I'm building an altimeter bay in the nose cone that came with the Aerotech HV Arcas kit. To do that, I'm following the same process I did on my MPR scratch build (also a 2.6" dia.), using sheet polystyrene from Hobby Lobby (Evergreen). But neither CA, nor Testor's 3501 (orange tube) will stick to the Aerotech cone, both of which tested well on my previous build.
Here's a glue test I did for that build using an Apogee PNC-66A polystyrene nose cone, and the adhesives pictured, numbered on the cone as 1) CA, 2) Tamiya (plastic weld), and 3) Testor's 3501:
All three adhesives worked well. I chose Testor's for that build because it took more bending to break it loose.
Here is the same test done this evening, minus the Tamiya, with the Aerotech nose cone, numbered 1) CA and 2) Testor's 3501:
An hour later I tested it. Both pieces just fell off. Neither CA nor Testor's even touched the plastic on the cone. I went back and did another test with the Tamiya, thinking it might need liquid weld, but that had the same result.
The altimeter bay latch will have two flathead screws that will hold the assembly to the nose cone, so having it fall out is not a problem. But I'm curious as to the differences in the two plastics when it comes to adhesion. The Apogee cone is clearly styrene. It behaves just like the sheet styrene. It bends a little, then breaks.
The Aerotech cone is a different type of plastic—HIPS maybe? I can squeeze it a half inch easily. If I were able to do the same to the Apogee cone—and I couldn't because it's harder—it would break.
I guess the bottom line is, has anyone glued something to an Aerotech Arcas-type nose cone using something other than epoxy, and had it stick?
Here's a glue test I did for that build using an Apogee PNC-66A polystyrene nose cone, and the adhesives pictured, numbered on the cone as 1) CA, 2) Tamiya (plastic weld), and 3) Testor's 3501:
All three adhesives worked well. I chose Testor's for that build because it took more bending to break it loose.
Here is the same test done this evening, minus the Tamiya, with the Aerotech nose cone, numbered 1) CA and 2) Testor's 3501:
An hour later I tested it. Both pieces just fell off. Neither CA nor Testor's even touched the plastic on the cone. I went back and did another test with the Tamiya, thinking it might need liquid weld, but that had the same result.
The altimeter bay latch will have two flathead screws that will hold the assembly to the nose cone, so having it fall out is not a problem. But I'm curious as to the differences in the two plastics when it comes to adhesion. The Apogee cone is clearly styrene. It behaves just like the sheet styrene. It bends a little, then breaks.
The Aerotech cone is a different type of plastic—HIPS maybe? I can squeeze it a half inch easily. If I were able to do the same to the Apogee cone—and I couldn't because it's harder—it would break.
I guess the bottom line is, has anyone glued something to an Aerotech Arcas-type nose cone using something other than epoxy, and had it stick?