Solvent glue

QUOTE: Scott, when I get as good as you (LOL), I'll step up to the good stuff.

As good as ME????? That's like aspiring to be a janitor.

Gip, thanks for the info buddy. It's appreciated as always.

tamiya extra thin cement behaves prettyy much the same as the others mentioned above, but from what ive read, its less toxic....

Thanks guys! I did some further investigation into this matter at the LHS. The "pro" builders liked the hotter solvent glues like Bondene and ProWeld, but they are much more precise than I am. For my level of building, everyone heartily recommended Testor's. I think I'll stay within my limitations for now. Scott, when I get as good as you (LOL), I'll step up to the good stuff. Again, thanks for all the info.

E

Just one point: IMHO, it would be advisable to stay away from the Ambroid cements. They contain methylene chloride, which continues to be investigated as a potential human carcinogen (There appears to be some very good correlational animal data to support its inclusion as a human cancer agent.).

In addition, methylene chloride is metabolized into caboxyhemoglobin (Cohb); inhalation of this material is the same as inhaling carbon monoxide. Testing has shown that Cohb levels are increased by several percentage points in people who don't smoke or who weren't previously exposed to CO, and increases by a significant margin in smokers. Increased levels of CO in the blood does have the potential to cause cardiac irritability.

Because of its low vapor pressure, methylene chloride (also called dichloromethane) evaporates unbelievably fast, and is therefore inhaled in higher quantities more quickly as compared to other solvent-based cements such as Testors liquid cement.

Lastly, methylene chloride is one of the primary ingredients in paint removers (the other being methanol). Getting methylene chloride on your skin or in the eyes does have the potential to cause significant chemical burns.

BTW, I don't ever remember having a seam fail on me when using Testors liquid cement.

Just thought I'd toss in my 2 cents worth....

Gip Winecoff

I don't like the brush because the glue goes places I don't want it to. When that happens it leaves marks in the plastic. It melts the plastic just as well where you don't want it to as it does where it's supposed to! These types of glue aren't like other glues. You don't put the glue on the parts and then put the parts together, the parts need to already be together and then you put glue on the joint. I use a hypodermic needle with the point rounded off and that works pretty well. There is also a tool called a "Touch-N-Flow" applicator but I've never managed to lay my hands on one.

Another hint ... once the glue is applied squeeze the joint. This will usually cause a bead of melted plastic to ooze out. When it's dry just sand the bead off and the joint is virtually invisible.

Thanks Scott. I'll try the Ambroid ProWeld. It has a brush included for application.

E

I use Tenax 7R and Ambroid ProWeld quite a bit and they work extremely well. The joints generally seem quite strong as long as enough glue wicks down into them to properly "Weld" the parts together.