If you hang around my workshop long enough, you’ll notice two things:
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I drink way too much Red Bull.
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I break a lot of 3D printed parts.
That also means I’ve tested more adhesives than I care to admit. And after countless comments asking, “Which glue works best for PLA?” today we’re finally settling the glue grudge match of the century:
Loctite Super Glue vs. JB Weld Plastic Epoxy.
Both are legends. Both are stubborn in their own way. But only one can walk away as the champion of your 3D printing projects… or maybe they both can.
Let’s find out.
What We Tested (and Why It Matters)
To keep things fair, every test used identical 3D printed parts:
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Material: Conjure PLA+
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Printer: Bambu Lab
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Settings: Identical for all parts
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Filament Provided By: Chitu Systems (huge thanks!)
Every component was printed the same way—same infill, same walls, same slicer settings—so the only variable was the glue.
Then we ran the parts through seven brutal tests:
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Snap Test
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Twist Test
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Drop Test
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Heat Test
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Water Test (24-hour soak)
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Force Gauge Pull Test
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Magnet Pull Test
If a glue was going to fail… trust me, one of these would find the weaknes
Test 1: The Snap Test
Winner: Tie
Loctite held well but chipped at the very edge—honestly that was likely user error on my part. JB Weld held the same way. Both adhesives kept the parts together under a sharp force load.
Test 2: The Twist Test
Winner: Tie
This one simulates real-world torque—think cosplay props, handles, or anything that gets rotated during use.
Both Loctite and JB Weld passed.
The only noticeable difference? JB Weld expanded slightly out of the joint, which isn’t a failure—just cleanup work later.
Test 3: The Drop Test
Winner: Tie
I didn’t get on a ladder, so it was more of a “firm workshop slam test,” which honestly might be more accurate to real life. Both adhesives survived without flinching.
Test 4: The Heat Test
Winner: Tie
Using a heat gun, both Loctite and JB Weld held strong until the PLA itself failed first. The adhesives didn’t give up—the print did.
That’s impressive.
Test 5: The 24-Hour Water Test
Winner: Tie
Super glue famously weakens in water over time… but this time Loctite held up perfectly, just like JB Weld.
Test 6: Force Gauge Pull Test
Winner: Tie (but with a testing asterisk)
Both adhesives held their bond. The PLA broke at its thinnest point before the glue joints failed.
Next time I’ll redesign the test piece to avoid weak geometry.
Test 7: Magnet Pull Test
Winner: Tie, but also not a great test
Both adhesives held N52 magnets in place. The magnets popped apart before the adhesive bond gave us any real data. About 2 Newtons to separate—not really a glue performance metric.
Results: So Which Glue Is Better?
Honestly? They both crushed it.
Loctite Super Glue
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Fast curing
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Clean bonding
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Minimal mess
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Great for quick fixes and impatient makers (hi, it’s me)
JB Weld Plastic Epoxy
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Takes longer (15+ minutes)
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Requires mixing
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Strong, stubborn bond
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Can ooze outside the joint
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More cleanup, but more robustness
Both adhesives performed flawlessly across every test. Not a single bond failed.
When to Choose Each One
Use Loctite when:
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You want a fast bond
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The joint is clean and fits well
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You don’t want to mix anything
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You’re working with small parts or fine joints
Use JB Weld when:
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You want a stronger, thicker bond line
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The parts aren’t perfectly flush
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You need gap-filling properties
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You expect heavy handling or stress
Cost Consideration
If budget matters, check the cost-per-ounce differences.
I’ll link both adhesives below on MakerBuildIt.com so you can compare.
Final Thoughts: The Real Winner
Loctite is like the friend who shows up fast, gets the job done, and leaves no mess behind.
JB Weld is like the friend who helps you move—and refuses to let go of your stuff afterward.
Both are excellent options for PLA+ and 3D prints in general.
After today’s showdown, you can confidently use either depending on the situation.
Huge Thanks to Chitu Systems
Big shoutout to Chitu Systems for providing the Conjure PLA+ used in this test. That filament took more abuse in one afternoon than most prints take in a year.
Some survived.
Some… are now art pieces scattered across my workbench.
Keep On Making
For more 3D printing, glue abuse, and maker chaos, make sure to follow Maker Build It across all platforms.
And remember:
The best builds aren’t perfect — they survive your mistakes.