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Bonding dissimilar parts (wood to plastic)- superglue or epoxy?

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  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: A Computer in Adrian, (SE) Michigan.
Bonding dissimilar parts (wood to plastic)- superglue or epoxy?
Posted by Lucien Harpress on Friday, May 5, 2006 9:29 AM
I have a situation where I'm going to need to glue pieces of wood to the plastic parts of a kit I'm building.  I was just wondering what would achive a stronger bond- superglue or epoxy.  I've worked with superglue and I'm not convinced that'd do the trick.  I've never worked with epoxy, though, so I don't know how well it works.  Thanks in advance for any advice I get.  Wink [;)]Thumbs Up [tup]
That which does not kill you makes you stranger...
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  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: West Virginia, USA
Posted by mfsob on Friday, May 5, 2006 9:39 AM

Depends on the type of superglue you use - if you're using the very thin penetrating kind, then it might not hold if the parts are ever flexed or strained. But if you can get the thicker superglue (sometimes called gap filling, sometimes called slow drying or gel), then it should work fine. You may have to buy a tube and squeeze some out to get a feel for how thick it is.

Two-part expoxy is by its nature thick and gooey - you mix the cement and the bonder together and then apply it to the surfaces. I have never had a bond fail when using it, just make sure it is thoroughly dry before you close up the fuselage halves.

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Peoples Socialist Democratic Republic of Illinois
Posted by Triarius on Friday, May 5, 2006 10:28 AM
For dissimilar materials, I'd use epoxy. Superglues are very strong in tension, but weak in shear. Epoxies are strong in both. Superglues are also brittle, and epoxies less so. Epoxies are less surface dependent than epoxies, as well.

The viscosity of epoxies varies. Most of the 5 to 15 minute types used in scale modeling are fairly thick, although viscosity decreases as they heat up. And they do heat up, considerably. Use only enough to form a good surface to surface bond.

Ross Martinek A little strangeness, now and then, is a good thing… Wink

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