I have a tube of Goo (which I guess is really contact cement?) I brought a while ago, and I use it now for tacking small items down when painting and weathering them (also tacking scale figures into vehicles).
Doesn’t seem very strong, but I kinda remember the late 1970s Walther’s Catalog made a big deal about this goo (little blurbs at strategic places - I think) - remember, this is when Crazy glue (which really did hold things together decently) started to break onto the scene (with TV ads no less - remember the guy gluing his hard hat to a beam, and hanging there - plus the phrase '“model boats, model planes, model trains, the plastic trim on any car…”) [^]
So, anyway, was Goo a big player in the pre-1980 modeling scene, or just a bit part that Walthers kept inflating?
I’ve been a modeler for almost 50 years. I’ve been involved in Model Railroading, R/C airplanes and cars and plastic models of all types. Like you say, goo is a contact cement. As such it has specific capibilities which it is a good choice for. However it was not the glue of choice for all applications.
I have a tube of Goo that is still in the unopened bag from 10 years ago. I used one of the tubes back then and that was it! I found that that it took too long to dry and was not that strong. I prefer the CA fast dry stuff today. I suppose Goo still has it’s purpose for some specific applications. Anyone got examples of applications for using up my last tube of Goo?
- Ryan
I always keep a tube or two of GOO around. Even in the 70’s when I started in this hobby I did not use it for everything. One use that did work well was for gluing track to ties instead of spiking. What I used then and now depends on what I am glueing together.
Enjoy
Paul
Goo is really good for gluing things like wood and metal, because it can fill gaps and doesn’t require a perfect joint. I use Goo pretty regularly as an all-purpose glue. The secret to Goo is letting it cure for a couple of minutes: coat both parts with a bit of Goo, let it sit for a minute or two, THEN press them together–nice tight but flexible bond.
Plastic cement is better for unpainted plastic, but if you’re trying to stick already-painted plastic bits together GOO is a good choice.
One modeler’s kink I picked up: Use GOO on a part and then apply just a dab of ACC on the GOO once it’s in place–this gives the gap-filling abilty of GOO with the stiffness of ACC. It was made less useful by the appearance of gel Super Glue formulas, but can still come in handy.
I still keep a tube of Goo handy, but I don’t use it very often. I think the advent of CA adhesives really put a dent in contact cement applications. As the use of styrene has increased, Goo just isn’t as good for making those types of bonds, as the solvent type cements.
It really did used to be one of the most popular adhesives available. While we are reminiscing, who remembers Ambroid?
I’ve used Goo for 20 years or so, in specific applications. As mentioned, to join metal parts to wood. One use that I tried but later discontinued was fastening white metal HO scale figures on my modular layout. When the layout is not on display at train shows, it is usually boxed together - one four foot section on top of another. They are then stacked staning up. The heavy figures attached with Goo would always lean over, having been stored on their sides. Not much fun going around trying to get all of those little people standing straight! I now use AC glue.
Bob Boudreau
Goo has it’s place in my tool box, as does ACC,Epoxy, Pliobond,white glue Aileen,s tackey glue,etc.I usually use it to attach MV lenses,hold figures in place,attach wood to metal and anyplace that I need a flexable bond that will give a little and not snap off.
I still use Goo to glue car weights in place. Many times a sharp rap will knock ACC’d weights out of place and if the car is glued together you will have loose weights inside the car. I have never had a Goo’ed weight come out of place.
I used Ambroid to put my first wood and wood / metal kits together such as Alexander. Now I wood use the gap filling ACC, the first ACC was not compatible with wood. So we would use either White Glue or Ambroid. By the way Ambroid was made out of old film along with a solvent and had an orange color.
Rick
Big-Boy:
I still have some of the Ambroid glue (tube) in my one of my boxes. It dries harder than Goo but it will attack plastic. Wlathers’ recommended Goo to assemble their wood and metal kits. Ambroid recommended their glue for their “1 in 5000” series kits.
I finally used up my tube of Ambroid a year or so ago. For wood to wood now, I either use Duco, white/carpenters glue or ACC. Mostly ACC. However, Duco/Ambroid was good stuff and I still keep a tube of Duco around. I would prefer Ambroid but not sure if it is still available. I use Goo to hold weights in cars and other places where contact cement is the right choice. It’s very good for holding figures in cabs. The figures won’t break when you decide to change how they are standing, sitting, etc…
I like the goo because if you had a problem you could easily pull pieces apart.
SuperGlue is good but I usually use the slow cure, for careful alignment till set.
But SG is brittle. So I am looking for a good alternative between these 2 glues
When I got into the hobby seriously in the early 70s, Goo was so emphasized in the publications, that I thought I had to use it for everything. Trying to put together one kit took care of that. I still use it, but only in specific instances, all of which have been mentioned in the previous posts.
That is the one item that solved rattling weights. I decided that I have had enough of cars leaning because the weight is at a crazy angle inside the car. Goo glues em flat down and done, finished.
The big thing is trying to get a little bit here on that part and a little bit there on this part and making the two meet.
I have about 6 different types of adhesives on my workbench. For different jobs.
Now if I only can figure out how not to spin a web of goo all over the place trying to get the tube away from the object…
Ambroid is featured in the 2005 Walthers Catalog, so they are still be in bidness and to the contrary, they feature an expanded line of adhesives, no less! Just shows to go ya I don’t get to a hobby shop often enough! Warning! Warning! Get to a hobby shop regularly!
Hmm, Rick had an interesting point there - I’ve used 2-part epoxy for weights, because I found earlier on that CA, while it has lots of strength in one direction (remember the TV ad with the guy in the hard hat I mentioned in my OP?), it seems to be rather weak and brittlen in the ‘lateral’ direction (i.e., while it’s hard to pull off a CA’d stanchion, in my experience a sharp hit from the side will snap the CA joint apart). Since I have Goo, might as well see if it makes a better adhesive than the 2-part epoxy.
That stuff does seem to spiderweb all over the place, like hot mozarella cheese sticks…
I still use Goo, a little, and the trick I have learned is to store the tube upright rather than on its side. This seems to keep the tip clear so you don’t have to clean it out every time you want to use a little. As the variety of adhesives available has increased, the utility of Goo has diminished, my favorite uses (weights and bonding unlike materials) have already been discussed.
Cheers
Peter
conford
I still use Ambriod to glue wooden parts together, have been for over 50 years. I like Goo and keep a tube of it on the work bench too.
Bob
Goo? Goo? You betcha! I been using it since-well as long as I care to remember.[:D]
Once one learns to use it as per the directions it makes a very strong bond…I like it!
Thanks for all the tips on using Goo. I will have to break out my old tube and try it out again. Great tips for specific applications! The input and knowledge you guys impart each and every day is always appreciated!
- Ryan