go through the things you should be paying attention to when buying glue for ABS plastic.
Type Of Glue
There are 3 types of glue that, in our opinion, work best for bonding ABS plastic. Other adhesives work for this purpose, but we will go only through those 3 in this article.
Those 3 are cement adhesives, epoxies, cyanoacrylates.
Cement
Cement adhesives, or more specifically ABS cement adhesives, are, again in our opinion, by far the best adhesives for ABS to ABS bonding.
- Drying Color: Black
- Setting Time: 5 Minutes
- Viscosity: Medium
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The two main ingredients of the ABS cement are MET (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) and Acetone. They cause the plastic to dissolve, which welds the plastic instead of gluing it.
This type of bond is stronger than any glue that acts as a joint between the two parts.
The only problem with using this cement is that it is limited in terms of the materials it can bond. It is best to use it only for ABS to ABS bonding as that is what it’s intended for.
Epoxies
Epoxies are one of the strongest adhesives today. They can bond as many materials as you can think of and are extremely resistant to water and temperature fluctuations.
In our experience, The Gorilla 2-Part epoxy worked best on ABS plastic.
- Drying Color: Clear
- Setting Time: 5 Minutes
- Viscosity: Medium
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
While they do work on ABS plastic, not all models are suited for bonding it. This material is very demanding and requires using only certain epoxies that are either specifically made for plastic bonding or have a good history of bonding different plastics.
Cyanoacrylates (Super Glue)
Along with PVA glue, super glue is probably one of the most popular adhesives today. It dries fast, bonds everything, and is strong. It also works on ABS plastic, but not all models do.
- Drying Color: Clear
- Setting Time: 30-45 Seconds
- Viscosity: Medium
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
We found that the more expensive and higher-quality cyanoacrylate adhesives work much better at bonding most plastics, including ABS plastic.
Super glue from Glue Masters, Bob Smith Industries, Gorilla, and Loctite is what we had the most success with.
Viscosity
Depending on the ABS plastic repair and the project you are having, the viscosity of the glue might be important.
If you are, for example, having a cracked motorcycle bodywork part that needs fixing, you will likely benefit from a low viscosity glue which can easily fill the cracks and the gaps in the plastic.
If you, however, need to fix an ABS plastic part that is vertical, you will find it much easier to work with high viscosity glue.
Pay attention to the viscosity of the glue you’re buying and think about how it can benefit your project or repair.
Drying Time
Sometimes going for an adhesive that sets lighting fast isn’t the best option. Think about the complexity of the fix or the project you are having.
If it’s straightforward, you can save yourself a lot of time by going for a fast-setting glue.
But if you aren’t that confident in your skills, or you see that there will be some assembly required, you might be better off with an adhesive that will give you more working time.
Make sure to evaluate your situation and look for the setting time of the adhesive you are choosing or you can end up having unexpected results or wasting your time.
Wrap Up
We hope that you enjoyed this article and made up your mind about the adhesive that you will use for your ABS plastic project.
Whatever glue you choose, make sure that you read about the previous experiences people had with that adhesive on ABS plastic. Choose models that can dissolve the plastic and fuse the two parts into one.
All of the adhesives we reviewed are tested on ABS plastic and work with it excellently. You can’t go wrong with any of them!
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