I have a couple kits that have metal parts instead of plastic (skeleton log car from Kadee, sawmill from Woodland Scenics), but I’ve never worked with metal parts before, only plastic and wood. My question is, what is the best type of adhesive for metal parts?
thanks in advance
Try JB Weld,it works for a lot of things.It can also be drilled.
I’ve had good luck with gap filling/thick ACC glue. Also Walthers Goo can be used as a contact cement - apply to both pieces, let dry, and stick them togther. ACC is easier and faster. That’s what I used on my WS sawmill.
Bob Boudreau
I’ve also had reasonably good success with ACC or, as it’s more frequently called these days, CA. Same stuff.
As with most things, go first class. It only costs a little more (sometimes) and your results will be much better. I’ve had good success with the Super Jet cements. They come in about three viscosities with as many different setting times and filling characteristics.
WARNING: This stuff can and will glue anything to anything – including skin to skin! I’ve glued parts to my fingers several times and I’ve heard of people gluing their eyes closed with the fumes (possibly a modern urban legend but nevertheless technically possible). Go the extra few bucks for the solvent for whatever CA you use. You may never need it but you’ll be glad you have it when you can’t put down a small part that’s glued to your finger.
I’ll second JB Weld. We had some card punch and card read machines long after IBM no longer supplied parts for some applications that government wouldn’t spend a nickel on to migrate to new equipment and software but was to important to get rid of. The IBM CE used alot of JB on that old stuff until it was finally retired.
I use JB,ACC and/or 2 part epoxy or solder.I’ll solder sub assemblies at the work bench then use one of the above to adhere the parts to the model.On some parts,if possible,I’ll drill a small hole on the back of the part,attach a mounting stud then glue that into a matching hole in the model.
I’m a novice!!!so what is ca glue and acc. ??
cyanoacrylate, basically…super glue. You can get it at Walmart, usually under the Loctite brand name or a generic. The hobby-shop quality stuff is better, and is available in a variety of thicknesses. Putting together skeleton log cars would probably be best done with medium or thick CA. Go to an LHS that handles R/C aircraft, and you’ll find a pile of it. They’re probably all about the same, but I’ve had best luck with Jet brand, using it for both planes and MRR stuff.
Ray
It just about don’t get no better than JB Weld. I’ve been a mechanic/machinist/welder for 27 years, and have used it for all kinda stuff. The best thing about it I like is the fact that you can taylor the mix to suit your needs. You can use more or less hardener depending on how brittle or flexible you want it. I’ve used it to repair cracked cylinder blocks and heads on automotive and tractor engines with great success. The thing about JB Weld is, knowing when NOT to use it. It’s not good for things like high pressure leaks and very high temperature repairs. It can withstand the side of an engine block, but not on an exhaust manifold, for instance. So far, I haven’t found any surface it won’t adhere too, as long as the surface is prepared properly.
FYI: There are 2 versions of JB Weld epoxy adhesive.
They are both excellent and can be drilled, tapped, carved and sanded very much like styrene when cured (12 to 24 hours).
The curing process can be speeded up with a bit of heat.
JB Weld is also available in larger 5 oz tubes and 10 oz cans. I often use it for making smaller or one-off castings
When using superglues, do not use them directly from the bottle, they are very difficult to control. Instead use a plastic lid or bottle cap to dispense a few drops, then use a wire or toothpick to pick up a drop and apply. There are also accerlerators availabble to make the join really instant.
There’s a relatively new adhesive out there called Gorilla Glue that works on quite a wide variety of materials and is very strong as it’s name implies. The parts to be joined must be clamped as this adhesive expands as it cures. (It’s very similar to spray foam as used in insulation).
Acetone (or fingernail polish remover in a pinch) is an effective solvent for superglues before they’ve cured.
Rubbing Alcohol is good for thinning or cleaning up epoxies before they’ve hardened. Once either has cured get out your sandpaper, cuz that’s the only way it’s comin’ off.
That’s right. I have found though, that the JB Quick isn’t as strong as the original JB Weld. For modeling, it’s probably fine. You’d probably never notice the difference. Like modelmaker 51 said though, you better be DANG ready with what you’re doing if you use JB Quick.
This is generally true of all five minute epoxies or fast-cure epoxies in the short term. Over time they will cure to full strength (several days), though as On30Shay said in model use you wouldn’t notice the difference - fixing cracked blocks is another story…