Estes Saturn V Skylab - adhesive for wraps

[Dissonance]

I'm building the Estes Saturn V Skylab. The instructions say to use spray adhesive for the wraps. I just put on veneer on a murphy bed with liquid adhesive. Any thoughts on using a liquid adhesive instead of spray adhesive for the wraps?

 

[BEC]

I used Beacon Fabri-Tac to put the wraps on my Saturn V a few years ago. Much less messy and less nerve wracking than spray on contact cement of any sort. The model was built for the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 and it still looks fine, with the wraps all firmly in place.

 

[Art Upton]

I used Beacon Fabri-Tac to put the wraps on my Saturn V a few years ago. Much less messy and less nerve wracking than spray on contact cement of any sort. The model was built for the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 and it still looks fine, with the wraps all firmly in place.

Interesting, I might try that on my Little Joe II wrap. What to you think ?

 

[BEC]

I’m across the country from my kit stash right now (tARC finals) so I can’t just open a box and look….what is the wrap made out of?

The Saturn wraps, as you probably know, are vacuum-formed polystyrene.

 

[Art Upton]

I’m across the country from my kit stash right now (tARC finals) so I can’t just open a box and look….what is the wrap made out of?

The Saturn wraps, as you probably know, are vacuum-formed polystyrene.

It's a vacuform, so I assume the same. It's not paper.

 

[mikec]

I've never had much luck with spray adhesive on wraps, but some people swear by it. I think I'll try rubber cement on the next one I build.

 

[NOLA_BAR]

I have used Beacon Foam-Tac (not the Fabri-Tac) for Estes Saturn V, Little Joe II, and Mercury Atlas wraps. Still attached with no issues. See my thread here:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/beacon-foam-tac-for-styrene-wraps.159681/

Make sure it is Foam-Tac and not Fabri-Tac. Fabri-Tac contains a solvent that might dissolve the styrene.

https://www.amazon.com/BEACON-Foam-...34405&sprefix=beacon+foam-tac+,aps,136&sr=8-1

 

[James Duffy]

This video demonstrates the use of 3M High Strength 90 spray adhesive, just scrub ahead to the 6:55 point.

 

[BEC]

I have used Beacon Foam-Tac (not the Fabri-Tac) for Estes Saturn V, Little Joe II, and Mercury Atlas wraps. Still attached with no issues. See my thread here:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/beacon-foam-tac-for-styrene-wraps.159681/

Make sure it is Foam-Tac and not Fabri-Tac. Fabri-Tac contains a solvent that might dissolve the styrene.

https://www.amazon.com/BEACON-Foam-Tac-Powerful-Glue-Fast-Drying/dp/B0052RUL28/ref=sr_1_1?crid=CHHD40RDPCE9&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.EAUG4TIlAghXTvDVLwZYgNUiZjyR-qAgfZhOCapfjsUK07Xz7OJlLF_8zo3MtzvWS7Ye9Xa63eUMVRw_5XR3BFegYYfqXC0nE5aMGbXn3GCNTLOaxJ2xpOUi5XI6SYVhpVziiVYNTL7-PTG9nfSMcjAGTC00pVt_FrvRj5jeBMvVxNVYjXR_4ttJJSRuapAptE7AumUc1M2r3QqteEHH8UaxuKqDfSLw2CieGhF-DDV6PQRZioCYI82qPRz66RTt6D7v4k3JOLSQWTBpp6L8B3velEipzRDPvyb-y0KJIDY.eczWmZv6cSkHD4-Mmj17RVShZ0MKwT5iLjCphbhXm2A&dib_tag=se&keywords=beacon+foam+tac+glue&qid=1716034405&sprefix=beacon+foam-tac+,aps,136&sr=8-1

Yes, I probably misspoke. I have both products at my workbench, but I may well have mis-remembered which one I used on my Saturn V.

Foam-Tac would be the one.

Of course James will show a very effective way to use the spray adhesive in his video, I’m sure. He has a better work area and steadier hands than I for such things.

 

[neil_w]

This video demonstrates the use of 3M High Strength 90 spray adhesive, just scrub ahead to the 6:55 point.

That video is so great it almost makes me want to build a S1B.

Almost.

 

[NOLA_BAR]

Yes, I probably misspoke. I have both products at my workbench, but I may well have mis-remembered which one I used on my Saturn V.

Foam-Tac would be the one.

Of course James will show a very effective way to use the spray adhesive in his video, I’m sure. He has a better work area and steadier hands than I for such things.

Yes, I was pretty sure that was the case. The main advantage for me with the Foam-Tac is the ease of use and basically no VOC smells. I build in an attached garage, and any noxious odor quickly permeates the house. Of course I promptly get notified by the other occupants!

 

[mikec]

This video demonstrates the use of 3M High Strength 90 spray adhesive

Nice video. Over the years 3M 77 has been recommended but my experience has been uniformly bad with that, it seems like the 90 works much better.

That said, I can think of no real advantage that spray has over brush-on adhesive for this application and I'm liking the sound of the Foam-Tac a lot. Too bad I've already built as many of these things as I can stand, but never say never...

 

[Scott_650]

Good to know about Foam-Tac for those Estes styrene wraps - I’m not a huge fan of spray adhesives either.

 

[Dissonance]

@BEC What a great suggestion! I first thought that it would take 5 days to arrive from Amazon because I live in a rural community, but my local Walmart has it. I did a test with a scrap piece of the vacuum foam on a wrapping paper tube. It looked promising, so I just did half of the wraps. They turned out great.

Nb., I'm using the Fabri-Tac and not the Foam-Tac. I'm having no issues with the wraps dissolving.

 

[NOLA_BAR]

@BEC What a great suggestion! I first thought that it would take 5 days to arrive from Amazon because I live in a rural community, but my local Walmart has it. I did a test with a scrap piece of the vacuum foam on a wrapping paper tube. It looked promising, so I just did half of the wraps. They turned out great.

Nb., I'm using the Fabri-Tac and not the Foam-Tac. I'm having no issues with the wraps dissolving.

Good that you did a test first. Report back on your progress.

 

[Saluki]

I'm in the process of building the ESTES Saturn Skylab and have been reading this thread because I will soon be doing the skins.
Could someone who has experience applying the Fabri-Tac or Foam-Tac how do you apply it?
Do you use a brush to apply or do you spread it out or do you just lay a bead down?
If you lay a bead of glue down do you make a curvy line or a straight line and how far apart between lines?
Do you apply the glue to the Vac-U plastic or the cardboard tube?

 

[NOLA_BAR]

I'm in the process of building the ESTES Saturn Skylab and have been reading this thread because I will soon be doing the skins.
Could someone who has experience applying the Fabri-Tac or Foam-Tac how do you apply it?
Do you use a brush to apply or do you spread it out or do you just lay a bead down?
If you lay a bead of glue down do you make a curvy line or a straight line and how far apart between lines?
Do you apply the glue to the Vac-U plastic or the cardboard tube?

Check out my thread here:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/beacon-foam-tac-for-styrene-wraps.159681/

I apply the Foam-Tac to the tube. Outline in pencil the position of the wrap and apply the Foam-Tac generously staying inside the pencil outline. Another tip is to do a second inside line about 1/8" from the outside line. Stay inside the second line. This allows some to spread but doesn't go past the edge of the wrap. Just apply continuous beads, I didn’t brush it on t to he tube.

 

[Saluki]

Thanks, NOLA_BAR, I put my first wrap on this morning. I'll give it some time to set up and dry and hope I did it right.
Thanks again.

 

[NOLA_BAR]

Thanks, NOLA_BAR, I put my first wrap on this morning. I'll give it some time to set up and dry and hope I did it right.
Thanks again.

I’m sure it is fine. I did an Apogee Saturn V the same way. Trying to remember some more tips. Get the wraps tight on the tube. Then hold using painters tape till the adhesive cures. You can seal the edges with Super Gold Thin CA if you want.

 

[NOLA_BAR]