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Anybody tried Bondic yet?


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There's a new glue out. It's called Bondic. I guess you squirt some glue and then use a light to set the glue. It appears to be available in Canada and Europe, but not the USA.

You can order Bondic through Amazon here in the States. This would be perfect for attaching PE directly onto styrene.

Edited by SfanGoch
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  • 2 months later...

I was wondering if this little product could replace plastic putty for repairing models, filling gaps in models, etc. It is not a glue - it is "liquid plastic" that after application cures in 4 seconds with a tiny UV light (LED included in the device). Starter kit is around $22-$24.

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I can see certain limitations; note this exchange from Gizmodo:

Andrew Liszewski

What happens when you want to glue two opaque objects together? Most of the glue will be inaccessible to the UV.

That's why they refer to it more as a welder rather than glue. Welding has the same drawback. You can't weld in between two objects, and the weld is always visible. You have to apply surface, or cut into the substrate to make a channel to apply the plastic weld. It would also work when the two items that need welding don't match up well.

http://gizmodo.com/super-glues-got-nothing-on-this-liquid-plastic-you-hard-1666641845?utm_campaign=socialflow_gizmodo_twitter&utm_source=gizmodo_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

So this may nix a lot of modeling applications, but might be good for others. I think this might be very handy for casting small parts when you'd have to make a tiny batch of resin otherwise. Depending how clear it dries, maybe it would be good for installing windshields?

Edited by ChrisBcritter
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I can see certain limitations; note this exchange from Gizmodo:

http://gizmodo.com/super-glues-got-nothing-on-this-liquid-plastic-you-hard-1666641845?utm_campaign=socialflow_gizmodo_twitter&utm_source=gizmodo_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

So this may nix a lot of modeling applications, but might be good for others. I think this might be very handy for casting small parts when you'd have to make a tiny batch of resin otherwise. Depending how clear it dries, maybe it would be good for installing windshields?

I wonder... I've always had problems installing windshields, and nothing I'm currently using is that great if it could be replaced by something better!

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Bondic came and I had a good test as a quick casting compound. I can't afford to use resin because my casting needs are few and far between and doesn't justify what would be 30 years of casting resin for a few hubcaps once or twice a year. I have resin probably 20 years old sitting on a shelf .. I know .. it's too old.

So I chose the front VW logo from Revel's Samba kit. I bought the kit just for that separate logo to use on a build of my Dad's '56 Bus that I couldn't paint the cast on logo to my satisfaction.

I did all this today! I made a mold with RTC silicone 2 part Mold Putty (this IS 20 years old too but still works). I 'drew' the logo with the Bondic .. moved the application pen around the letters trying to not get any between them. It has a nice consistency ... a little thickish but flows out and levels well. I nudged it around with the tip to get it evenly placed. Then a 4 second light application ... well, I did it for about 10 seconds to be safe. Then I pulled it from the mold! It just popped out easily .. no stick to the mold at all. A part of the outer edge was missing .. so I put it back tight in the mold and added a small drop at the missing area. Cured it and popped out. Couldn't tell where I patched it!

The photo shows the mold, cast logo and the original logo (in white). The Bondic is basically clear. You can see a little roughness around the edges which are my quick mold process more than anything.

VW%20Logo%20DSC_1541_zpsqro8543b.jpg

This photo shows the logo after I sanded it a bit. It sands like plastic. The material is a bit flexible ... you can bend it without breaking. I also cut out some with the knife where it spilled over the mold. Easily trimed like plastic.

VW%20Logo%20DSC_1542_zpsqajdcksl.jpg

This is after a coat of primer. It does need a little light sanding, but I'd call this done and useable. Very nice!

VW%20Logo%20DSC_1543_zpsif8byiz5.jpg

So, I feel Bondic is another good tool to add to the arsenal we usr building cars. It's quick and easy for those little things we NEED! I haven't tried it yet as a bonding agent .. :lol:

Edited by Foxer
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Wonder if you can tint it red with Alumilite dye?

oh my .. TAIL LIGHTS!

Now that's worth a try .. thou I don't have anything to dye it with. Since it stays liquid until the light is applied, there's plenty of time to dye a small batch. I guess it only depends on how the dye would affect the curing. It the application if thick you need to either leave the light on longer or do it from the other side.

Gonna have to think on what I can dye it with that's cheap and available. The aluminite dye seems a good candidate but a bottle would be too much just to experiment with. It is said to be good with clear resin.

Edited by Foxer
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Wonder if you can tint it red with Alumilite dye?

You got me hunting, Chris. I looked at Aluminite dye and it seems to be a pretty thick consistency. Probably too thick for Bondic as it needs to flow into the mold easily. And it would be a pin drop of dye.

I saw Rit has been used to color plastic but after the fact. maybe it would work adding a drop to Bindic, but seems overkill for such small parts.

I think just clear red or a Sharpie would be the way to do tail lights. I have some '59 Caddy lights I'd like copies of .. if I can find the kit they were in .. maybe the '50 Merc.

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Another test. I did a cast of the 59 caddy tail lights from the AMT Merc. I just remembered I didn't put the original in the photos but no big deal. I colored one red with a Sharpie and added some BMF .. quickly as you can see. :D The gloss as they came out of the mold got dulled by my tight grip on them as I drilled a hole for a brass rod holder. The Bondic wasn't as soft as I though when I drilled .. harder than styrene it seemed. You can see the dullness on the clear one. I sprayed a quick Testors One Coat on the red one to shine it up .. no reaction from the spray. The red one got a couple small air bubbles that must have been my stabbing the liquid with the applicator to be sure it went all the way into the mold. It shows in one photo as a bright white spot.

59%20Caddy%20Tail%20Lights%20DSC_1548_zp

59%20Caddy%20Tail%20Lights%20DSC_1549_zp

59%20Caddy%20Tail%20Lights%20DSC_1550_zp

Test Results: PASSED! :)

Edited by Foxer
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This would be perfect for attaching PE directly onto styrene.

This material is too thick for this application I believe. The other methods of PE attachment are safe.

Bondic is similar to, if not exactly the same as, light activated dental resin which is used to attach veneers, caps and partial bridges. If you check online, you can find the stuff.

This is not dental resin other than being light cured, but is what made me think it would be a useful hobby material. I'm sure dental resin is much more expensive. It is actually a type of plastic.

It's probably time to test the use this was intended for .. gluing! I have a Subaru long roof with a broken D pillar. Might be a little thin for this but a good test.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Here's my latest use of Bondic ... I made a bumper from aluminum tubes and needed to finish off the open ends. Normally I probably would have plugged the holes with some body putty ... let dry overnight.. and then sand flat and paint.

These I just filled the hole with Bondic and let it form a raised bubble shape then hit it with the light. I didn't sand or touch it before painting this time. The ends are just perfect to me with their rounded shape. Nothing could have been as easy.

tie%20plate%20DSC_1593_zpszjsyjbne.jpg

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I wonder if this would be useful as a coating to strengthen easily breakable parts such as wheel mounting spindles (my kits are usually 1/16, creating more stress on thin parts).

It would work but would add material equal to how thick a coating you put on. It is quite vicious but would be easily spreadable with a brush. I expect it would add strength at least equal to if the part was originally cast to the same thickness in plastic (it IS plastic, though I do not know the type). If the added thickness isn't objectionable, I expect it would work though replacing wheel spindles with brass tubes would be better. It would be difficult to control the coating thickness.

I'll have to find something the extra thickness wouldn't be objectionable on and try it in my thread about various uses I have found. If anyone has a specific part they think this would be useful on, post it so I can try.

Edited by Foxer
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  • 5 months later...

I know I'm bringing an old topic back up, but I picked up some Bondic over the weekend while I was in Indy for the Circle City model show.  Found it at the Hobbytown USA in Greenwood. Haven't done much with it, yet, but do see some potential areas where it would come in handy. I do plan to try it on clear parts, mainly to see if the UV light can cure it through the clear plastic. I'm hoping the plastic will not filter out the UV, and allow it to cure.

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