Thinned tube glue

[Kit Basher]

Awhile ago, someone on this forum mentioned that they use tube glue thinned with liquid cement. I wish I could remember who that was, so I could thank him. I decided to give it a try, and it has been a game changer for me. It is easy to control (no strings!), and once applied with a toothpick or small brush, stays where you put it. It stays wet long enough to position a part, then grabs hard and fast. Since it is a plastic to plastic "welded" bond, you know it isn't coming apart. I mix up small batches in a Testors paint bottle, and it keeps for weeks. I can always thin it more if I need to.

So, to whoever suggested this, THANK YOU!

[Bainford]

Interesting. I'm going to look into this. I don't actually use much solvent glue these days, but there are times when it is the 'go to' choice.

[ctruss53]

Mix what with what?

[SfanGoch]

Thinning tube glue with a liquid cement is a ponderous method to create something which already exists. Plastruct Plastic Weld and Bondene, for example. accomplish the same thing. So do Testors 3502XT and Tamiya 87012 with no strings attached, (pun intended). All of these liquid cements allow time to properly position parts.

[peteski]

On 5/11/2023 at 10:24 AM, SfanGoch said:

Thinning tube glue with a liquid cement is a ponderous method to create something which already exists. Plastruct Plastic Weld and Bondene, for example. accomplish the same thing. So do Testors 3502XT and Tamiya 87012 with no strings attached, (pun intended). All of these liquid cements allow time to properly position parts.

Maybe those adhesives are too expensive? 

EDIT: Since Ace found this post confusing, let me clarify:  It was a joke based on the notion that many car modelers are a thrifty.

Edited May 19, 2023 by peteski

[SfanGoch]

Buying any one of those is cheaper than the combined cost of a tube of glue and liquid cement.

[peteski]

4 minutes ago, SfanGoch said:

Buying any one of those is cheaper than the combined cost of a tube of glue and liquid cement.

Well ok, but it is much more fun mixing your own.

[SfanGoch]

Only if you use a paper bag.

 

[peteski]

2 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

Only if you use a paper bag.

Sniff, sniff.

[Lunajammer]

17 hours ago, Kit Basher said:

I wish I could remember who that was

That was probably me. I’ve advocated for that several times. Yes I still have my other glues but I like to have one where I can manage a viscosity that falls in between the others. It’s part of my tool arsenal.

[Kit Basher]

20 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

Thinning tube glue with a liquid cement is a ponderous method to create something which already exists. Plastruct Plastic Weld and Bondene, for example. accomplish the same thing. So do Testors 3502XT and Tamiya 87012 with no strings attached, (pun intended). All of these liquid cements allow time to properly position parts.

For me, the advantage of the mixture is that it is thicker than liquid cement like Plastic Weld or Bondene, and can be placed precisely, in exact amounts. That makes it good for small parts. I do use liquid cement for things like engine block halves where I can just let it wick into the joint. I am not familiar with the Testors and Tamiya products you mention.

5 hours ago, Lunajammer said:

That was probably me. I’ve advocated for that several times. Yes I still have my other glues but I like to have one where I can manage a viscosity that falls in between the others. It’s part of my tool arsenal.

Well then, thank you Mike! I don't intend to use it for everything, but for certain jobs, it's been working great for me.

[bluestringer]

Mr. Hobby Cement Deluxe works well, and can be found at Hobby Lobby.

[SfanGoch]

3 hours ago, Kit Basher said:

I am not familiar with the Testors and Tamiya products you mention.

Both have been around for decades

              

 

Quote

For me, the advantage of the mixture is that it is thicker than liquid cement like Plastic Weld or Bondene, and can be placed precisely, in exact amounts. That makes it good for small parts

Thicker isn't better. It's that much more excess to remove after the cement sets. The best method to use liquid cements is to brush a small amount on the mating surfaces of both parts to "prime" them. This dries quickly. Then, positioning and holding the parts together, apply the cement with a fine tipped brush at the joint/seam. Priming the parts allows the cement you apply afterwards to flow through the join and sets up in 10-15 seconds, which is plenty of time to make final positioning adjustments. I build a lot of 1/35 armor and 1/48 aircraft, which have extremely small, difficult to position fidgety parts and have used this method for years with no problems.

[peteski]

Yes, Testors in a round bottle is the same liquid cement that has been around for decades in square bottles.  Tamiya cement has also been around for a very long time.  There are actually couple versions  of Tamiya cement (different viscosites and drying times).

[SfanGoch]

Tamiya liquid cement with the orange cap is more viscous than the quick setting thin varieties.

[Bugatti Fan]

Plastic cements.    Horses for courses I find.

I would imagine that Revell Contacta might have a similar sort of viscosity as the tube cum liquid mix mentioned. Maybe I will mix some up out of pure curiosity just to see how it pans out.

My normal stock in trade cements Plastic Weld by Plastruct my first to go liquid cement.  Revell Contacta as it has a little bit more thicker viscosity and precision applicator. Tamiya's very thin liquid cement that has a very nice little pointed applicator built into the cap and lastly good old Tube Cement, brand name immaterial as all I have used seem much the same.

Like most of us I also have an arsenal of other assorted adhesives for wood, metal, card etc. Depending upon the need.

[Richard Bartrop]

Honestly, I don't really see the point of thinning tube glue instead of just using the liquid stuff straight. Touch the brush to a seam, and let capillary action do the rest.  If you have gaps to fill, add some bits of scrap styrene.

Edited May 13, 2023 by Richard Bartrop

[Kit Basher]

On 5/13/2023 at 6:25 PM, Richard Bartrop said:

Honestly, I don't really see the point of thinning tube glue instead of just using the liquid stuff straight. Touch the brush to a seam, and let capillary action do the rest.  If you have gaps to fill, add some bits of scrap styrene.

I do most of my building using liquid cement straight the way you described. Where I'm finding the thinned tube glue useful is for small parts or painted/chrome parts. I can scrape the glue surface, place the thinned glue, and assemble the parts. When I try to do that with straight liquid cement, I inevitably get cement where I don't want it, damaging the paint or chrome.

I'm not suggesting that thinned tube glue is the only glue you will ever need. I use several different glues, depending on the application. For me, this is another tool in the toolbox that helps me with certain jobs.

[Oldmopars]

I have stated this before, but I use MEK. I get it in the gallon can. It lasts for years and years. It works just like the expensive stuff, because it is the active ingredient in most solvent glues.

I suggested here a while back to mix tube glue with it to give a thicker cement for times when it is needed. For me, I seem to always have a tube around that I didn't buy and won't use out of the tube. So, I mix it with MEK. It allows you to make a cement/glue that is the consistency that you like. From very thin to very thick. 

I would never pay for Tamiya thin, and add tube glue to it. Too much $$$, but I get a gallon of MEK for $20-25. That's like $600-700 in Tamiya thin. 

Even if you buy just the Quart/Liter it is about $8-10. Still way cheaper. 

[Oldmopars]

BTW, Plastuct Plastic Weld is :

From MSDS

80-90% Methylene Chloride*# (Dichloromethane) 75-09-2

5-15% Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) 78-93-3

However, MEK is way cheaper and easier to find than Dichloromethane and I find it works fast, easy to control and makes a very strong bond. 

MEK is under $30 a gallon. But, Dichloromethane is $67 a gallon on Amazon. Pastiche Weld by Plastructs is $13 for 2oz. So, a gallon is 64, 2oz bottles. $13x64, that make Plastruct Plastic Weld $832 a gallon vs. $67 for Dichloromethane or $30 for MEK. 

Amazon has Tamyia extra thin, $20 for 40ml. That makes it $1892.70 per gallon. 

That savings buys a lot of model kits. Scratch building and semi kits use a lot of glue. 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Oldmopars

[Richard Bartrop]

4 hours ago, Kit Basher said:

I do most of my building using liquid cement straight the way you described. Where I'm finding the thinned tube glue useful is for small parts or painted/chrome parts. I can scrape the glue surface, place the thinned glue, and assemble the parts. When I try to do that with straight liquid cement, I inevitably get cement where I don't want it, damaging the paint or chrome.

I'm not suggesting that thinned tube glue is the only glue you will ever need. I use several different glues, depending on the application. For me, this is another tool in the toolbox that helps me with certain jobs.

Yes, liquid cement is not kind to paint, and neither is CA glue.  My goto adhesive for small stuff where I don't want to damage paint or plastic is five minute epoxy

Edited May 15, 2023 by Richard Bartrop

[Miatatom]

MEK works great but apply it sparingly. It'll melt or warp plastic. Don't ask me how I know that.

[SfanGoch]

Of course it will, Like methylene chloride, MEK is a solvent. Applying anything more that the minimum required to bond surfaces will soften the materials causing them to deform. Priming (pickling) the mating surfaces improves the capillary effect, drawing either solvent into and across the join seam using minimal amounts of either solvent.

[peteski]

While MEK and Methylene Chloride are both solvents for polystyrene, Methylene Chloride is a much more aggressive solvent and it also evaporates much faster.  MEK is mild and slower.  Both have their own specific uses for some modelers.  To me there is no reason to buy either in gallon size - I don't build that many models, and I also use other adhesives.

[SfanGoch]

I purchase Weld-On 3 by the pint.

Edited May 15, 2023 by SfanGoch