Best Glues for Your Resin 3D Prints – How to Fix Them Properly

When you realize resin 3D prints are weaker than filament, you wonder how to best glue them together if they break. I’ve had a few resin 3D prints break on me, so I went out to find the best solution on how to fix this.

The best way to glue your resin 3D prints together is to use an epoxy glue combination. Mixing the epoxy solutions together and applying it to a resin print can create a very strong bond that will make prints durable. You can also use superglue, but it doesn’t have as strong of a bond.

There are a few options that you’ll want to learn about, as well as the techniques, so keep on reading to find out.

What is the Best Method to Glue UV Resin Parts?

The best method to glue 3D resin prints is using the resin itself. You may need the help of a strong UV flashlight or UV light chamber to set and cure the parts properly.

Once the resin is dry, sand the joined part enough to remove any bumps to get a smooth and efficient finish.

The other most common methods for such purposes include superglue, silicone glues, epoxy resin, and a hot glue gun.

There can be many reasons that lead to you needing to glue resin 3D prints. In some cases, your resin print fell and a piece broke off, or you may have just been handling the piece a little rough, and it broke.

It can be pretty frustrating to spend all that time on a 3D print and see it break, though we can definitely work towards fixing it and making it look good again.

Another reason for why people glue their UV resin parts is when they are printing a large model which needs to printed in separate parts. Afterwards, people will use adhesive substances to glue these parts together for the final assembled model.

The process of gluing resin 3D print can be a difficult job if you don’t pick the right glue for the purpose.

There are a variety of options available in the market, some are so good that they will almost look invisible after applying while some may result in bumps, scars, etc.

Each glue comes with its advantages and disadvantages, so you have to pick one that is much suitable for your print and its condition.

The parts to be fixed should be cleaned thoroughly before the gluing process, you may need to sand the print as well to get a smooth finish.

Safety should always be your first priority. The resin itself is toxic and needs to be handled properly but the glues you are using could be harmful as well.

Wearing nitrile gloves, safety goggles, and other accessories are essential whenever you are working with resin and other substances.

Best Glues/Adhesives That Works for Resin 3D Prints

As mentioned above there is a wide range of glues that can be used to fix the resin 3D prints while some are better than others.

Below is the list and a brief explanation of the glues and methods that are the best suitable and can help you with all types of resin 3D prints in almost all types of situations.

Superglue
Epoxy Resin
UV Resin Welding
Silicone Glues
Hot Glue Gun

Superglue

Superglue is a versatile material that can be used to glue almost any type of print, except flexible 3D prints, because it forms a hard layer around the print which can be broken if the print flexes around.

Before and after applying the superglue, if the surface is uneven or bumpy use some sandpaper to get a flat and smooth surface.

Wash and clean the surface with alcohol to ensure that the surface is totally free of any type of dirt particles or grease. After applying the superglue, let the print dry for some time.

A very popular one that should work great for your resin prints is the Gorilla Glue Clear Superglue from Amazon.

Its high strength and fast drying time make superglue an ideal adhesive for fixing resin prints and a variety of home projects. Its bond is reliable, long-lasting, and can completely dry within 10 to 45 seconds.

Unique rubber offers great impact resistance.
Tough properties bring everlasting bond and strength.
Comes with an Anti-Clog Cap that allows the glue to stay fresh for months.
Crystal clear color that can be used for a resin print of all colors.
It can also be useful in projects with other materials such as wood, rubber, metal, ceramic, paper, leather, and many more.
No need for clamping as it can dry in just 10 to 45 seconds.
Best suitable for DIY projects that require instant repairing.

Epoxy Resin

Now, although superglue works really well for gluing pieces together, epoxy resin is in another category. When you need something extremely strong to hold certain pieces together like thin long-projected parts, this works very well.

Using superglue is known to still result in a piece being broken off with a certain amount of force behind it.

One user who has years of experience in assembling D&D miniatures stumbled across epoxy, and said it really changed the level at which his minis performed.

He went with one of the most popular options out there.

Check out the J-B Weld KwikWeld Quick Setting Steel Reinforced Epoxy on Amazon today for fixing your resin 3D prints efficiently. The best thing about this is how it sets a lot quicker than other epoxy combinations out there.

It takes around 6 minutes to set, then 4-6 hours to cure. After this point, your resin 3D prints should function almost as if it was done in one piece from the start.

Has a tensile strength of 3,127 PSI
Suitable for resin prints, thermoplastics, coated metals, wood, ceramic, concrete, aluminum, fiberglass, etc.
Re-sealable cap that prevents resin from drying and leakage.
It comes with an Epoxy syringe, stir stick, and a tray to mix two-part formula.
Great for plastic-to-metal and plastic-to-plastic bonding.
Best for repairing bumps, cracks, scars, and filling dents, voids, holes, etc.

The process could be a bit difficult as this solution comes with two separate containers, one contains the resin while the other has the hardener. You need to mix them on a certain ratio to get the job done.

Epoxy resin can be applied to any type of surface even if it is uneven or bumpy. You can even apply thin layers on the print as they will form a better and beautiful finish.

Epoxy resin can be used as a filler as well, if there are any holes or voids in the broken print.

UV Resin Welding

This technique uses the resin that you 3D printed with to create a bond between the two parts. UV light needs to be able to penetrate through and actually cure the resin though, so a strong UV light is recommended.

The video below goes through the process, but remember to be wearing gloves when handling resin of course!

In order to resin weld properly, you should apply a thin layer of the UV printing resin on both broken parts of the 3D print.

Press and hold the parts together for some time so that they can create a perfect and strong bond.

Make sure that you press the parts immediately after applying the resin because a delay can cause the resin to cure and become hard.

Using UV printing resin for gluing purposes is considered a feasible method because of different factors. First, as you have printed your 3D models with this material, this solution will be available to you without spending extra money.

If you can resin weld the 3D part well enough, you can get pretty good adhesion that doesn’t look bad either.

It is recommended to look for another gluing method if a 3D model is printed using a fully opaque resin because the bond may not get strong enough if the resin is hard on the edges but soft between the two parts.

Silicone Glues & Polyurethane

Polyurethane and Silicone can form a very strong bond and an easy-to-use solution. The only drawback of using this method is that it requires a thick layer of about 2mm to get a strong bond and good adhesion.

It becomes difficult to completely hide the bonding layer because of its thickness. There are different types of silicon glues depending on their chemical properties and characteristics.

Make sure that the prints are pressed effectively because the silicon glue can take a bit longer to cure efficiently. Some types of silicon can also get cured in a matter of seconds.

Check out the Dap All-Purpose 100% Silicone Adhesive Sealant from on Amazon today for fixing your resin 3D prints properly.

Composed of 100% silicone rubber that can help to fix 3D resin prints efficiently.
It is waterproof and considered best suitable where strong bonding is required such as for building aquariums.
Flexible enough that it doesn’t crack or shrink after bonding.
Clear color even after drying.
Harmless and non-toxic to water and other materials but should be used following the safety measures while gluing resin 3D prints.

Hot Glue

Another suitable option and alternative to gluing your resin 3D prints together is the classic hot glue. It is an easy-to-use method and creates a perfect bond with high strength.

The best thing that comes with hot glue is that it cools down in a few seconds without a need for clamping. While choosing this method, do keep this fact in mind that hot glue will be applied to the thickness of about 2 to 3mm.

The hot glue applied to the model will be visible and this is the only drawback of this method. It’s not the most ideal for miniatures or other small 3D prints.

Before applying the glue, it is recommended to clean all parts of the resin print to remove any dirt or loose particles. Using a hot glue gun for gluing 3D resin prints allows you to apply glue on the surface easily and efficiently.

Make sure you take care of your safety and don’t come in contact with the glue as it can burn your skin.

I’d recommend going with the Gorilla Dual Temp Mini Hot Glue Gun Kit with 30 Hot Glue Sticks from Amazon.