Glue-What do we use?

[sparrowhawk]

Thank you! I guess this winter will see me busily breeding Mustangs... :D

[thepaperguy]

Are you going to try the clear coat method i did? its rather time consuming and a bit labor intensive.

[Formerly Styrene]

Hey all,

White glue or carpenter's glue when the color doesn't matter much. Carpenter's glue is a bit yellow, but very strong. When I used to put ships in bottles UHU was the best for glueing the paper sails to the toothpick or bamboo yardarms. UHU will take a certain amount of physical abuse without letting go. UHU is the champ for that application.

On the small models I build (1/160-1/700) I cut out the windows with an exacto and use a drop of white glue in the window space for glazing, there is a trick to it though.

Do it before assembly with the flat pieces and lay the piece to be glazed on a sheet of wax paper printed side down. That keeps the glue in the window space and makes certain that the dried window glass is flat. This works well for tiny autos, trucks and rr cars (passenger cars, cabooses, etc) also for buildings especially when constructing the windows in layers. I suppose that coloring the white glue for stained glass could be done, though I haven't tried it, yet.

Cheers to all,

Formerly Styrene

aka David

[mrmck]

I use white pva glue, and have found if I use it sparingly and let it dry a few seconds, it bonds nicely, i then put more on the top of the tabs,as when it dries it forms a sealed bond, plus i find it seals the card too.

[missileer]

I really enjoyed reading the input on the best glues available. I have always used Ambroid Cement for everything wood, metal or paper, since the mid 1950s. Since I am down to my last 4 tubes and no one is manufacturing it anymore, I have to find a new adhesive. You guys have provided a lot of information to digest. Who says an old dog can't learn a new trick!

[OgdenBob]

Originally Posted by missileer

I really enjoyed reading the input on the best glues available. I have always used Ambroid Cement for everything wood, metal or paper, since the mid 1950s. Since I am down to my last 4 tubes and no one is manufacturing it anymore, I have to find a new adhesive. You guys have provided a lot of information to digest. Who says an old dog can't learn a new trick!

I used to love Ambroid Cement and I used it on all my wood models, I think it was about the best we could get back in the day. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane! I can't remember the last time I saw any for sale.
My favorite glue is Ross White glue, and I've recently started experimenting with UHU All Purpose Glue now that I've found a source for it on eBay.


Bob

[stringfly]

Dave Graffam recommends UHU Office Pen Liquid glue. Only can find it thru Amazon shipped from the UK for two tubes at about 14.00. Ouch !
Anyone know a US source? Discontinued a lot of places.

Thanks for any help.

Stringfly

[Don Boose]

I finally acquired a couple of tubes of UHU All Purpose Adhesive.

I ordered two tubes through Amazon-U.S., and they arrived today - from Thailand! Clearly marked "Made in Germany" and with instructions in Arabic, Indonesian, Chinese, and English. A wonderful international item now residing on my desk/workbench.

I have done some experimenting and am very pleased with the way glued surfaces grab and hold (no room for error). I take Sparrowhawk's point about the stringiness, although it seems manageable, and the odor - quite mild and, to my nose, reminiscent of the banana liquid I used when building stick-and-tissue models in the early 50s.

I am going to try building an entire (small) model using this adhesive, by which time I should have learned how to use it.

Don

[jkason]

I use mostly PVA (or Aleene's - Whichever I have near to hand) for models that wont get handled. I tend to use hot glue for terrain that will be handled a lot. I only ever used cyanoacrylate for securing transparency film (windows, eitc) to other materials.

[herky]

Originally Posted by Don Boose

I finally acquired a couple of tubes of UHU All Purpose Adhesive.

I ordered two tubes through Amazon-U.S., and they arrived today - from Thailand! Clearly marked "Made in Germany" and with instructions in Arabic, Indonesian, Chinese, and English. A wonderful international item now residing on my desk/workbench.

I have done some experimenting and am very pleased with the way glued surfaces grab and hold (no room for error). I take Sparrowhawk's point about the stringiness, although it seems manageable, and the odor - quite mild and, to my nose, reminiscent of the banana liquid I used when building stick-and-tissue models in the early 50s.

I am going to try building an entire (small) model using this adhesive, by which time I should have learned how to use it.

Don

its the ONLY glue i use for models.