mock up glue

[m408]

I have an ongoing problem that I'm sure most of you have faced in the past.

After revmoving and trimming parts from sprues I pre paint them after trying to somehow mask future glue areas. I never get them all and end up trying to remove paint from the smallest places. My least favorite part of this hobby. It drives me nutz.

I'm thinking that if I could find a very weak glue, I could build sub sections, and somehow mark the glue areas. Then take apart, mask, paint, and re assemble.

Any help as to what glue or other ideas will be appreciated.

[Olle F]

You might want to try what I do when I dry fit small parts like fuel pumps, rear view mirrors, door handles and other parts that can be tricky to glue on when you do the final assembly. I drill holes and insert straight pins that I cut to length, then I check the fit, adjust as necessary, take apart and paint. When it's time to mount the parts, I will know exactly where they go and I just glue them on with a tiny drop of Kristal Klear. It won't really matter what kind of glue you use and if there's paint in between, the joint will be plenty strong anyway if the holes are snug enough. Sometimes I don't even need to glue the parts and there are also places where I don't want to use glue anyway, like on parts I might want to take of when I pack the models before going to a show (antennas, mirrors etc).

[MR BIGGS]

You might want to try what I do when I dry fit small parts like fuel pumps, rear view mirrors, door handles and other parts that can be tricky to glue on when you do the final assembly. I drill holes and insert straight pins that I cut to length, then I check the fit, adjust as necessary, take apart and paint. When it's time to mount the parts, I will know exactly where they go and I just glue them on with a tiny drop of Kristal Klear. It won't really matter what kind of glue you use and if there's paint in between, the joint will be plenty strong anyway if the holes are snug enough. Sometimes I don't even need to glue the parts and there are also places where I don't want to use glue anyway, like on parts I might want to take of when I pack the models before going to a show (antennas, mirrors etc).

You gave him the best answer out there. That is what I do to all my models . Sure it take's more time but that is time well spent. I try and get some of my buddys whom I am helping to start doing that and so far they love it. I can pick up one of my car's from the mirror or antena and it will not break off if i decide to glue them. And it realy works when you have to ship them or pack them for a road trip. I have all the little part's in little containers with all the goodies that belong to that model in them, get to the show and everything go's right back on.

[m408]

O.K. Guys, I understand about the small parts.

But, how about headers and manifolds, or valve covers, or suspension systems (shocks etc...), or front end linkages?

When I was building 1:1 street rods, we had to build them three times.

1- Clean everything up and tack it into place.

2- Refit as needed, add brackets etc... True up for final locations then send it out for paint.

3- After paint, final assembly.

This is what I'm trying to do. Just need a weak glue to simulate "tacking" and final adjustments. I'm just not skilled enough to take things out of a kit and get it right the first time with all parts painted.

[MikeMc]

use one of the white glues...Ultimate..Aileens Tacky ...these are strong enough WHEN DRY to hold things together I use them for motor parts like headers and intake(or blowers) and when dry are flexable not hard....also great for mocking up suspensions...

Go check out my '34 pickup or '32 topless builds on this forum...held together with those two and tape!!!

Edited May 13, 2008 by MikeMc

[Draggon]

I've just started using "Aleens Original Tacky Glue" from my local craft store. So far it works great..its tacky and strong enough to hold parts in place, yet they come back apart easily. Cleans off of the parts with warm water and leaves no marks. I tired using "sculpey" and it held reasonably, but a month later when I took the mock-up apart I found that it had eaten into the plastic and softened it! Yikes.

[m408]

use one of the white glues...Ultimate..Aileens Tacky ...these are strong enough WHEN DRY to hold things together I use them for motor parts like headers and intake(or blowers) and when dry are flexable not hard....also great for mocking up suspensions...

Go check out my '34 pickup or '32 topless builds on this forum...held together with those two and tape!!!

Hey Mike,

Nice builds.

A little bit off of the subject but, checking out your glue stash, I see both Testors plastic cement and Tenax. I have the Testors. When would you use the Tenax?

[bobss396]

I pin all my exhaust headers and manifolds in place. It gives me something to hang onto when I paint them and they STAY put when I glue them on. I add "handles" to other parts as well. Or will make up locating tabs for bumpers that won't be seen once they're glued on. Almost all of my final assembly is done with CA or epoxy.

I don't do too much gluing in the mockup state. I'll hold things with strips of masking tape, fun-tack or white glue.

Bob

[dub]

I'll hold things with strips of masking tape, fun-tack.

I do the same. Poster tack is really convenient for doing mockups. I bought a package for 99 cents somwhere recently and I gotta say, it works great. No residue and it removes easily. A small amount goes a long way. I have enough to probably put about a third of my unbuilts together with the stuff with only one pack! I just pull a chunk off and then pull a smaller chunk off of it. Usually when I have a piece that I swear is too small, it is just right. Pacer corp. makes the product I found under the Original Super Glue brand name.

[Daniel Peterson]

Simple, Elmer's style white glue can work, but you do need to wait for it to dry. The big advantage is that it doesn't bite into the plastic at all.

You can use very small amount of liquid cement or even super glue. It's the same theory as a tack weld; small enough to hold temporarily, weak enough to break without destroying the part.

While kind of on the topic, the white glue is also magnificent stuff for masking small holes and pins. When painting a chassis and the suspension parts, I test fit the parts after cleaning them up, then pit a drop of Elmer's on the pin or in the hole (put enough in the hole to give you a "crown" that you can grab onto with a hobby blade later) that's going to be sprayed... Let the glue set up, then paint the assembly. After the paint and glue have dried, I find I can simply pop the glue "mask" out of the hole or off of the pin with the point of a hobby knife. There you have it, nekked plastic ready for the final bond using the glue of your choice!

If the holes are through and through, a round tooth pick can be used to fill the area you want to prevent from getting painted.

And the fun tack or poster tack or whatever they call it at whatever store you find it is GREAT for masking like I described with the white glue and pins/holes. Even after you get over spray on it, you can still use it for more masking. Just ball it up and work it between yout fingers until it's somewhat pliable.

One thing I confess I pick up in this tread was the pinning idea. I will definitely make use of that technique next chance I get!

[m408]

Thanks all for your tips. I will surely try them all. But here is an off the wall thought that I would like to run by you.

Engines, suspension parts etc... How about using double sided scotch tape to attach and align manifolds oil pans, heads, valve covers etc... Then trim excess as you would a BMF job. After removing said parts, you would have a masked area ready for paint. Paint, remove tape and fix parts to bare plastic.

Am I way off base here?

[bobss396]

Thanks all for your tips. I will surely try them all. But here is an off the wall thought that I would like to run by you.

Engines, suspension parts etc... How about using double sided scotch tape to attach and align manifolds oil pans, heads, valve covers etc... Then trim excess as you would a BMF job. After removing said parts, you would have a masked area ready for paint. Paint, remove tape and fix parts to bare plastic.

Am I way off base here?

I don't know what you're going for, it sounds like too much work to me. I simply paint everything then attach the parts. I never ever worry about getting paint on to-be-glued surfaces. CA glue and epoxy stick to everything, paint, chrome. I never use styrene tube glue or any of the brush type glues for final assembly. I will scrape chrome and glue if it makes the parts fit better.

Bob

[m408]

I don't know what you're going for, it sounds like too much work to me. I simply paint everything then attach the parts. I never ever worry about getting paint on to-be-glued surfaces. CA glue and epoxy stick to everything, paint, chrome. I never use styrene tube glue or any of the brush type glues for final assembly. I will scrape chrome and glue if it makes the parts fit better.

Bob

Hey Bob,

Thanks for the responses. Here's what I'm going for.

Since getting back into this a little over a year ago, I find that I'm still way behind the curve and constantly trying to upgrade my skills, little by little.

My latest conundrum is over painting parts prior to assembly. Example, I get a nice coat of paint on an engine block only to find that to attach heads, valve covers, oil pans, etc... I have to carefully remove paint to insure a good bond. Sometimes I remove too much and have to touch up the block. Another example, is after carefully removing and trimming, and painting suspension or steering parts, to assemble them I must scrape or sand tiny areas to expose bare plastic prior to gluing.

I'm not opposed to a little extra work, if it will improve my overall skill level, and the final look of my completed work.

[MikeMc]

Hey Mike,

Nice builds.

A little bit off of the subject but, checking out your glue stash, I see both Testors plastic cement and Tenax. I have the Testors. When would you use the Tenax?

My honest reply is "I would have to think about when I would use the testors!!!I go thru 1/2 to a full bottle of tenax per month...By far my favorite..

When I chop a top or section a body I use my own goop...tenax and spru to weld the body together on the inside...takes a while to dry but then its all plastic!!