Glue choices for kits?

chuga-chuga Jan 21, 2012

  1. chuga-chuga

    chuga-chuga TrainBoard Member

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    What's your glue choice for gluing together plastic kits?
     
  2. JVolz

    JVolz TrainBoard Member

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    Either Ambroid Proweld or Tenax 7R. Both are very fast drying. Just a little along each seam welds things together nicely. The Model master's liquid isn't bad for large surfaces where you need some time. Avoid tube glue like the plague...
     
  3. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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  4. timhar47

    timhar47 TrainBoard Member

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    Tenax 7R with a paintbrush about 90% - small amount of Ambroid to 'start' certain tricky pieces that are too small to hold with one hand, while brushing w/glue at the same time. Usually dab Tenax after that, much faster set up.
    Testors Clear 'in the jar' cement with a brush for window glass.

    Once in a while I have used Faller, but the dumb needle end clogged up even after using the rubber end correctly. Got a lotta glue liquid in the bottle, but cant get it out now -
     
  5. MichaelWinicki

    MichaelWinicki TrainBoard Member

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    I've used Model Master's liquid and various "super" glues. And they've done a good job for me.

    For the last structure I built, I used Ambroid ProWeld and I was surpised how much more I preferred that product. I mean it dried incredibly fast, like a "super" glue, however it was easier to apply than other glues. I simply held the two corners of the structure together, applied the ProWeld using the supplied brush by simply running the brush along the inside joint where the two parts of the building met. Capillary action pulled glue into the joint.

    No glue leaked out of the front of the joint, like what seems to happen with other glues.
     
  6. papahnash

    papahnash TrainBoard Member

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    I like Faller's Expert and Tenax 7R. The tube also clogged on the Faller but I ran my large soldering iron along it and un-plugged it. All glue is highly flammable.
     
  7. chuga-chuga

    chuga-chuga TrainBoard Member

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    Ahhhhhh...Thx for the help guys. I've got 4 buildings to put together and I want them to stay together. :tb-biggrin:
     
  8. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Be sure the kits are plastic [styrene] if not then the glues designed for styrene like Testors and Tenax won't work. If these are DPM kits you probably have to use ACC or epoxy.
     
  9. Maureen

    Maureen TrainBoard Member

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    Model Masters liquid, and Poly-Zap or Plasti-Zap from the makers of Zap-A-Gap.

    Also, I think there might have been a change in the mold release agent used. I've gotten best results washing the plastic with a warm water and a drop of detergent, then rinsing and drying before taking anything off the sprue. I never used to do this way back when, but it does make a big difference now.
     
  10. arbomambo

    arbomambo TrainBoard Member

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    I use every type of glue...
    on my bench I have 4 types of CA
    Tenax 7R
    Testors liquid
    Elmers carpenters

    but the best 'all around' glue for plastics...my 'go-to' glue 9 times out of 10...
    is
    Tamiya extra thin
    without a doubt, the best all around...
    thin enough for very tiny applications
    dries very quickly, but STILL gives one time enough to transfer from the bottle to the gluing surface (Tenax seems to evaporate withing seconds)
    very strong weld
    actually has a cap-brush tiny enough to be useful (I still use a fine paint brush for applying glue to hard-to-reach places...

    After the earthquake and Tsunami, Tamiya cements and paints took a big hit...but they're becoming available again...people actually hoard this stuff it's that good!
    Bruce
     
  11. Seated Viper

    Seated Viper TrainBoard Member

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    I started building plastic kits in the mid to late 1950s. Over the years I have come to avoid the polystyrene glue in tubes. Come to think of it, I'm not very keen on the liquid polystyrene that comes in bottles and a brush is used in applying it. It dries too quickly for my liking. I have a number of white metal kits on the OO/HO tramway. These days, I normally use a horrid brown glue known over here as EVOSTIK IMPACT ADHESIVE on both plastic and metal. It allows time for adjustment, and doesn't "die" in three to four years, or sooner. My tram kits are now over 25 years old and the glue is just starting to weaken.

    Regards,

    Pete Davies
     
  12. timhar47

    timhar47 TrainBoard Member

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    Hmnnnnn - I use Tenax all the time on all my DPM's never had a problem.
     
  13. MichaelWinicki

    MichaelWinicki TrainBoard Member

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    Likewise I've used Testor's Model Master on many DPM kits and it worked very well.
     
  14. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    I have used Plastruct both the orange label and the white label for years. Just recently started using Ambroid Pro Weld and like it alot.
     

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