Plastruct Plastic Weld

If you have the thick glue kind, no. Glues cannot be thinned like you would thin paint for airbrushing. You'll have to buy the thin glue version.

I use Weld On #4. Thinner than water and just hot enough for seems etc .careful with runs though or youll need to be doing cleanup work.

I apply with a fine 000 brush and it has fantastic capillary action.

Hello!

Here's when this thread starts getting funny - in order to thin your glue down, you would have to put in the component, that your glue is made of 90% or more. If you start buying those components in big bottles - we're talking about stuff called acetone, MEK, toluene and stuff like that - it's just then you would discover how the producers of your glue are ripping you off - because for a big bottle of MEK you'd probably pay just two or three times more than you pay for a small bottle of your glue. Meaninng you could theoretically mix your own glue for a fraction of the cost.

That's why I'm doing it differently. I use lacquer thinner for glueing my plastic. For a few dollars you get a half litre bottle of it that will last me two years or so. I pour it in a small bottle with a brush, that used to hold nail lacquer before - cuts down the evaporation - and that's how I do it for years now.

Hope it helps, have a nice day

Paweł

Exactly Pawel!

Never knew that about lacquer thinner. I'll be checking that out.

Thanks

I have often had different results using the same solvent cement from one kit to another.  I suspected that maybe the exact mix of the styrene may be different.  Some of my friends say this is definitely true.  Anyone know for sure how much variation there is in styrene used, from one mfg to another?  Doesn't seem to be very much variation in how well CA sticks to parts, but sure seems to be variation with solvent cements and epoxies.

SMH

Never knew that about lacquer thinner. I'll be checking that out.

Thanks

 

The main ingrediant in laquer thinner is Methel ethel keytone or MEK, available at the hardware or paint store for about $8.00 a quart. Sherwin Williams also has it in gallon cans. This is the key or only ingediant on the label for;

Ambroid Pro Weld, Plastruct Plastic Weld ( orange label), Tenax-7R, Testors #3502 plastic cement, Flex-i-file Plast-i-weld and Micromark's Same Stuff.

I have used only MEK from the big box store for years. I use old Ambroid Pro-Weld bottles refilled from the quart can. Works out to about 50 cents for a two ounce bottle.

Don Stauffer

I have often had different results using the same solvent cement from one kit to another.  I suspected that maybe the exact mix of the styrene may be different.  Some of my friends say this is definitely true.  Anyone know for sure how much variation there is in styrene used, from one mfg to another?  Doesn't seem to be very much variation in how well CA sticks to parts, but sure seems to be variation with solvent cements and epoxies.

 

 

I might be able to shed a little light on your question concerning diffrent types of P.S.

I spent 23 years making color concentrate for plastics and let me tell you they throw just about anything into plastic to achive the end result.

You start with a base resin, and each base resin will have certain characteristics. The main thing they look for is melt flow, how fast it melts at a certain temp, that effects production numbers and what the intended end use will be. High melt flow = brittle. Low melt flow = stiff more flexable.

Next they add pigments, almost always add white to ever color even black. (by the way there is no such color as true black, you wouldn't be able to see it, just diffrent degrees of grey) Fillers, which can be just about anything, talc, that has a neutral effect on color and makes up mass. Stabalizers which is usually wax, it refelects light protecting the color.

My guess is the plastic thats used in kits is cheaper, higher melt flow with increased use of fillers and recycled plastics. If it's coming from China all bets are off.

Plastic Weld is not specifically formulated for styrene. It's best for dissimilar materials; ABS, Styrene, Butyrate etc. in all combinations.

Its 90% Methylene Chloride and 10% MEK. Use in a well ventilated space.

I think there are more ideal solvents specific to styrene.

Hello!

The bottle I'm using right now says toluene and isobutanol in the ingredients. I don't know the exact mix, but it's a nice stuff that doesn't smell as bad nor evaporate as quickly as pure MEK, so it's better to work with.

Hope it helps - have a nice day

Paweł