Anybody tried Bondic yet?

[Foxer]

 

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.

Curing it thru clear plastic shouldn't be a problem but I haven't specifically tested this. You might have to leave the curing light on it for longer than 4 seconds is all.

Good to know - I'll check the Deerfield store this weekend. I've been wanting to make backup light lenses for my '64 Chevelle to replace the molded-in ones.

I did a few taillights in Bondic in me thread about uses I've found for it. 1001 Uses for Bondic. One thing is to spray a coating on Acrylic Clear on the part before handling if you wish it to remain clear. It will dull with your fingerprints otherwise.

[ChrisBcritter]

Deerfield HT store doesn't have it and they can't or won't get it from another store (ironically, the clerk I spoke to wants some too now that I described it ).

[Foxer]

There are many places you can get it online ... just Google it. I haven't seen it anywhere in a store.

 

When you find it and try, feel free to post your results in my 1001 Uses for Bondic thread.

[unclescott58]

This last Saturday our local model club (the MCCM) had a build day at a local library. I was working on my Revell 1930 Ford Model A coupe, when discovered I had forgotten to bring my glue for gluing in windows. For this task I normally use Testor's Model Master white glue. So I asked if anybody had any I could borrow. One of our members asked why I wasn't using Bondic's UV system for that task yet? He offered to let me try his. I've got to say, I was very impressed. It worked much better and easier than I expected. I was so impressed, that I when I got home later that day I right away went on eBay and ordered one for myself.

There have been several talks since this stuff came out, about using it to try gluing the clear parts of the MPC/AMT Display Case Trailer together, that I've been wanting to build for a while now. This is a kit that for a couple of years I've been trying to figure out a way to assemble it that will not fog the clear parts. And yet still hold them together. Testor's Model Master white glue does not setup fast enough to really work well. And oozes out of the seams too much in this type of application. After using he the Bondic, particularly on the 30's windshield and frame, I'm thinking this made be the solution to building the trailer. Again as others have suggested trying to me in the past. Now after I've tried the stuff, I'm finally going to follow their advice.

Edited November 15, 2016 by unclescott58

[Foxer]

Welcome to the 21st Century! 

 

[1930fordpickup]

Keep us posted on the outcome of the trailer progress Scott. 

[unclescott58]

Already got my Bondic glue from the vendor I ordered it from on Tuesday. That was very fast service! Going to start playing around with the stuff probably later tonite. I'll pass on what I find after I've started using it.

 

[NOBLNG]

I am patching some air bubbles in a resin casting, and I ran out of bondic. I could have bought a refill tube for it. But I saw this at Canadian Tire in the automotive section. It is very likely close to the same material, but it comes with a much more powerful UV light ( AA battery not included😕). This stuff also glows when exposed to the light.

[peteski]

I find that these UV-curable resins hardened do not harden enough (remain semi-flexible) to be used as fillers for plastic or resin car bodies.  That is, when those resins are cured with portable battery-operated curing lights.  But the resins become fully hardened when exposed to natural sunlight for several minutes.

[Theo]

I use Bondic or similar for a lot for on both styrene and resin.  I found this at ACE for $13 and find it works much better than the single LED included with most of the products. 

[JohnU]

I’m using it right now to assemble the clear parts of the Renwal visible V8 engine. Cures up rock solid with no fumes like two part clear epoxy! Instructions say to expose the UV light for ten seconds but I used it for at least thirty seconds at each joint. These parts aren’t going anywhere! Built this kit when I was a kid with the old tube glue with reasonable success but man, wish this stuff was around back then it would probably have been much prettier without the clouding and smudges! 
 

Theo, thanks for the heads up! I’m diggin that Rayovac UV light! Might have to make the small investment for one to use on more applications. 

Edited October 23, 2021 by JohnU
More info

[peteski]

17 hours ago, JohnU said:

I’m using it right now to assemble the clear parts of the Renwal visible V8 engine. Cures up rock solid with no fumes like two part clear epoxy! Instructions say to expose the UV light for ten seconds but I used it for at least thirty seconds at each joint.

I'm surprised that it gets that hard.  Could you do a test for me?  Run about 1" long  bead of your UV adhesive on a piece of aluminum foil.  Once it is hardened, peel it off the foil, and bend it.  Is it flexible or does it just break?  My Bondic just bends. It is not very soft, but not really hard either.

 

The other problem I have with Bondic and the original UV light (and even a stronger UV flashlight) is that while the resin semi-hardens, the surface remains sticky.  I discussed this in another thread some time ago.  However, when I cured Bondic with sunlight, it not only got really hard, but the surface was nice and shiny (not sticky).  The discussion we had hypothesized that the curing lights don't use the most favorable wavelength of UV light, where Sun's light contains a wide spectrum of UV light.

Edited October 23, 2021 by peteski

[NOBLNG]

5 hours ago, peteski said:

I'm surprised that it gets that hard.  Could you do a test for me?  Run about 1" long  bead of your UV adhesive on a piece of aluminum foil.  Once it is hardened, peel it off the foil, and bend it.  Is it flexible or does it just break?  My Bondic just bends. It is not very soft, but not really hard either.

I did that test with this Rapid Fix and it is still flexible. I believe the stuff I cured yesterday however has hardened up substantially. I had some excess in a bottle cap and it began to harden under the LED lights over my desk. If the sun ever pokes it’s head out here in the near future, I will try an outdoor test.

[JohnU]

6 hours ago, peteski said:

I'm surprised that it gets that hard.  Could you do a test for me?  Run about 1" long  bead of your UV adhesive on a piece of aluminum foil.  Once it is hardened, peel it off the foil, and bend it.  Is it flexible or does it just break?  My Bondic just bends. It is not very soft, but not really hard either.

I used small dabs on clear parts that allow the UV light to pass through and penetrate the Bondic and thoroughly cure it. I tried to poke a pin in the joint to test the softness  and couldn’t pierce it! I was skeptical at first considering the tiny light they provided. Was quite impressed! Again, these were small dabs not thick beads. The Bondic instructions show that if heavier amounts are needed, it should be built up in layers. Maybe a more intense UV flashlight or as mentioned, sunlight is needed for your application. I ordered a UV penlight from Amazon with an adjustable beam. Should be here by Monday or Tuesday. I’ll do an experiment at work and try to check the hardness on a Rockwell tester if possible, to see what it is on the B scale. Get back with results before the end of the week 

[peteski]

I appreciate you guys dong the test.  Rockwell hardness test will be nice, but totally meaningless to me, especially with no point of reference.  Simple bend-or-snap test is good enough for me.  Or even a "fingernail test" (pushing end of a fingernail into the hardened resin to see if it makes a mark which eventually almost heals itself, or if it is hard enough that no mark is left).

[JohnU]

4 hours ago, peteski said:

I appreciate you guys dong the test.  Rockwell hardness test will be nice, but totally meaningless to me, especially with no point of reference.  Simple bend-or-snap test is good enough for me.  Or even a "fingernail test" (pushing end of a fingernail into the hardened resin to see if it makes a mark which eventually almost heals itself, or if it is hard enough that no mark is left).

Well, I’ll compare it to styrene model plastic. Rockwell B scale we use where I work to check softer metal materials for production stampings. Now, I’m not sure how accurate it will be or even if it’s going to work, but I’m going to try for my own curiosity. So there’s the reference point. A durometer test would probably be more accurate but I don’t think we have one.