Experience with Testor's Non-Toxic (Blue Tube) Glue?

mrmike

As for the rights and wrongs of the situation, we feel fortunate that we finally have a VA home at all. It's been sorely needed and to have it built during the recession is a miracle. Here in California, there's a lot of things we're not allowed to play with, so it comes as a disappointment that the good products are off limits in the resident's rooms, but not a surprise. I feel that the only positive thing to do is to pursue alternate ways to work. Come Spring, our friend hopes to have an outdoor space available where modelers can use whatever materials they choose.

Mike, I have to take a moment and applaud your positive outlook.

I think I could use some "lemons into lemonade" lessons from you.

Many years ago, I built balsa stick model airplanes using the "airplane glue" of the day.  Boy, that was powerful stuff!  It made me dizzy after awhile and I suppose it was quite dangerous if misused.  Also highly flammable!

Testors tube glue used to have that cap too before switching over to the better cap we see now. I remember non-toxic glue smelling similar to citrus as well. Those were the days. LOL!

Pactra was generally cheaper than Testors.

I remember those caps. Pretty easy to loose!

Look at it this way.

Somewhere around 1979/80 I bought a tube of Pactra non-toxic cement, which I believe was orange/citrus based.

I never did get around to using it and over 35 years later, it's still here and still liquid. It hasn't dried out in the tube or evaporated. (Look at the price on the tube!)

I lump all of these "Green" solvents, cleaners, glues, etc into the same worse than useless category.

I say "worse than" because they can actually screw up your project.

Hope you find something that works, Merry Christmas to you and your familly.

Jeremy

Thanks for all the replies. So far the Testor's product is holding some scrap together OK, but I have yet to try it on an edge-to-edge join. It does seem clunky to use and doesn't sand well. The Tamiya & Mr. Hobby products are worth a try as too; so far I'm not finding them available from the usual stateside sources. May have to order them from an overseas company after the Holidays. Jelliot523, thanks for mentioning Gator Grip; I use a similar product for PE and will put it in the testing process for construction.

As for the rights and wrongs of the situation, we feel fortunate that we finally have a VA home at all. It's been sorely needed and to have it built during the recession is a miracle. Here in California, there's a lot of things we're not allowed to play with, so it comes as a disappointment that the good products are off limits in the resident's rooms, but not a surprise. I feel that the only positive thing to do is to pursue alternate ways to work. Come Spring, our friend hopes to have an outdoor space available where modelers can use whatever materials they choose.

Once again, thanks for your help & Happy Holidays!

Mike

One of the problems these days is a broadening of the meaning of toxic. It originally meant a specific type of poison that affected the nervous system.  Then it was broadened to mean any poisonous substance.  Now it may mean even just materials that are irritating or offensive in odor.  Soon everything in the world will be toxic

More gov't intrusions!  I would advise them to ignore the new "directive" and tell the gov't where to stick it, if they ask any further questions. My guess is they won't follow up on such nonsense.

But wait- this is the Fed Gov't, isn't it, who neglects veterans with serious medical issues, but now they are worried about what kind of glue they should use???

I've found these glues to be about as good as using chewing gum as an adhesive. I bought this glue for my son, who is 9, when he started his first model and it was a disaster. The stuff took forever to dry and when it dried, most parts just fell off leaving a nasty mess on the plastic that could be flaked off. I finally ended up letting him use the little testors black bottle with the needle tube on it.

I have used, with some luck so far, Gator's Grip acrylic glue. I know its mainly used for clear parts and PE; however, I did use the thick formula for some parts on a 1/32 Bf-109 and it is holding just fine. I suppose it may break free over time, we shall see.

I find them to be pretty much worthless. They dont hold well and the parts fall off. My experience in with the Testors only.

mrmike

Testors is the only so-called non-toxic I can think to recommend

I haven't used them, but there's also Tamiya Limonene Cement and Gunze's (Mr Hobby) Mr Cement Limonene.

Both are citrus based and "non-toxic"