I’ve put together a dozen or so kits since I’ve gotten hooked, I mean involved in this hobby and I’ve always used CA to glue things together. Well, I just bought a Red Caboose flat car at the LHS yesterday, and I figured since It’s a step up in quality and detail from most of the kits I’ve done, I want my assembly to be a step up also. So I’m asking for help from all of you experienced kit builders as to what you use to “glue” parts together, particularly small detail parts like stirrups and grab irons. Is a glue like CA the way to go, or a solvent like Ambroid’s Pro Weld a better choice.
For plastic to plastic bonding, use a thin, watery, plastic adhesive or plastic cement. Several manufacturers make them.
HD, what the glue actually does is melt the surface of the plastic then “melds” or bonds the two pieces together. Since the adhesive is so thin, it can actually “wick” into seams. (Handy after you’ve installed a part, like the underside of a Accurail boxcar. You just place a small drop on the backside where the tab of the part pokes through.)
Plastic adhesive also gives you a short time to reposition the pieces before it starts to set up. For a better weld, apply adhesive to BOTH surfaces.
Another key is: DON’T apply TOO much. You want to have just enough on the surface to melt the surface of the plastic; NOT run down the side of your piece. And, be careful about getting your fingers into the adhesive. It’s all to easy to leave either fingerprints in the adhesive or spread the adhesive over other areas that you didn’t intend to. Doesn’t look good…I know.
HD, it’s a good idea NOT to use CA for plastic to plastic bonding. It leaves a whitish residue behind and looks unsightly. (I’m not entirely sure but it may actually attack the styrene.) Anyway, CA is better for metal to metal, wood to plastic, or metal to plastic bonding. Even so, I have used the plastic cement to bond metal stirrup or grab irons inside small holes in plastic boxcars.
for plastic kits i use the liquid stuff.its gone up in price a few times so now i use MEK that i buy in a large can which lasts a very long time.i use to use ambroid in the mid 60’s which was in a tube.boy we’ve come a long way.i use CA only for a tough job where liquid glue just won’t work.terry…
So it looks like a thin solvent is the way to go, with careful application. I’ve got ProWeld and some very small syringes to attempt this task. I’ll try it tonight.
H DADDY you might try using a bru***o put the glue on the seams of the kit.im sure syringes would work ok though.i’ve always used a brush and put the glue on each piece to be bonded.terry…
I am glad this was posted. I was about to go to the LHS and ask the same thing. But what is “CA” and “MEK”. I am learning a lot from this forum. Thanks to all that contribute to it.
I got started on the flatcar kit last night and got the majority of it put together. I used ProWeld, which I applied using a very small syringe, (10 microliter). I can’t imagine having tried to use CA to attach the stake pockets to the side. With the ProWeld, it was simple and mess free. I still have grab irons, stirrups and air hoses to attach, but I feel more confident in tackling them now.
Dave, CA stands for cyanoacrylate which is the chemical name for super glue. The MEK is methyl ethyl ketone, which is an organic solvent also known as 2-butanone. You could probably find the MEK at a hardware store for a significantly lower price than at the LHS.
For Walther’s Cornerstone, Faller an Vollamer (spelling) I use Tenax
For DPM buildings I use Regular Testors Plastic Glue.
If your installing Clear windows dont use CA cause the fumes can fog the windows. Depending again on kit manufacture I use the same glue I used forputting the building together.
Think again about using MEK. The MATERTIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS where I used to work contain the following warnings: fumes may cause breathing paralysis resulting in death, use in a well ventilated area such as a fume hood. Fluid may be absorbed through the skin resulting in kidney failure. Try to become an old model railroader.
The Handibond “Oderless” CA claims it doesn’t fog. I haven’t used it yet but am going to give it a shot the next time I install glazing in brass passenger car sides. I have some scrap sides that I will test with first though.
I was the HAZMAT/HAZCOM monitor in my shop when I was in the Air Force and ran across MEK a couple of times. I agree with the above statement that you need to be extremely cautious with this stuff. Venting is a must. Just because you haven’t been injured yet isn’t a reason to allow complacency to set in.
CA is Cyanoacrilate(super glue) comes in liquid and gel form.MEK is Methyl Ethyl Ketone. A great cleaner and plastic solvent, but incredably dangerous. NEVER use this chemical indoors. This chemical was used a lot in the building of fighter aircraft. (F-14 Tomcat) I knew a guy from a 25 man crew that worked on it. He was the last one left alive. ALL others died of cancer linked to MEK. (He since has too) Make sure you use solvent proof gloves. This stuff gets sucked right through your skin and goes right to your organs. I can’t beleive it’s still sold to the public.
Don’t waste your time with the Testors liquid cement either. Works great on plastic car and plane kits but a lot of train parts aren’t plastic so it won’t hold at all.(grab irons, brake wheels, ect…)
While it is always a good idea to use good ventilation when dealing with organic solvents, MEK is not nearly as terrible as stated. It is not a carcinogen, not even a suspected carcinogen. It is absorbable through skin, and will likely make you a little groggy if you breathe much of it. There is probably more of a risk to life from the flammability, than the toxicity. Good ventilation and latex gloves are reasonable precautions.