Loctite Plastic Epoxy

[grog]

Has anyone used Loctite Plastic Epoxy? I am building my first PML kit and am wondering if this would be a good adhesive to use (fiberglass fins and plastic tubing). Thanks.

[sodmeister]

Not really sure about Loctite epoxy and not sure about the parameters of the product (set time ,work time etc) but I will add ,from personal experience ,a good 5 min and 30 min epoxy will benefit you well.Go to a good hobby shop and buy both (smith ,pacer ,etc) as they both have thier uses.Rough up the G-10 with 180 grit as well as the Quantum tube ,wash well with alcohol (99% Isopropanol does well here) and rinse again with same.You need a good bond with G-10 and Quantum tube and sanding & good epoxy does well .5 min will get the fins on but 30 will get the strength done ,as in fillets.

If you need more details ,please ask.

P

[davel]

By the name, this sounds like it might be a methyl methacrylate adhesive. An MMA works quite well bonding plastic to other materials.

[Scott Evil]

I've been through plenty of the LocTite sets, it works, but it's a lot more expensive in the long run.

You'd be better off just getting the sets that PML has on their web site if you don't have a good hobby shop near by. Worked just fine for my L1 and L2 rockets (both quantum tube endeavour mods).

And, once again like sodmeister said. You really want a nice rough but clean surface for the epoxy to bond to. I managed to slob some drips of epoxy here and there on some non-sanded parts of body tubes, it was fairly easy to just pry off with just my finger nail. I used 80 grit for the centering rings and used a razor blade to make little cross hatches for the fin fillets. Probably over kill but it seems to have worked.

[sodmeister]

Glad you mentioned the cross hatching technique Scott ,I use it when bonding styrene/plastics as well as G-10 fins ,CRs and Quantum tube parts.I find it helps the parts and adhesive "key" into each other.

Paul

[TheAviator]

I would suggest you measure, by weight, the parts of the epoxy too. A model building club here at school used to just eyeball the 1:1 BSI 5min Epoxy, which would be tacky for days after it was used. I made the guys use the gram scale (which we always had ) to mix a batch precisely, and it set up so well that they were surprised when it did. Hard as a rock after 30 minutes.

[grog]

Thanks for all the feedback. I ended up using some 30 minute epoxy for the internal gluing (motor mount and attaching fins TTW). I used the Loctite plastic epoxy for the fillets and launch lugs. Here is a photo of what I have been building.