Plastruct Bondene or Testors Liquid Cement?

I have been using the blue tube Testors plastic cement for a while now, and I figured that it is time to upgrade. I have heard that Bondene is pretty good, but I am worried about using the brush and getting glue around the seam and on the model surface too. I like the look of the Testors one with the needle applicator for that reason. Or should I go with the Tamiya bottle? What do you guys recommend?

 

I just picked a bottle of testors with the micro tip. First time using so I guess we will see. I have used the Tenx for years and years. Never used the brush it comes with. I always use a thin, tint paint brush.

Buzz.

 

Tenax is wonderful stuff but I have been having a hard time getting it locally. I use regular lacquer thinner with very good results.

Doug

 

I use all three mentioned above based on the project. I lean towards Tamiya liquid most. The Testors with the needle tip is good if you are a glue blobber like I used to be.

Trey

 

I’ve heard that Tenax makes a very strong bond, so I respect it in that regard, but I have also heard that it evaporates quickly. I guess that is good if you want to make fast progress on a model. However, I was reading on other forums that the bottle just evaporates if you work without putting the lid on. I would rather keep my glue in liquid and not gas form, so I think I am going to avoid Tenax for now.

 

I know, I know it is bad stuff but I use MEK. It will weld two pieces of styrene plastic together, almost instantly. I am not sure but I think Tenax has some MEK in it. Just be careful with the stuff.

Carl

 

When I worked for Telex, they used MEK to glue the top plates onto the shell for in-the-ear hearing aids until all the warnings came out about how dangerous the fumes are and they switched to a UV-setting adhesive. I have always had a hard time believing it was a coincidence five (or more, by now) out of about 200-300 people who worked there developed Crohn's disease.

Of course, this was almost daily exposure for 8 hours a day for these people but, there you have it.

Doug

 

You may want to try Tamiya Extra Thin Cement. I have been using it for the last 3 years and found it a usually good substitute for Tenex and much better than Testors liquid for plastic to plastic joins. I keep Testors/Model Masters semi liquid in the black angled bottle handy for joints that need some body in the glue.

The brush that comes with the Tamiya is quite fine and will work in most HO model building instances although a fine paint brush with a long handle may come in handy as will the very fine Touch and Flow applicator (Flex-i-File.com) applicator that is almost as small as a hypodermic needle for very small pin point liquid glues. Another product that works well is Plasti-Zap. I use it with a very fine tube applicator tip that never seems to clog even though the is a thick type of CA.

I have had some difficulty with resin-plastic bonds recently and have gone to using Loctite CA in tiny tubes applied with a toothpick or needle point (sewing needle in a pin vise.) The little Loctite tubes come 6 to a pack and last just long enough that they don't require refrigeration like other modelling specific CA glues that I have to keep in a small glass jar in the refrigerator. The Loctite tubes can also be found at any hardware, craft and other general store like Target and are fairly inexpensive.

 

Just the usual odd question from me about these solvents, has anyone just tried using nail polish remover?

Worth a try.

 

Lacquer thinner works very well for styrene. Use sparingly for quick setting and solidity of the joint.

Doug

 

I simply use whatever works the best.

Tom