Hi guys:
I just wrote this to get some quick opinions. I have two Cornerstone Series Modulers that I am going to attempt here for the first time. I have to get some plastic cement today, so if I go to Home Depot can I find something good? Otherwise, do I have to go to a hobby store for the good stuff? Also, is there a local store or Home Depot that has some clamps that might be good?
Thanks for all the help,
Mike
I use Testors styrene cement. It comes in a small convenient bottle (don’t get the tubes) with an applicator brush. That’s a hobby shop item.
Some guys like MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone, I think) which comes in a large, inconvenient can. I think it’s a bit stronger (i.e., nastier) than the Testors stuff. One big can of MEK doesn’t cost much more than a small bottle of Testors, though, so if you have a lot of kits to build, this will save you some money. MEK is a hardware store thing.
I use lacquer thinner, buying it in gallon cans, then decanting it into quart cans for easier handling. One is reserved for cleaning purposes (brushes, airbrush, paint bottles), one for use as a thinner (useful for thinning Floquil, Scalecoat, Accupaint, Testors’ Model Masters and Dullcote/Glosscote, Humbrol, and Pactra paints for airbrushing), and a third for cementing styrene. For projects with large surface areas, such as structures, I use it right from the can with a 1/2" brush. For smaller tasks, such as rolling stock and loco building, along with smaller scratchbuilding projects, I decant it further into an old Testors liquid cement bottle - one with a brush in the cap. For fine details, though, I use the thinner from this bottle, but with a paint brush sized to the task. I’ve had good results with all of these applications.
If you don’t need such large quantities, it’s also available in quarts and pints, and can be decanted into smaller containers, such as cleaned-out paint bottles. Apply it with a suitably-sized brush and follow the safety precautions listed on the can.
Wayne
Wayne, I assume you have an actively-ventilated workroom, right? Lacquer thinner has a nasty aroma. I use it in my CMX track cleaning car, but I make sure I fill it outdoors or in the garage with the doors open, and I keep the windows open in the trainroom when I’m running it.
You betcha! [swg]
I must admit, though, that I don’t mind the smell of it, although it’s not the olfactory characteristic that’s the dangerous component: merely the warning of the danger.
For me, mineral spirits, denatured alcohol, Tenax, and some latex paints are more irritating, odour-wise.
Wayne
I have found these corner clamps on Lowes to be very helpful, but I would suggest u visit Micro-mark’s website if it’s a hobby related tool they sell it. My glues of choice are Tenax7R and Plastruct Bondene and general purpose cement. I have found straight lacquer thinner to be a bit too aggressive and if your not careful especially if your new to model building you’ll wind up with a melted blob of plastic. In my O/P it’s better reserved for some of the more seasoned builders. You will want to invest in at least a couple of packages of micro brushes for applying glue or if you choose you can use small paint bushes.but throw them away when your done don’t try and clean them to sue them another time.
as far as painting and all that goes well now your into another whole ball of wax. in my O/P there is nothing better then painting models with an airbrush, you may not want to bare the expense right away but there are plenty of single stage entry level air brushes at very reasonable prices.Poly Scale acrylics and Flowquil solvent based paints seem to be the model railroaders paint of choice generally speaking but there are many others that are very good. One little trick is pick yourself up a couple of paint pens from AC Moore or Micheals crafts etc. very good tool for painting small details
I have had good luck finding clamps and clamping aids from Harbor Freight. A word of caution though - Many of their small clamps are “Light Duty” and as such do not hold up well to the rigors of woodworking due to their plastic parts. I have quite a few that I use ONLY for building hobby structures. When I need real clamping power, I use clamps from my local woodworking store or Lowes/Home Depot. Good luck on your projects
Kevin