+kunarion Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 How can I waterproof an acrylic photo frame keychain? I've placed some of these as Travel Bugs, and as info tags. They'd also make great Multi Cache stages. They're almost perfect. Except, they come in 2 parts. You drop a picture in, then there's a panel that snaps it all together, and there's a pretty tight seam, so the fob can't be opened again. But it's not water-tight. And once water gets in through that seam, it stays there. How do I seal that seam? I've tried drawing a bead of “goop” craft glue, after snapping the thing together. The glue looks horrible (I can't draw straight), but otherwise works pretty well. Any glue that goes astray cannot be removed (it melts plastic slightly). So I design that to be the “back” of the keychain, since it's such a mess of smeared glue. It takes five seconds to assemble one keychain, then 20 minutes trying to get a decent seal. Silicone sealant (RTV) doesn't get into that seam (when cured, it rubs right off, being so thin). It's that tight. If I try to put a bead of glue inside, then close it, it smushes a mess into the photo. Maybe I should use liquid acrylic resin instead of the included panel. Maybe I should use waterproof paper. Maybe it's impossible. Help? Quote Link to comment
+Shaved Ewok Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Have you tried coating it in clear nail polish? Quote Link to comment
+cerberus1 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I keep looking at a roll of thin-width painters tape, wondering if that or something similar could be used. Wish I had one to play with. Place one edge at your seam, snap in place and score around the edge with a razor. (?) Quote Link to comment
+Gitchee-Gummee Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 (edited) I would add a VERY THIN line of clear silicon sealant before snapping it together. Just make sure that you don't have so much that it overflows. Doesn't harm plastic and is completely clear after a full cure. Yes, you must perform this BEFORE snapping it closed. It will not penetrate in, no matter what you do. Also, it would give dubious results as an external sealant. Possibly a thick super-glue (is still quite thin). Apply when closed and the capillary action should draw it into the seam. Need to practice to get it right. Edited April 7, 2011 by Gitchee-Gummee Quote Link to comment
+A & J Tooling Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Hot glue, glue gun. Dries clear and is water tight. Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted April 7, 2011 Author Share Posted April 7, 2011 (edited) I would add a VERY THIN line of clear silicon sealant before snapping it together. ... Possibly a thick super-glue (is still quite thin). Apply when closed and the capillary action should draw it into the seam. I've used the wrong super glue (low viscosity) which soaked a corner of the paper internally. Gotta get the thick stuff. But I also think a ratty-looking Travel Bug may sometimes be less, well, "collectable". I'll try silicone sealant again. Maybe I'll post pictures. Shaved Ewok's nail polish idea is interesting, too. Edited April 7, 2011 by kunarion Quote Link to comment
+TheShelbyFamily Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 How about just printing on waterproof paper? Then it doesn't matter if it's watertight or not. Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted April 7, 2011 Author Share Posted April 7, 2011 Hot glue, glue gun. Dries clear and is water tight. I have one of those. Will test to see how well it sticks to acrylic. I also though of a woodburning pen, to just melt the seam, for when I feel like turning a nice plastic frame into a disaster. Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted April 7, 2011 Author Share Posted April 7, 2011 (edited) How about just printing on waterproof paper? Then it doesn't matter if it's watertight or not. I have tried National Geographic map paper, and that's not bad. But the fluid that gets inside the frame might not be pure spring water. If it's rusty, nasty and stinky, it will be like that forevermore. Edited April 7, 2011 by kunarion Quote Link to comment
+Kameharem Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Hard as Nails - it's found in the nail polish area but is a clear cement nail coating, I use it on my fishing flys. I would place it on the seam and then seal it. Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Hard as Nails - it's found in the nail polish area but is a clear cement nail coating, I use it on my fishing flys. I would place it on the seam and then seal it. I haven't used hard as nails on my fishing flies the I tie, but I wonder if fly tying head cement would work. Another possibility would be something called "Flex Coat rod wrapping finish". It's used to seal the thread that is wrapped around the guides. I've built a few fishing rods and it's pretty easy to work with and sticks to a shiny graphite rod blank so it might work for sealing the acrylyic case. Flex Coat is a company that makes other rod building supplies. Here's their url: My link Quote Link to comment
+KDotBlueDot Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I used pvc cement to sandwich two pieces of plexi together last fall. Seems in good shape still. It melts the plastic together. If done right it will never come apart and be totally water proof...considering that's exactly what it's for. Just be careful, it will muck up the keychain if it gets on anywhere else. Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Sorry - this just has to be done.... Place the key fob in one of these: Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted April 7, 2011 Author Share Posted April 7, 2011 Sorry - this just has to be done.... Place the key fob in one of these: Stop it! I do think I bought the wrong kind of key fob. They were a great deal for a whole bunch, but I avoided the kind there the photo slips into a slot. Next time that may be what I'd get. Seems like that would be super easy to seal. I'll look at the Hard as Nails, and fly tying cement, and PVC cement (which I know would be pretty good for this). Worth trying a couple different things to see how they hold up. Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Sorry - this just has to be done.... Place the key fob in one of these: Stop it! I do think I bought the wrong kind of key fob. They were a great deal for a whole bunch, but I avoided the kind there the photo slips into a slot. Next time that may be what I'd get. Seems like that would be super easy to seal. I'll look at the Hard as Nails, and fly tying cement, and PVC cement (which I know would be pretty good for this). Worth trying a couple different things to see how they hold up. Something else I've seen done for creating replicas of trackable coins is to photograph both sides of the coin the encapsulate the photo in epoxy resin. You've probably seen coffee tables or a bar (like in a pub) that had a thick epoxy resin surface with photographs or other items embedded in the surface and you might have to make a mold for the key fob but it would make a nice totally waterproof item that you could drill a hole in and attach a key ring. Quote Link to comment
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