Tenax 7R vs Ambroid Pro Weld.....Also Tamiya Super Thin?

didn't have time to read through them all, but thought I'd throw this into the  mix. 

I use proweld almost exclusively.  I love the TNF applicator.  they dont' clog as long as you don't put the tip in the melted plastic (which is sometimes hard to do if you are jabbing it in, to try to get glue in certain places.  All you have to do is put pressure on the end, and it will unclog.  (I use syrninges for getting glue into the pipette and also this.)

I started using this stuff when I was in St. Louis, getting my stuff from CRM.  Chris from CRM hobbies had the chance to talk to the ambroid guy, who said the proweld was a bit hotter and dried more quickly than tenax, due to some agent they put into the proweld (I don't remmeber what it was.)  I do think that this is true, having used both and having tried them out at the same time, so its not just placebo.  Tenax seems to have a little more working time when I use it.  Because of this, they both have their applications. 

I haven't used the tamiya stuff... I haven't had the desire to really do so.   

edit:  o.k., I just looked at the link above, and I remembered something else that set proweld apart, and they referenced it there.  Chris said they used a 'whetting agent', which they refer to as a surface tension breaker, so it flows better. 

I just like my proweld, but tenax works well too.  If i had to use/buy either though, I'd get proweld without a prob. 

I'd also recommend the touch and flow app without a hesitation.  It has revolutionized my kit building. 

 

 

 

Balearic wrote:

I haven't used the Tamiya glue, but have used both Tenax and ProWeld.  I prefer the ProWeld.  For some reason, the Tenax seems to evaporate much faster when transferring the glue to a model than does the ProWeld.

 I agree ive had a bottle of pro weld last 3 to 4 weeks tenax last about a week1/2 and ilive in a vaery dry state.

Another one for Pro weld i just orderd five bottles plus a T&F  for 40bucks

from here     http://www.flex-i-file.com/html/adhesives.html

I'll cast my vote for Eddy Van Halen.   I like Pro weld myself

WJM wrote:

MikeV wrote: Austin is the home of the best guitarist of all time IMHO.....Stevie Ray Vaughan.   what about hendrix?

What about him?

bertman wrote:

sorry if I'm dense, but are these all special names for what people use as their normal modeling glue? or are they for special circumstances? I've never really liked the glue I have (got it with a kit about 10 years ago) and usually just tack things on with CA (which I got about 9 years ago).

Mostly for normal building. Liquid cements actually melt the plastic to form a "weld" which just like in metal welding forms a very strong rigid structure.

Glues such as CA and tube glue form a layer between two pieces that bond them together. Eventually the bond will release over time.

Again as with welding, you get penetration and better fusing of the parts, thus eliminating much of the need for fillers. Seams become almost invisible if done properly.

You also have less risk of the sticky fingerprint syndrome from slow drying glues. Liquid cements/solvents dry at a much fast rate. Normal? Well I think I can safely state that there is nothing normal about any of us. I will say that if you look at the "masters" among us, they mostly use liquid solvents as a mainstay of their building practices.

sorry if I'm dense, but are these all special names for what people use as their normal modeling glue? or are they for special circumstances?

I've never really liked the glue I have (got it with a kit about 10 years ago) and usually just tack things on with CA (which I got about 9 years ago).

Well, I use to work with Methyl Chloride for melting plastic together so I know something about these chemicals.  Pure Methyl Chloride has been removed from store shelves in most states because of a high potential cancer causing affect.  The closest relative is MEK which is Methyl ethol ketone.  Sorry for my spelling.  In lab environment, Methyl Chloride melted a lot of tough plastics quickly for bonding them to another disimilar plastics.  The MEK does have a strong odor so ventilation is definately needed.  I know some of my friends use it for cleaning out their airbrushes.  I recommend a good spray booth for this.  I use Tenax 7R and Tamiya extra thin and new had a problem with bonding effects.  I use the small and extra small micro brushes from Micro Mark.  The work nicely and can use them a few times before they are ruin enough to toss out.  I do also like Testors Liquid Cement but find the bottle to clog quickly and takes longer to dry.  I prefer Tenax 7R but Ambrois is about the same.  The active ingredient is the same in both adhesives.  Another adhesive is the Plastruct brand but that to has the same active adhesive ingredient.

MikeV wrote:

Rick, Doesn't Tenax evaporate before you even get the brush to the model?

I gave up on Tenax for that very reason. A bottle would last me a week or two in CA, just opening it up  in Central Ca during the summertime brought on the powers of evaporation.

 

I use Tamiya Super thin and Tamiya regular almost exclusivley. 

David

MikeV wrote:

Austin is the home of the best guitarist of all time IMHO.....Stevie Ray Vaughan.

what about hendrix?

I can name 3 plastic cements better those listed in the title.
Mr.Cement limonene
Mr.Cement Deluxe
Mr.Cement S

I'll throw in my vote for ProWeld.  I use a #0 natural red sable that I bought specifically for glueing, it has lasted a long time and works very well for me.  Tenax is a very close second, primarily because of price.  I hate Plastruct.  I also hate the Toutch-n-flow.  A brush is more accurate, less breakable, and less trouble for me.

Someone asked about PPE when using these products.  I personally am a bit of a geek and wear safety glasses when ever I am at the bench.  They can be a pain to wear sometimes, but not nearly as bad as getting glue or a #11 blade in my eye.

Mac

proweld behaves like industrial lacquer thinner, nothing special about it.

I haven't used the Tamiya glue, but have used both Tenax and ProWeld.  I prefer the ProWeld.  For some reason, the Tenax seems to evaporate much faster when transferring the glue to a model than does the ProWeld. 

As for availability, I think Tenax is readily available.  I'd heard Ambroid stopped making ProWeld, so I wrote the company.  They replied, saying the glue is still being produced.  I've heard that some gamers' website had a story about how wonderful ProWeld is, and now nobody can keep it in stock.  As for the Tamiya glue, nobody near here carries Tamiya products.   

Someone mentioned funky odors.  If you like bad stink, try Plastruct glues.  I think Plastruct uses formaldehyde in their glues, to make the dichloromethane an even more noxious aroma. 

All I use is Tenax 7. Years ago I used Ambroid and I remember it having a strong smell that gave me a headache after using it for awhile. I haven't tried anything else.

  Hey Gip, I live in Calif. EVERYTHING here is caustic. Every single little thing has a tag on it that says so 

Just my humble opinion, but Tamiya Super Thin, or even Testors Liquid Cement is a heck of a lot safer to use than those that contain methylene chloride (dichloromethane).

Just for information's sake, in 2002 the National Toxicology Program (NTP) released a study of a number of chemicals, including methylene chloride, and determined that this substance "is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals."

I do not recommend using this stuff.  Sorry, just my $.05 worth (accounting for inflation).

Gip

Does anyone know where I can order a 12-bottle display pack of Ambroid Pro-Weld online? Or would I have to go into one of my local hobby shops and ask them to do it for me?

Tenax 7R for me!!  I was a diehard Tamiya Super Thin user since getting back into the hobby almost 2 yrs ago.  Then I read this thread last month and decided to try the Tenax 7R that I bought 1 1/2 yrs ago.  Boy was I impressed!!  The Tamiya is nice but dries much slower and sometimes takes overnight to 24 hrs before I can cut, sand, drill, etc.  Not so with Tenax!  Never have to wait more than an hour before doing anything, usually less than 30 minutes!  I now use the Tamiya Super Thin only for those times when I need more working time....which is rare.  BTW, I poured the Tenax into an empty Tamiya Super Thin bottle and it works beautifully with the built in microbrush!     

I'll try Proweld if I can find it...until then I'm keeping a good stock of Tenax 7R!! 

Bioya,

Your brushes will probably just end up melted after a while, I don't think you can really clean them and get them back to normal.  As for the Touch and Flow, I've never had to use anything to clean them, other than air.  I use a compressed air can (the kind for cleaning keyboards) every time the applicator is getting low.  Put the straw from the can to the end of the T&F, point the tip at a paper towel and blow out the excess solvent.  Works like a charm, I've never had a clogged tip since then.

 Jeff

What is the recommended solvent to use to clean brushes and the Touch and Flow? What type of brushes work well? Natural and/or synthetic??

Not really. Just don't put your head above them.

Is there any type of safety goggles or respirator I should use while working with any of these products?

 As long as we are talking about Pro weld, Micro mark sells it for $14.95 for 4oz. plus touch & flow. Is this a good price?

I've used both Tenax and Ambroid with good success.  I like the Tenax bottle better so I usually refill it part way with Ambroid.  I only use testors to thin Squadron putty.

I've got a bottle of both Tenax 7R and Ambroid Pro-Weld, as well as a pint of Weld-On #3. To date I've only used Testors glue on my models, are any of the above better to use than the others, does it matter which I use?

tinz wrote:

myself personally,I love the ambroid pro weld,but have been told by the 2 lhs that it has been discontinued,I've used the Tenax 7R before I discovered Ambroid and thought it was real good,but can't seem to find it either now.The Tamiya super thin works good because it creeps into the cracks but seems to take forever to dry(also it doesn't "weld" the plastic like the Ambroid does).Right now the lhs is pushing the Plastruct brand cement which works ok I guess,but it isnt even close to the Ambroid in my opinion.

Micro-Mark sells it.

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=83250 

Back in the day before I discoverd  tamiya extra thin I was using both Tenax and Ambroid, usually ambroid. I could almost NEVER get a full brush of the stuff to the model before it was evaporated (dry California weather).  then I found out abuot Tamiya extra thin and love it. I use a super cheap draftsmans inker pen with a split tip to apply it and it works great.

 David

I'm still using Zap-A-Gap CA in the green bottle, which works fine for me. I do have some Tenax, I just haven't figured out the trick to it. When I use a brush, it evaporates before I can touch it to the model...The way I see it is that you're supposed to let it flow along the joint, but I can't do that if it evaporates first. Also, Squadron seems to always have Tenax and Tamiya Extra Thin in stock.

myself personally,I love the ambroid pro weld,but have been told by the 2 lhs that it has been discontinued,I've used the Tenax 7R before I discovered Ambroid and thought it was real good,but can't seem to find it either now.The Tamiya super thin works good because it creeps into the cracks but seems to take forever to dry(also it doesn't "weld" the plastic like the Ambroid does).Right now the lhs is pushing the Plastruct brand cement which works ok I guess,but it isnt even close to the Ambroid in my opinion.

I bought a bottle of Tenax 7R from LHS yesterday and it's awesome! Bye bye seams.