Not Using cyanoacrylate glue

[Viator]

And what about a half-face gas mask for gardeners?

[Laurence Finston]

Originally Posted by Siwi

Hope this isn't wandering off-topic, but the discussion about glue had me wondering if it might be possible to create clear canopies by putting glue over a mould, if it would dry acceptably clear?

I don't think so, but epoxy resin or something similar might work: Cleopatre Crystal'Glass | online Kaufen - Kunstlershop gerstaecker.de

I think it would depend on how thin the object would have to be. I haven't used plexiglas or acrylic for anything, so I don't know if it's formable. If so, that might be a possibility.

Of course, glass would work. Actually melting glass requires expensive equipment and high temperatures, but they sell pre-formed glass tubes, etc., for lamp- or flame working: Lampworking 101: Guide to Glass Lampworking & Flameworking

Maybe not the best idea to do this and make paper models in the same room, though.

[radett]

Cyan glue is necessary when gluing paper to wire or other material. It is not suitable for stiffening on a larger surface due to fumes and, by the way, it changes the print on the paper (color). The shaping of the paper is best done when wet and after drying, protect the element with varnish. When it comes to hardening paper and fixing the given shape, paraloid is the best. It should be used after gluing.

[Laurence Finston]

Originally Posted by radett

Cyan glue is necessary when gluing paper to wire or other material.

I've had good results with papier-mâché stuck onto steel wire. If I wanted to attach sheets of paper to wire, I would use copper wire, reinforce the edges of the paper with paper tape, punch holes through the tape and paper, sew the sheets onto the wire using thinner copper wire, wrap the ends of the thin wire around the thick wire and solder them.

The only glue I own is hide glue and some two-component epoxy, which I've never used for artwork. I also have sticks of paste. I used to have white glue and glue for wood but I never use either anymore. I don't like working with either one and hide glue is superior for woodworking. It also works just fine for paper.

[radett]

such wire elements as those in the picture (marked in red) cannot be pasted using papier-mâché. Cyan is irreplaceable for this. You only need to use it in very small amounts (a drop) then it will not irritate the mucous membrane and will perfectly glue the detail. It is completely unsuitable for impregnating paper or its hardening on larger surfaces (possibly for very small details). For this, it is best to use paraloid or varnish that is hard and not flexible after drying.

[Laurence Finston]

Originally Posted by radett

such wire elements as those in the picture (marked in red) cannot be pasted using papier-mâché.

I didn't mean that papier-mâché could be used for pasting. It works well to build up a form with it on wire. The technique wouldn't be suitable for the plans you posted. Incidentally, I've also covered the papier-mâché with plaster and painted it. Plaster also looks great if you just sand it and leave it unpainted. This works very well and results in a much lighter structure than using solid (or hollow) plaster alone.

I don't dispute that your method works, but I would take a different approach. I just don't think that gluing paper to wire is stable enough and I don't like the idea of it.

One approach might be to solder the wire to small, flat pieces of copper, place the latter on the back of the paper, drill small holes through them, sew them to the paper with plain thread and pass the wire through the paper. For loops, one could pass the wire back through the paper and solder it to the back of the small copper sheets.

I've never done this, so I would have to test it to see if it works.

[radett]

we did not understand each other. Shaping and fixing the shape of the paper should be done wet (if possible on a prepared template). The template can be made of any material, the most important thing is that the shaped element cannot stick to it. After drying, the paper keeps the given shape, but it must be fixed by soaking it with paraloid or varnish, which is hard after drying. Cyan is not suitable for this soaking because: - has harmful fumes, - change the color of the print, - does not give a smooth surface. However, it can be used to stiffen very fine paper elements. It is also ideal for gluing elements made of wire to the model. My point is that wet shaping does not require the use of putty and you can then glue the model as standard.

[Formerly Styrene]

I used To use styrene dissolved in lacquer thinner with a shot of airplane glue to speed things along. I kept several jars handy of various thickness. The thinnest would be used to stiffen and seal curved sections like WW2 guntubs on cardstock, the thicker ones were good for filling holes and other problems encountered while modifying styrene models. Of course the biggest problems in using this method are the fumes and the flammable nature of the solvent. Proceed with caution.

Formerly Styrene
aka Dave

[Laurence Finston]

Originally Posted by radett

[...] Shaping and fixing the shape of the paper should be done wet (if possible on a prepared template). The template can be made of any material, the most important thing is that the shaped element cannot stick to it. After drying, the paper keeps the given shape, but it must be fixed by soaking it with paraloid or varnish, which is hard after drying. [...]

I agree with this for the most part. However, I think that for some purposes it would not be necessary to soak the papier-mâché in any other substance because it would be sufficiently stiff on its own. For anything really fine, I would make the papier-mâché myself out of 100% rag paper and cut it up very fine before soaking.

For templates, I think plaster is the best material. Once it's cured, it soaks up and gives off water extremely fast. I've had very good results with alabaster plaster and not such good results with ordinary modelling plaster.

In most cases, I would prefer a mechanical connection, or soldering, brazing or welding, to gluing. Of course, it depends on the task at hand.
I also try to avoid solvents as much as possible.

[ReynoldsSlumber]

Props to Bob P. and everyone for finding ways to build healthy. If one is having trouble with noxious fume-making substances, don't bother trying to keep using them with a fan, even with filtration: the fumes propagate quickly, and small residual amounts still aren't friendly. Even a carbon filter respirator won't catch 100% of it. Better to just not use the stuff.

Wish more people would build healthy from the get and avoid exposing themselves and their cohabitants to these chemicals. If someone isn't having trouble yet, at least take precautions like using an open garage to build and fully dry things rather than doing it in one's living space, so that one won't develop trouble later.

Thanks also Thumb Dog for the full description of the 2-layer technique. I'm looking for healthy ways to do this in particular, as I'm trying to make flying scale airplanes. Even something as innocuous-seeming as a glue stick ain't happening. Have you ever had any success making a flat wing without ripples? I've tried Elmer's white glue and Aleene's tacky glue without much luck, even after letting it dry overnight under books. Maybe I need to put thin cloth between the paper and the books to let more water wick out, or something. But my first thought is it might take an even thicker PVA glue.