Which glue to use?
Discussion
It's been years since I made any plastic kits and when I did they were all your usual Airfix style planes and the only glue I ever used (based on my Dad's recommendations - it seems odd now that I look back, but glue seemed something he was particularly zealot-like about) was the liquid kind - Mek Pak(?) and Plasticweld if I recall correctly - and snubbed the thick stuff that came in a tube. But now I've gone and gotten a little carried away and bought the Revell 1/96th scale Saturn V, the New Ware detail kit and the RealSpace Models correctly insulated engine bells. Oh, and a 6 foot tall Launch Umbilical Tower to go with it! 
The problem this gives is that I now have regular platic, some kind of flexible plastic sheet that's rolled into a cylinder shape to make a couple of sections of the rocket, detail parts made from what appears to be 2 different types of resin and photo-etched brass parts. What's the craic with glue these days, is there a defult choice that's accepted as the best? Have things moved on in the past decade or so since I last made a model? Can I use one glue for the whole thing or will I be best to vary depending on which materials I'm bonding? I'm really hoping that I don't need to use that 'plastic cement' from a tube that will leave me waving the tube around over my head looking like a mad man playing with some comedy oversize cats cradle of glue trying to break the thin thread of glue joining the model to the tube.
Also, it'll be a while before it gets to the painting stage, but is there something I need to do to brass before painting other than just primer? Have an image in my mind of paint just flaking off the brass parts.
The problem this gives is that I now have regular platic, some kind of flexible plastic sheet that's rolled into a cylinder shape to make a couple of sections of the rocket, detail parts made from what appears to be 2 different types of resin and photo-etched brass parts. What's the craic with glue these days, is there a defult choice that's accepted as the best? Have things moved on in the past decade or so since I last made a model? Can I use one glue for the whole thing or will I be best to vary depending on which materials I'm bonding? I'm really hoping that I don't need to use that 'plastic cement' from a tube that will leave me waving the tube around over my head looking like a mad man playing with some comedy oversize cats cradle of glue trying to break the thin thread of glue joining the model to the tube.
Also, it'll be a while before it gets to the painting stage, but is there something I need to do to brass before painting other than just primer? Have an image in my mind of paint just flaking off the brass parts.
Polystyrene cement - tube or liquid, will only "glue" polystyrene plastics to each other. In fact, it's not really a glue at all but a solvent which melts the plastic surfaces which in turn then bond to each other.
The best way to apply ploystyrene cement these days is to use the metal tube "applicator" type bottles as marketed by Revell. They work really well and ensure the glue goes exactly where you want it.
For glueing non-polystyrene plastics, resins and metals, glues from the the "super glue" family are best. "Super Glue" is a brand name. The proper term is "cyanoacrylate adhesive". These come in a bewildering variety ranging from ultra-thin and runny to thick and gooey. Most model shops will stock the various types.
Epoxy resin cement can also be used.
Finally, for glueing transparencies, a white PVA glue, such as "wood glue" is best as it dries clear and will not fog or damage clear parts. White glues can be thinned with water as well for brush application.
The best way to apply ploystyrene cement these days is to use the metal tube "applicator" type bottles as marketed by Revell. They work really well and ensure the glue goes exactly where you want it.
For glueing non-polystyrene plastics, resins and metals, glues from the the "super glue" family are best. "Super Glue" is a brand name. The proper term is "cyanoacrylate adhesive". These come in a bewildering variety ranging from ultra-thin and runny to thick and gooey. Most model shops will stock the various types.
Epoxy resin cement can also be used.
Finally, for glueing transparencies, a white PVA glue, such as "wood glue" is best as it dries clear and will not fog or damage clear parts. White glues can be thinned with water as well for brush application.
The Revell glue is good I find for areas where you need time to adjust the parts prior to the glue setting, such large parts of fuselage - or the major parts of your rocket body.
Mek-Pak is a slightly stronger solution but is somewhat thinner, so you get the strength of join, but a rapid setting time. I use a thin paintbrush for applying Mek-Pak and is excellent where parts fit is good and\\or the join area is small.
Whilst I build "plastic" model kits, as you've experienced many these days are what we would call "multi media" with brass and resin so I have 2-3 different plastic cements, epoxy resin and a "slow" gel style super glue and a quick liquid one.
Mek-Pak is a slightly stronger solution but is somewhat thinner, so you get the strength of join, but a rapid setting time. I use a thin paintbrush for applying Mek-Pak and is excellent where parts fit is good and\\or the join area is small.
Whilst I build "plastic" model kits, as you've experienced many these days are what we would call "multi media" with brass and resin so I have 2-3 different plastic cements, epoxy resin and a "slow" gel style super glue and a quick liquid one.
I occasionally still use old fashioned "tube" polystyrene cement. It's still best where a strong bond is required (fixing wings to fuselages, for example). The trick is to apply it sparingly using a pin or cocktail stick.
I've always built models and have returned to the hobby with more enthusiasm than ever in the last year or so.
The number of new plastic kits being issued at the moment is phenomenal, especially from the Far East and Eastern Europe. In some respect, modellers have never had it so good. I mean, who would have imagined that in the past year we've had state of the art 1/72 scale kits of the Westland Wyvern, the Fairey Gannet and the Hawker Sea Fury - all at reasonable prices.
I've always built models and have returned to the hobby with more enthusiasm than ever in the last year or so.
The number of new plastic kits being issued at the moment is phenomenal, especially from the Far East and Eastern Europe. In some respect, modellers have never had it so good. I mean, who would have imagined that in the past year we've had state of the art 1/72 scale kits of the Westland Wyvern, the Fairey Gannet and the Hawker Sea Fury - all at reasonable prices.
Eric, you should post some threads on your builds, either finished articles or work in progress reports. This forum is turning into the r/c forum.
I built kits constantly as a kid, planes mostly, but stopped when I got to about 16. I enjoy building them, but have no space for them and they tend to sit around, gather dust and then end up getting bits broken off and are eventually binned or shoved out of sight somewhere.
But, my Dad used to take me to a model shop in Newcastle that had a glass case with a Saturn V in it. It seemed gigantic at the time (I was only a wee lad) and I always assumed it was some custom built one off. I used to stand for ages looking at it while my Dad would be messing around in the shop. Then years later I was in Hamleys and saw they had a limited edition Shuttle kit which came not only with the SRBs and tank, but also the launch tower and gantry (I think it was 1994 and the kit was released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the moon landing). That kit and the Saturn V stuck in my mind for years. I always thought about how good it would be to have the tower to go with the models. Cut to the beginning of this month and while browsing ebay I came across the Saturn kit. And then I found the tower kit, but I have my doubts about it. I'd love to have the time to research the LUT and build on from scratch, but that's just not going to happen. This one is made from colour printed paper and card. It looks decent enough in the pictures, on Ebay but they're taken from a distance and will probably look a bit different in real life. I've never liked the idea of making things from paper and card, but figure I'll give it a chance and if it all goes wrong, I've lost nothing. At the very least, I could keep all the paper parts and use them as a template if I was ever to attempt a platicard scratchbuild.
So, an unplanned return to modelling for me. I'll do this and I think that'll be it. Unless my resolve fails me and I order the old 1/32 scale Tamiya F-14 that I also used to lust after as a child when I'd see it hanging from the ceiling of my local Beatties.
I built kits constantly as a kid, planes mostly, but stopped when I got to about 16. I enjoy building them, but have no space for them and they tend to sit around, gather dust and then end up getting bits broken off and are eventually binned or shoved out of sight somewhere.
But, my Dad used to take me to a model shop in Newcastle that had a glass case with a Saturn V in it. It seemed gigantic at the time (I was only a wee lad) and I always assumed it was some custom built one off. I used to stand for ages looking at it while my Dad would be messing around in the shop. Then years later I was in Hamleys and saw they had a limited edition Shuttle kit which came not only with the SRBs and tank, but also the launch tower and gantry (I think it was 1994 and the kit was released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the moon landing). That kit and the Saturn V stuck in my mind for years. I always thought about how good it would be to have the tower to go with the models. Cut to the beginning of this month and while browsing ebay I came across the Saturn kit. And then I found the tower kit, but I have my doubts about it. I'd love to have the time to research the LUT and build on from scratch, but that's just not going to happen. This one is made from colour printed paper and card. It looks decent enough in the pictures, on Ebay but they're taken from a distance and will probably look a bit different in real life. I've never liked the idea of making things from paper and card, but figure I'll give it a chance and if it all goes wrong, I've lost nothing. At the very least, I could keep all the paper parts and use them as a template if I was ever to attempt a platicard scratchbuild.
So, an unplanned return to modelling for me. I'll do this and I think that'll be it. Unless my resolve fails me and I order the old 1/32 scale Tamiya F-14 that I also used to lust after as a child when I'd see it hanging from the ceiling of my local Beatties.
That tower looks terrific! That`s going to be an amazing display.
I wouldn`t be worried about the integrity of a well designed card/paper kit; the strength of the assembly, as in the 1:1 scale version, is in the geometry of the structure. Yes, individually the pieces won`t be as rigid as moulded plastic but as a whole it`ll be rock solid with the bonus of being lighter and less brittle than plastic, so if the worse happens and it falls over it won`t disintegrate under it`s own weight.
I have card planes and cars that have survived a house move and I suspect the tower card weight will be higher than those. I remember a great middle school teacher encouraging us to test to destruction the different card bridges we`d made using different geometric principles - we were all surprised how much weight was needed to cause a failure in the better designed ones.
Once an assembly is built and set rigid using `tacky` PVA glue (craft shop) & double sided tape for face-to-face joins, running a fillet of the PVA `tacky` glue along the inside of joints greatly strengthens an assembly.
A pack of 20ish coloured felt tip pens should contain enough range of colours to touch-in the inevitable exposed cut edges and nicked corners of card.
Can`t wait to see it finished!
I wouldn`t be worried about the integrity of a well designed card/paper kit; the strength of the assembly, as in the 1:1 scale version, is in the geometry of the structure. Yes, individually the pieces won`t be as rigid as moulded plastic but as a whole it`ll be rock solid with the bonus of being lighter and less brittle than plastic, so if the worse happens and it falls over it won`t disintegrate under it`s own weight.
I have card planes and cars that have survived a house move and I suspect the tower card weight will be higher than those. I remember a great middle school teacher encouraging us to test to destruction the different card bridges we`d made using different geometric principles - we were all surprised how much weight was needed to cause a failure in the better designed ones.
Once an assembly is built and set rigid using `tacky` PVA glue (craft shop) & double sided tape for face-to-face joins, running a fillet of the PVA `tacky` glue along the inside of joints greatly strengthens an assembly.
A pack of 20ish coloured felt tip pens should contain enough range of colours to touch-in the inevitable exposed cut edges and nicked corners of card.
Can`t wait to see it finished!
Don't use the little superglue tubes from B&Q etc. My local model shop does cyanoacrylate in relatively large bottles for £2:95. Don't use it near transparent plastic though, use PVA instead.
If a cardboard LUT isn't sufficiently realistic, try a photo etch kit: http://www.launchcomplexmodels.com/ML.html - a snip at $750!
If a cardboard LUT isn't sufficiently realistic, try a photo etch kit: http://www.launchcomplexmodels.com/ML.html - a snip at $750!
I'll post up some pictures:
a) if I work out how to do it
b) when I manage to finish a model.
Currently ALMOST finished the old Airfix 1/72 Harrier GR3. I'm completing it in the colours of one of the GR3s stationed at Port Stanley airfield shortly after the end of the Falklands. The kit has received very slight modifications, mainly to replicate the tacked on IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) aerial under the nose and a set of Mdeldecal decals, vastly superior to the Airfix offerings.
I've also just started a tiny 1/72 kit (Huma) of the experimental Messerschmitt Me-209.
a) if I work out how to do it
b) when I manage to finish a model.
Currently ALMOST finished the old Airfix 1/72 Harrier GR3. I'm completing it in the colours of one of the GR3s stationed at Port Stanley airfield shortly after the end of the Falklands. The kit has received very slight modifications, mainly to replicate the tacked on IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) aerial under the nose and a set of Mdeldecal decals, vastly superior to the Airfix offerings.
I've also just started a tiny 1/72 kit (Huma) of the experimental Messerschmitt Me-209.
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