Styrene cements and construction

Got a question about techniques, materials or other aspects of physically building a model? This is the place to ask.

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Marco Scheloske
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Re: I use

Post by Marco Scheloske »

mightymax wrote: I have a touch and flow and another bottle type applicator. My problem with the TnFlow is it is long and gangly and there are times I have lost control of it and the tool goes places I did not want it to. Couple that with the fact that if you pick up a TnFlow the glue forms a globule at the tip. This means as soon as I touch the seam I feel I have to much glue!
Also when my TnFlow runs dry I sometimes have a problem getting it to refill with glue.
You can`t imagine how happy I am to read this - I have exactly the same problems with my one, but I thought I did something wrong with it. The instructions are saying "if it drips it is too full", but it drips even with just a few millimeters of glue visible in the glass shaft... :?
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Jonas Calhoun
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Post by Jonas Calhoun »

Bar wrote: I recall once reading that there was a certain chemical you could buy in gallon containers, and it would last forever as a styrene cement.
You are thinking of MEK. Nasty stuff, but buyable by the gallon.

Methelyne chloride is still pretty nasty, but MEK's on the level of "look at it funny and it'll kill ya"

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Post by Bar »

So maybe i am better just buying the liquid poly?
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Jonas Calhoun
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Post by Jonas Calhoun »

If it were me, yeah...I also use Microscale's non-toxic Micro Weld for a lot of things. It's about the only non-toxic cement I've found that actually works. It melts the styrene just as well as some of the other nasty stuff--it does take a little longer to setup though.

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Post by nanook177 »

What would you all recommend for gluing styrene to resin?
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Post by Kylwell »

Black CA.
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Jonas Calhoun
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Post by Jonas Calhoun »

What he said...that or epoxy, it kinda depends on what two pieces your gluing together.

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Post by nanook177 »

Another adhesive question (and thanks for the first responses): What would be the best for connecting styrene to wood without warping or damaging either?
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Post by TER-OR »

An epoxy is your best bet. I would use a longer-setting one, if you can. Smooth it over the wood and put the styrene on. You'll need to figure out a way to clamp it down - easy if it's flat. Not so easy if it's curved.
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Post by BERT aka MODEL MAKER »

I have never used Ambroid's ProWeld, but will need it for my next project which is ACRYLIC :shock: Sounds like this stuff is good for just about everything.
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Post by BERT aka MODEL MAKER »

where did my avatar run off to ? :shock: :shock:
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Post by Lord Darth Beavis »

I'm absolutely in love with Tamiya's Extra Thin (the one with the green cap). Other than the fact that it makes my brains run out of my ears, it is good stuff!

Oh, and I use the little brush that comes in the bottle.

I used to love Ambroid Pro-Weld, but I haven't seen that stuff in ages. Tenax is a sort-of also-ran, at least compared to the Tamiya cement.

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Post by Mr. Badwrench »

I use Ambroid ProWeld almost exclusively. I love that hot, poisonous stuff.
I speak of the pompatous of plastic.
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Post by srspicer »

About M.E.K.

Methyl-Ethyl-Keytone.
As previously stated, very nasty stuff. It is used to disolve plastics and foam. I have used it in the past for elector-forming. Once you have grown metal around an object, you introduce MEK into the form to disolve the foam or plastic. It turns everything into a 'soupy' mess.
The 'Keytone' is what makes it particularly nasty. Keytones are carcinogenic, Cancer-Causing agents!!. Only use this stuff if you are a professional and know what you are doing. ( PLEASE)
I preferr to use Rez-N-Bond. I buy it by the gallon. It welds everything just fine. I use a fine camel hair brush to apply it. I like the drafting tool idea, will have to try it.
Just my two cents.

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BERT aka MODEL MAKER
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Post by BERT aka MODEL MAKER »

Mr. Badwrench wrote:I use Ambroid ProWeld almost exclusively. I love that hot, poisonous stuff.
I haven't opened my pro-weld yet but see it has a brush applicator. Mr Badwrench, how does the supplied brush work for capillary action for hull haves ? do they sell different tips for that bottle for small areas ?
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Post by Mr. Badwrench »

I don't use the brush at all. I put an eye-dropper full in a little squeeze bottle with a hypodermic needle applicator. It lets me put the cement exactly where I want, one tiny drop at a time.
I speak of the pompatous of plastic.
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Post by BERT aka MODEL MAKER »

Thanks for the info. The squeeze bottle sounds like a great idea. :)
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Post by BERT aka MODEL MAKER »

Thanks for the info. The squeeze bottle sounds like a great idea. :)
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Post by MillenniumFalsehood »

I've got an almost-empty bottle of Plastruct Pro-weld cement which has thickened to the point where it won't flow into joints. What can I put in it to thin it out? Acetone?
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Post by Lt. Z0mBe »

MillenniumFalsehood wrote:I've got an almost-empty bottle of Plastruct Pro-weld cement which has thickened to the point where it won't flow into joints. What can I put in it to thin it out? Acetone?
I'd try some methyl ethyl ketone from Lowe's.

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Post by kitty »

double post :)
Last edited by kitty on Sat Jul 05, 2008 5:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by kitty »

I think you are talking about paint thinner, more specificaly cellulose thinner or nitro-thinner as it is called sometimes.
That stuff usualy contains toluene and it isn't very save if you use it often, toluene causes braindamage if you breath in to much.
It works ok to meld styrene together though and it's very cheap.

I use Revell Contacta Professional.
It comes in a handy squeeze bottle with a metal syringe containing 25 grams of the waterthin cement.
Easy to clean if you accidently leave the cap of without clearing the syringe first and it get's blocked.
I just pull out the metal tube and hold it over the cooking burner for a minute it burns out al the cement, then hold it under the cold water tap.
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Post by Kylwell »

MEK, Toluene, Mineral Spirits, and Acetone.

MEK is a usual solvent in styrene glue.
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Post by NathanJ »

Years ago (in the 80's) my dad used to work at a sign shop. He would get me this very thin glue they would use for the plastics of signs. It had a needle applicator and would set up almost as fast if not faster then super glue. Anyone know what this may be? And where to get it?
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Post by Wug »

Hi NathanJ,

Maybe one of the Weld-On cements. I've seen it in needle applicators but the website only shows cans.

http://www.ipscorp.com/

Mike
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Post by NathanJ »

I can tell you it looked like and was as thin as water...
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Post by seam-filler »

It's certainly a solvent of some sort and can depend a lot on the plastic being cemented. Most of these solvents are water-clear and thin as water. The one I use most is MEK (methyl ethyl ketone). Others are acetone, ethyl acetate, butanone or Methylene Chloride and many plastic cements have at least one of these as constituents.

The Weld-on stuff is very good, but to justify the cost, you generally have to buy in pint or greater quantities. Less than that you might as weel get MEK, Tenax Ambroid or any one of the others mentioned so far.

As for needle applicators, Weld-on do sell these separately here and a google for "Needle Applicators" will turn up hundreds of results.
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Post by NathanJ »

Well those ARE the bottles that product came in, that is a help. Thanks!
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Post by DOMENECH1776 »

Just looking around the construction forum and I need some clarification. What exactly is CA?
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Post by Kylwell »

Cyanoacrylate, aka Superglue.
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