How to easily make ABS Slurry (aka ABS Juice and Glue)

[@SongBill40]

My problem was figuring out where to get small pieces of ABS plastic. The answer? Small LEGO blocks. Discovered this after lots of online Google searches. LEGO only uses ABS plastic to make its blocks because it is so strong. I bought a packet of 100 small LEGO plate blocks on Ebay, which each are only 250 mm x 150 mm x 50 mm. They dissolved nicely in a sealed cup of acetone overnight, using the procedure in this video. Hurricane Ian had damaged a 3' length of the ABS plastic rub rail on my ABS plastic pontoon boat. I needed to find a way to make a plastic "slurry" to repair the damage. The small LEGO plates and acetone produced a nice slurry, to about the consistency of vanilla pudding, which i was then able to apply to the smashed boat railing area using an artist paint brush, after placing dry wall mesh tape over the cracks and broken areas. Some sanding and spray painting made the repair job look nice.

[@alfnoakes392]

Workshop tip: I have been fastening ABS plates end-to-end (ie with no overlap) and have found that ordinary Baking Paper/Grease-proof Paper (the stuff you use to line bread/pie tins) does not stick to or mark ABS glue/slurry. So with careful preparation you can cover your clamps/clamp-blocks with this product and get really presentable 'clean' joins. Re the glue containers ... use glass for glue longevity, maybe keep the glass jar of glue/slurry in a plastic container for safety ( I for one do not like glass in a workshop environment) inbetween-times.

[@goanglingblues]

Would have been nice to see you using each - and showing what each thickness does to ABS cracked - etc. Good info - thanks for taking the time to post this tutorial

[@Stan_in_Shelton_WA]

Glass. Try using glass containers instead of plastic.

[@NvrchFotia]

as long as acetone won't hurt the seal

[@whatelseison8970]

You can make a similar solution with pure polystyrene (what most models are made of) or even styrofoam which as the name suggests, is simply polystyrene foam. Styrofoam has the benefit of dissolving very fast up to very high concentrations although you may still have to wait a bit for the bubbles to pop. The downside to polystyrene is that it's somewhat more brittle than ABS, which is a copolymer of acrylic, butadiene, and styrene. Although I've never tried dissolving pure acrylic or polybutadiene, I imagine acetone would also dissolve both of those plastics if it can dissolve ABS.

[@johnhallesy4819]

This is great. I am selling a Coleman trailer and everyone is put off by the crack in the front panel. I called Coleman to see what the replacement cost is for the panel, and I will find out in 24 to 48 hours. After watching this, I now know how to repair the cracks and sell the trailer with no worries!

[@Jezebel2299]

How did it go repairing your Coleman camper panel? We recently bought one that has a crack at one of the screws about 4 inches long. Thanks in advance

[@stevrgrs]

When I saw the printrbot I was like “dang this guy must appreciate retro tech” then I looked at when this was uploaded lol

[@HoffmanEngineering]

Yup, gotta love my original Makerfarm Prusa i3v with its rats nest of wiring :D it served me well!

[@BOOTEDUPFL]

Useful video. Going to make this mixture to repair cracks and holes on my plastic job boat

[@AquidneckRider]

glad I found this...gonna use this to repair my motorcycle fairings.

[@jamesbarros950]

Exactly why I came here. Hoping to make some with gold ABS so I can go kintsugi style on my fairings.

[@georgewashington1106]

Exactly why I'm here too. How did it work out?

[@martinmoran89]

Also why I'm here haha

[@AquidneckRider]

@wharzenr yup i was able to remake the tabs to reclip it all together. worked great never broke again.

[@Michael-st3wg]

​@@AquidneckRiderI reinforce my abs repairs with stainless steel screen I buy on eBay ...it's a bit of cheap insurance

[@jasonjohnson6216]

Thank u. I route abs plastic on a cnc for parts and have a ton of scrap I won’t b throwing away anymore!!!!!

[@HoffmanEngineering]

Those scraps can be extremely useful, abs slurry is great!

[@stockrolgar7501]

Very helpful video, well done buddy!!

[@kreynolds1123]

Just wondering can you pour abs acetone mix and let it dry to flat sheet? Or does the sheet end up warping due to adhesion and shrinkage and or uneven drying?

[@rogerthornhill1547]

Interesting video. I suggest a couple of caveats for viewers who may try this on their own - I mean making it on your own is the point, right? Acetone is VERY volatile and should never be used in a closed room. Breathing it is dangerous and even a spark from a motor such as a fan can ignite it - explosively. Knocking over a container can be an invitation to disaster. Please wear safety glasses of some sort. A single drop of acetone or something dissolved in acetone splashed into your eye is all it takes. Enjoy. Caution is not for chumps. It lets you live, and keep on exploring.

[@HoffmanEngineering]

+Roger Thornhill Great comment, safety is definitely important to keep in mind when dealing with volatile chemicals! You definitely wouldn't want to get acetone in your eye, and using it in a place with plenty of ventilation is great advice.

[@rogerthornhill1547]

+Hoffman Engineering For those of us who do not have ABS scraps at hand - are you aware of any domestic(US) sources of ABS granules, for example, for pursuing some ABS repair work?

[@timnham]

+Roger Thornhill You can order chips from Cessna172Online.com but shipping is a little high. Legos are an option too. :-)

[@rogerthornhill1547]

+Tim Meredith My daughter just pulled the license plate holder from her truck. It's black ABS, I think. I plan to shave or cut up a bit and try it in repairing the wheel bracket that just broke off my rolling carry-on luggage. Do you think it will work?

[@timnham]

+Roger Thornhill Sorry to say I have still researching but from the other videos and websites, I would say yes. People have posted repairing items from coffee makers (he used a black Lego piece) to motorcycles. I will be repairing a popup camper so I order the ABS chips. I agree with your precautions above. A thought about using MEK instead of Acetone until reading how nasty it is (causes liver problems). Good luck!

[@sleanie]

I plan on using this to repair my abs canoe. All the kits are too expensive! I knew I would find the answer on KZbin! Thanks, hopefully it doesn't ruin the canoe. I plan on trying it on a small spit first. I have millions of legos.

[@ArcolaBridge]

I wonder if you could use this to repair cracks in ABS kayak?

[@ShanLiuGBM]

Hi, can I make a think ABS sheet from this technique? also, is Glass plate a good container? If I use cast steel, will that react to acetone?

[@emmettturner9452]

FYI: They sell ABS Cement next to the PVC Cement in the plumbing section of hardware stores. Shortcut? ;)

[@tomekwrobel1738]

You have ruined his video😁

[@emmettturner9452]

@@tomekwrobel1738 LOL! I do wonder if maybe it isn't common everywhere. After all, I only ever see people using PVC from that area. :)

[@sss4882]

Not in my country

[@asianlionsofasia8982]

Hi There Sir, thanks for posting. I wonder can this glue stick to metal well?Thanks

[@jasondiddle4226]

Hey, I’m trying to customize a stock seat pan. It is a black plastics. I need to add some plastic to it to get the desired shape to the fender that I want. Then cover it with my leather. What do you suggest to use. I thought about using heat and plastic weld the same type of plastic and metal mesh to keep its shape so it matches and I can use staple gun with the leather. I have not tried this yet. There is fiberglass, but I don’t know how well fiberglass and this type of plastic play together. The other option is shaping a piece of wood to the desired shape. It will be easy to shape and I will be able to staple the leather to it. However, even though it will be hidden and covered by leather, I will know that it is there. I have pictures. I’m open to any suggestions because I don’t want to mess this up. I only have one. I was curious if I used the slurry and heat and glued on thicker pieces of plastic if it would hold and work???

[@SouthernAceCrafts]

Can I use slurry or possibly less viscous mixture to permanently fill screws holes in HDPE plastic (my kayak)?

[@spideymikespideymike]

no. it will only bond with ABS.

[@lapidations]

3 years later but hdpe will basically only bond with itself

[@redhatman]

Excellent video, exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!

[@jesse977]

can this stuff be used to cast something like a brick for mold making?

[@bowen8019]

Only just come across this video and was wondering the same thing, let me know if uve tried it yet.

[@luqmanrashid1651]

i wonder if i can cast abs slurry?

[@caymanwest4929]

Hi, great tutorial and well done. Is there a similar concoction for repairing PVC? Would it be as simple as replacing the ABS Scraps with PVC Scraps? I am trying to repair cracked 2" PVC drain pipes on a spa from a winter freeze. Products are sold but don't go a long way and are expensive.

[@EPortillo5000]

To patch PVC what I do is cut a patch from a piece of pipe and glue it with regular PVC cement, like patching a bike tire inner tube, looks bulkier (uglyer) than use a slurry even gives the advantage of reinforce the part that has failed.

[@riskromer9773]

questions: when you use this to patch a fairing will it disolve the fairing? How long does it take to cure?

[@jacobpierson8995]

I wish I had learned this sooner

[@helchin93]

really well done and clear tutorial, thanks a lot! Im surprised that the acetone doesnt affect your plastic containers after a while and warp them

[@HoffmanEngineering]

+helchin93 Thank you for watching! The containers are polypropylene, and if you look up the Material Safety Data Sheet for PP, you'll see that it doesn't react much with acetone. Over the last year, the containers have only gained a slightly cloudy appearance, but I think that is more from the ABS inside than the acetone itself. I haven't noticed any other effects on them.

[@helchin93]

+Hoffman Engineering awesome great to know, I'll probably be doing the same! Ill be sure to subscribe for future tips!

[@markchidester6239]

I wish i knew this when i was a plastics process technician. Ive molded millions of pounds of it over the years. This may work with polycarbonate also.

[@tinnedanger]

Here's a strange one . I have a sheet of 2mm ABS and I want to lap glue two pieces together. I tried straight Acetone last night and nothing happened. I shaved some ABS off with a razor and put it in some acetone. The shavings are still there. So today I did some ABS tests ..no floating in water and burning it. I got a yellow flame with a blue aura and black smoke. Yep it's ABS. So I went out and bought some new Acetone and this doesn't do anything either. Any thoughts. ?

[@philshen3573]

hi I am trying to make some ABS juice. I'm just wondering does the age of the acetone effect how long it will take to desolve?

[@ShadowsTbone]

+Phil Shen Most bottles of acetone have a long shelf life, so I do not believe it would affect the time to dissolve. The purity of the acetone would though, so make sure you are using 100% acetone, and not something like nail polish.

[@philshen3573]

thanks so much for the info

[@Mitgardxxl]

Very cool. Please more. #LoveIt

[@MDal2022]

Can I use abs juice, glue or slurry to a surface repair? Can I apply them to 3d printed parts by using a brush? What it ll be the result?

[@TheAhadahmad]

What other chemicals can I use, if not Acetone? Looking for a cheaper alternative.

[@grahamcifuentes4451]

What did you say the glue is good for? bill plates?? Bilge plates???.. Also I'm having trouble identifying ABS. Google says code 7 and 9 in different places

[@HoffmanEngineering]

It was "build plates" in the context of 3D Printers. ABS doesn't have its own recycling code (it's usually 7 for "other"), but usually it's marked with ABS somewhere on the plastic.

[@AcanLord]

I have an important question about this substance. can you use this to rebond cracks in an ABS part that was not 3D printed? what is the strength of this compared to mold injected abs? does the Acetone weaken the polymer after the Acetone has fully evaporated?

[@tinnedanger]

I watched a video . something named like repairing ABS and he repaired a car roof rack box with acetone as the glue . Then aluminium flyscreen as a reinforcement covered by ABS slurry . He also gave accurate measurements to mix the slurry. 125 ml acetone to 50 grams ABS. This was a large amount of slurry that he actually painted onto the repair. Do the math for what you need.

[@AcanLord]

@@tinnedanger using a mesh screen seems like a pretty clever idea.

[@TheStigma]

Does anyone have tips on where to scrounge ABS from daily life? It's not used much in packaging and the like- so I only really know of 3 things: Lego blocks, small electrical appliances shells (that look shiny/polished), and automotive plastics (not all is ABS, but it's somewhat common). Protip: Do not use other plastic containers than HDPE or PP. Or just use glass. Many plastics will not hold up long against acetone.

[@shootinjh]

When using it as glue, I wonder how long it takes to dry & set?

[@Spacekriek]

Depending on the ratio, just a few seconds, so you have to move quickly !

[@ronski50]

Could a thick slurry be poured into a mold to produce an abs part?

[@HoffmanEngineering]

I'm not sure how well that would work. If the part had a uniform thickness than maybe, otherwise you'd have uneven evaporation of the acetone ending with some liquid left in the middle that may never solidify. And I'm not exactly sure of the consistency of a large amount of slurry after drying, whether its continuous, or filled with air pockets, etc. Would be interesting to try though!

[@peffypluis9786]

Interresting idea! have you tried it already?

[@ronski50]

Peffy Pluis No, not yet. I haven't had the opportunity.

[@TheKawaiiPotato]

be careful doing this. I was attempting to fill in a part on a sword and it ended up melting it down.

[@moesella3542]

Great, thank you for the idea, and that what i was looking for.

[@HoffmanEngineering]

+Moe Sella Thank you for watching!

[@Wushu17]

Great video! When using ABS Slurry as a filler will the acetone in the slurry dissolve the ABS piece you're trying to repair? I'm guessing so bc thats how the slurry will bond to the piece, right? And how long will it take for the slurry to dry or cure? Thanks

[@vlttlv4924]

The aceton will to some extend dissolve the repaired piece which is how it bounds it with the slurry- however it will evaporate gradually but fast enough to not dissolve more than needed.

[@Michael-st3wg]

​@@vlttlv4924depends how thin the original substrate is ...I repaired an abs sill plate in my Corvette and it ate right thru it 😢

[@insomniaczombie8942]

I tried to make ABS juice but ended up with ABS putty....I tried to mix it with acetone but it wouldn't mix together

[@mcmozzo]

Has anyone tried to run this slurry through an airbrush? I like the filling properties, and wonder if airbrush uniformity is possible without munching the airbrush...

[@HoffmanEngineering]

I have not, but I would be extremely interested if it would work! I don't think it would ruin the airbrush, most are designed to have harsh paint thinner run through it. The worst that would happen would be if the acetone evaporated, and you are left with ABS residue in the brush. But, just pour in more acetone, and it'll redissolve.

[@xmo552]

@@HoffmanEngineering Slurry, if poured out, can I make my own ABS sheet? Do these slurries tend to dry out in the long term?

[@shinhostergroup]

What type of abs did you use? I tried this and wasn't successful. Thes abs never dissolved.

[@wewyllenium]

I'm a fan. I'll try this. Cheers.

[@HoffmanEngineering]

+wewyllenium Thank you for watching!

[@Zaq341]

So when all the acetone evaporates and the mixture cures to become a solid, is it technically pure ABS?

[@finn8518]

I guess... at least that's what would make sense

[@HoffmanEngineering]

Zaq341 I believe so, it's an extremely solid connection.

[@michael-en4kq]

a little help please what common easy to find items are made from abs? i know about abs pipe from hardware store and legos but have none empty coke bottles? I am attempting to fix motorcycle flanges

[@danmayes4657]

Automotive interior panels are mostly ABS Super cheap at the junk yards. I get them for a couple of bucks eaach

[@fun_ghoul]

@@danmayes4657 -Most of those are PP+ABS. Pure ABS is hard plastic.- Sorry, it took me a minute to remember that newer cars have that shiny shit. Cheers.

[@Zidnick1]

Can this glue/slurry be used to bond large ABS parts? I am looking for a way to bond the edge of an 1/8" ABS sheet about 12" long to a flat surface of ABS (an "L" or "T" shape) to create a water tight seal that can handle vibrations and a little stress. If this as an option, what would be a good bond/cure time for full adhesion?

[@alfnoakes392]

This glue is as strong as the original material. Give it 48 hours for full cure.

[@mortensuhler2027]

Is this good for PLA prints on a non-heated print bed?

[@ShadowsTbone]

+Morten Suhler I have heard people using it, but from my experience the PLA doesn't stick well to the slurry. You'd probably be better off using hairspray, painters tape or glue stick for PLA. Those options would be easier to clean up. Feel free to try it though, and let me know if it works out for you!

[@Ramesiel]

Why do you need pieces of ABS mixed in, instead of just using the acetone on its own? I don't get it. If you're gluing two pieces of ABS together, then you already have ABS right there. Why can't you just apply the acetone and push the ABS bits together? Why do you also need ABS scrap mixed in?

[@CRN8091]

Great vid, what is the curing time for the slurry?.

[@whatelseison8970]

It doesn't cure, it dries. Adding more acetone will always redissolve it. Drying time depends on how spread out it it is, ambient temperature, and solvent:solute ratio, but its almost never going to be more than an hour. Putting a fan on it makes it dry super quick (

[@BuckWezr]

If you still ABS much, the shavings abound! (which also dissolves much quicker)

[@photodoc100]

Clear info 🇦🇺⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@Megan9689]

So I bought some stuff off of Etsy but come to find out its PLA and not ABS. I was planning on doing some assembling , smoothing, filling in gaps, and stuff with these ABS glue and slurry but then found out its PLA(this is my first experience with 3d printed stuff so I'm a noob). I am wondering if you or anyone knows of anything like this glue and slurry for PLA that I can make and will work like this works for ABS?

[@donovanmorgan7944]

Megan9689 painters tape or hairspray for sticking and xtc 3d for smoothing

[@Megan9689]

Thanks, but the pieces I have are already printed, I just wanted to make the ABS glue for glueing them together but then found out the 3d printed stuff was PLA and not ABS.

[@welovechoccy]

Thankyou :-)

[@landlockedviking]

Any extra ideas? I have done this on kapton tape but still have warpage. Am printing a slightly over 6" print and it adheres so well it actually pulls the tape off the print bed. I'm left thinking about trying it directly on a glass plate.?.

[@rich1051414]

Borosilicate holds onto more heat and is less prone to breaking. If the ABS residue builds up too much, wash the plate in acetone to clean it off. What temp are you using on your build plate?

[@landlockedviking]

Richard Smith 100c

[@rich1051414]

***** Try 110-120C. 110C is the typical bed temp for ABS.

[@landlockedviking]

Richard Smith 1 st at 110 and 100 after. can't remember is my bed will go 120. Got good adherence on straight glass, but then ran into inter-layer pull apart after a certain amount of layers. modified edges added flutes, played with infill. never could completely eliminate it.

[@tanatipjarupattanasirikun6605]

I want to see the pipeline Connect with ABS glue. can you make some VDO. for How to.?? Plaese~~~ ....(Sorry for my Eng. my Eng is not good ^^.)

[@emmettturner9452]

Tanatip Jarupattanasirikun We call the glue meant for connecting ABS pipes “ABS Cement.” It’s sold right next to the PVC Cement and the application instructions slinky discuss plumbing. I wouldn’t know how to apply it to pipes since I don’t use it for plumbing, but perhaps the name “ABS Cement” will lead you to a video for that.

[@emmettturner9452]

Tanatip Jarupattanasirikun Just searched for “ABS Cement” and found a video about it. Search for bLstgZCREPc

[@MixedGears]

Hi. I'm mostly a PLA user. Do you have any idea what can be legally bought to dissolve this material? I got partial success with Ethyl Acetate but far from ABS with Acetone.

[@EPortillo5000]

Can use Toluene, Chloroform, tetrahydrofuran, DCM (DiChloroMetane) all they are carcinogenic so if you can have access to any of them use gloves, safety glasses in a well ventilated area and if you can a respirator mask with a dilter for organic fumes.

[@spideymikespideymike]

when I tried with acetone it never gave me a good slurry. I find Methyl Ethyl Ketone much better and faster dissolving solvent for ABS.

[@HoffmanEngineering]

+spideymikespideymike Interesting, looking at the properties of it, its has a significantly slower evaporation rate. I'll have to look more into it, I haven't heard of anyone else mentioning Butanone before. Where did you first get the idea to use it?

[@spideymikespideymike]

+Hoffman Engineering you will find it as the first ingredient in plumbing ABS cement.

[@HoffmanEngineering]

+spideymikespideymike Ah, perfect! Thanks for the information!

[@spideymikespideymike]

I mispoke. I didn't try acetone. it was xylene.

[@maxxiang8746]

@@spideymikespideymike I know this is pointless to say but acetone is a very simple ketone

[@waynekendall6196]

For glue, just get a $2.00 can of ABS pipe cement at the hardware store.

[@shootinjh]

I have tried numerous grues, unfortunately, I have found nothing that is strong. :( I look forward to trying this slurry!

[@random10012]

Where do I buy ABS scraps ?

[@BrandonLund]

You can find abs pipe at most hardware stores

[@CyberSyntek]

Failed ABS prints and raft or support materials from your ABS prints.

[@chinga7264]

This is from Asia they did it years ago.

[@knowyuhgrow420]

Thanks for sharing I learned ot from yr video's 🇨🇦👉🏾🇧🇧💨@420

[@magnuswootton6181]

thats what the sea water on venus is like.

[@hyperhektor7733]

here an application i found, (red was my first test, white would make more sense i know) imgur.com/y3QhlBD

[@einarabelc5]

Use it in a low ventilated area so it stays with you.

[@yoheff988]

Just don't use an ABS container LOL 😂

[@700may]

They're all lies