LPR/MPR Glue choice.

[Shade]

I was wondering what glues you all use out there and what do you like, not
like about them.

My personal choice is Ambroid, I like the fast flash of the solvent so you get
a green cure fairly quickly, typically you can fins dry enough in 30-45 minutes
to rotate the airframe and glue the next fin on. I like the strength I get after
it fully cures I almost never have a fin bond line failure with it.

The only draw back you might say is has (I do not see it as a draw back) is
that it dries to a thin film, so it does not create much of a fillet. When I
want a fillet I just use green putty on top of the Ambroid, or is strenth is
needed I have some Lotite toughened epoxies I like to use. I used to work
for the parent company of Loctite so I got some "samples" gotta love free
stuff.

 

[The EGE]

I love Elmer's carpenter's wood glue. It dries pretty quick, makes good fillets, and is ridiculously strong. And very cheap.

 

[troj]

Titebond II

 

[TheAviator]

I am a fan of aliphatic resins (wood/white glue) as well. They make for strong joints, and you don't need to worry about toxicity or sticking yourself to the model.

However, when building competition models, I go for CA for tacking the fins on, then a very, VERY thin epoxy fillet. Makes everything nice and smooth.

 

[Micromeister]

I was wondering what glues you all use out there and what do you like, not
like about them.

My personal choice is Ambroid, I like the fast flash of the solvent so you get
a green cure fairly quickly, typically you can fins dry enough in 30-45 minutes
to rotate the airframe and glue the next fin on. I like the strength I get after
it fully cures I almost never have a fin bond line failure with it.

The only draw back you might say is has (I do not see it as a draw back) is
that it dries to a thin film, so it does not create much of a fillet. When I
want a fillet I just use green putty on top of the Ambroid, or is strenth is
needed I have some Lotite toughened epoxies I like to use. I used to work
for the parent company of Loctite so I got some "samples" gotta love free
stuff.

Shade:
I Love Ambroid Glue:
It's been a staple of my Model rocket building materials for as long as I've been in the hobby.
But it's NO longer the most used glue or adhesive on the bench for many reasons....Smell being only one of them.
Fillets if used should be for added strength not just aerodynamic smoothing. as such Squatron Green putty is a very poor choice adding little to no strength to the fillet.
For model and most midpower clustered models, Wood Glues, Elmers white glue, Carpenters yellow(Aliphatic) glues and Titebond-II and -III all have there place. and don't forget our old friend weldwood Contact cement, used on lots of gliders and wrap applications along with 3m Spray 77 and other aerosol sparyable contact cements.

Generally speaking good ol'e elmers white glue used with the Double Glue Joint method is all that's necessary for models up to 2lbs or so. On larger complex or Clustered models Medium CA, 5 and 30 minute epoxies fill most of the bills.

Fillets on All size models 1/8A micro all the way to Clustered 3.3lb models generally get 30minute epoxy. It just works the best, stays flexable for decades and doesn't crack and harden as much as good old Ambroid in such uses. If I want to make them lighter we can add phenolic microballoons, or 3m glass balloons making the epoxy light enough to float without undue lessening of the strength.

Speciality Glues and Adhesives are used on dissimilar material combinations such as wood/papers to plastics, carbon fibre, Graphite etc to plastic and such. Weld-on products, -5 16- & 30 come to mind, MC, MEK and Actone Tenax-7R, Amborid Proweld and Plastistruct proweld to name just a few. there are also a few structural adhesives for Stainless steel and aluminum fabrications...Mostly ground support stuff

 

[Shade]

John,

Thanks for the input. Where is a good source for the 3M glass balloons, I
used to use Henkel's microspheres but I don't work there any more...

But it's NO longer the most used glue or adhesive on the bench for many reasons....Smell being only one of them.

...few structural adhesives for Stainless steel and aluminum fabrications...Mostly ground support stuff

I like the smell, but then again I have spent too much of my life in a lab and
living just above, a destroyer's bilge. So, to say the least, my "sence" of
smell is distorted...

As far as my "glue" of choice for stainless is ER316 or ER4043 Tig rod,
LOL :neener: but, I do understand not every has a Dynasty 300DX in their
hobby shop.

 

[slogfilet]

I've been using Titebond II for a few years now everything from LPR to HPR, as long as I'm just sticking paper/wood/cardboard together. It can grab pretty quick when gluing couplers, but practice makes perfect. I haven't used it, but some folks have said Titebond III is a bit less "grabby."

For fillets, I lay down a couple beads of Titebond II for strength, then finish it with Titebond Molding and Trim Glue. There have been several threads about his stuff, and I really like it. Not good for structural applications, but makes very nice, smooth fillets that shrink very little.

When the mood strikes me (or when materials dictate), I've used BSI hobby shop epoxies, too, with very good results.

 

[troj]

Thanks for the input. Where is a good source for the 3M glass balloons, I used to use Henkel's microspheres but I don't work there any more...

Microballoons are available from numerous sources; anyone that sells fiberglassing products will offer them, along with several other fillers.

-Kevin

 

[Micromeister]

John,

Thanks for the input. Where is a good source for the 3M glass balloons, I
used to use Henkel's microspheres but I don't work there any more...



I like the smell, but then again I have spent too much of my life in a lab and
living just above, a destroyer's bilge. So, to say the least, my "sence" of
smell is distorted...

As far as my "glue" of choice for stainless is ER316 or ER4043 Tig rod,
LOL :neener: but, I do understand not every has a Dynasty 300DX in their
hobby shop.

Shade:
3m Glass balloons are only sold to industry. but you can get a sample if you contact 3m's Product services. They sent me a Gallon size bottle full that i've been using for about a decade LOL.
Glass balloons seem to me be finer and a good bit lighter then Phenolic microballoons sold in the hobby shops and elsewhere. Seems to take a good bit less to make the epoxy feather light.

Ambroid is still my choice for glider and other joints I want to remain strong and a bit flexible. I don't really mind the odor either, my main objection is some seperation bubbles that are harder to fill then with some of the other real glues. It does also have a bit more heat resistance then elmers or other wood glues.

Roger that, on the welding equipment....My father was an experimental model builder for NRL.... told me more than once if he caught me with a stinger in my hands he'd paddle me regardless of age....to Date i've resisted the temptation LOL!!!

 

[Marlin523]

Another vote for Titebond II. If there is no wood involved I also use either Titebond or Elmer's white glue.

 

[Zack Lau]

Is it still easy to get Red Devil Lightweight Spackle? It uses microballons, so it can be used to make extremely light fillets for cosmetic purposes.

 

[kullas]

I use titebond II or elmers wood glue for the fellits i use the titebond mold and trim glue, it dont run and can do all of them at one time

 

[Evo666]

I still use Elmer's wood glue for fins and fillets. Very easy to clean up.

 

[Marlin523]

I'm with Kullas

 

[MarkII]

Yellow glue: Gorilla Wood Glue or Titebond II or III (all are excellent)

White glue: Aleen's Quick-Dry Tacky Glue (preferred) or Elmer's

Epoxy (used more often for mid-power; rarely for low-power): BSI 30 minute cure (preferred) or 15 minute cure. Aeropoxy 6209 for sections in MPR builds that need the strongest bond possible. (Used infrequently, but it's the best there is.)

These are just what I happen to use. The glues mentioned by others are also good. (But I have absolutely no experience with Ambroid.)

I have also used BSI Insta+ CA (the gap-filling kind) to tack on fins in LPR builds before giving them strong fillets, but it's been awhile since I did that. It also works well for attaching fins made from sheet styrene to body tubes (as is sometimes done in Micromaxx builds).

MarkII