I’m not far off starting my model of the constitution and found both hull halves were very warped, I have clamped them together and left them in a very warm place for the last week and a half. it seems to be working but could someone please tell me the difference between all the glues you fellows use, so I can get the best possible join on my hull., I’ve heard of ca, testors, super etc what are there best uses ., being such a novice I really would appreciate some help.
The subject of glues has been a frequent topic in two other forums- General Discussions, and Tools. Your problem, however, is primarily one of strength. I’d use epoxy, and also use a strip of styrene glued along the seam, say 20 mil by 250 mil all along the bottom seam. I have also cut and fashioned a bulkhead or two to reinforce hulls. Epoxy will give you a decent working time, yet form a strong bond.
use styrene glue like testors on styrene plastic like that model of yours. use ca\super glue for gluing dissimilar materials like resin to styrene plastic.
“Testors”, Tenax and several other products are solvents. They will form a very solid bond between two unpainted pieces of styrene plastic. There are two important factors. The first is amount of mating surface. Although the stuff may seems “goopy”, at least the Testors in the tube, it has no strength whatsoever. It’s sole purpose is to melt the plastic so that the parts weld together. The second is the cleanliness of the surfaces. Remember that any time you bond painted parts together, the bond will only be as strong as the paints ability to stick to the part. I have often painted parts, then gone back and scraped or sanded off the paint at the gluing area in order to be able to use solvent type glue. If you can get a good match of two areas that fit together tightly, solvent type glue for plastic-to-plastic is hard to beat. That probably would be your best bet here. One factor is that solvent joints take a day or more to properly cure, so you cannot work fast with it. Of course we all remember sticking together an airplane in an afternoon…
CA or super glue is an adhesive.It sticks to stuff and can bond together dissimilar materials like wood to metal, plastic to metal etc. It’s also good for sticking together pre-painted parts, which is why ship modelers like the stuff. It dries quickly and is hard. But it also leaves a shiny finish and can be a little unpredictable. It creates joins that aren’t really very strong, and wouldn’t be a good choice here. Caution- it permanently fogs any clear plastic near it.
Epoxy is a catalyzed adhesive. It’s really strong, and bonds dissimilar materials well. It creates heat as it sets, so be careful not to use too much or it will warp the plastic. This isn’t usually a problem. But for example, I wouldn’t pour a big bead of it down the center of the ship.
And Don is correct- don’t be afraid to build up the connection. Model kit designers don’t seem to pay too much attention to that any more. But your Connie’s keel join is a nice big one.
I’ve placed metal rods and plastic rods inside of models to brace the parts to hold them at the right position. Usually if the plastic is resisting I’ll use epoxy. I mix the epoxy and let it sit for a minute or two and then tack glue with small quantities directly into the connection. I will if necessary buy a small piece of dry ice or big one as an emergency countermeasure if I use too much epoxy or solvent glue. I haven’t done it in a while. It would have saved my F2H Banshee a month ago but I didn’t get around to buying any. (There is a restaurant supply near me and I can get left over dry ice sometimes for free or a small block for not to much money.).
I had putty starting to melt a model and the dry ice froze the plastic and stopped the curing process dead in its tracks as the whole mess froze solid. Cracks can be fixed easier than stuff bent out of shape.
thankyou to all who replied, I didn’t know ca & superglue were the same thing.I’m learning so much.
The “c.a.” comes from the chemical name of 'super" glue–CyanoAcrylate.
Use of “super” comes from a name brand of “instant” glues, as does using “zap.”
“White glue” is occasionally referred to as “ambroid” glue.
One of the tradenames in glue can cause confusion. The Gorilla brand name has been applied to construction adhesive; it’s original product, a hydrophillic phenolic glue, amvbroid products in both brown ‘carpenter’s’ and white crafter’s formats, and a full line of “instant” glues in thin, medium, and thick.
Solvent glues for plastics can be confusing. The majority out there are for styrene, the most typical plastic used in models. Weld-on and a couple others were originally marketed for gluing ABS plastics (such as Plastruct shapes). These can often be used with styrene, if with some caution, as they can be “hotter” than regular styrene solvent glue.
For a hull, one technique is to find where the hull fits best–this could be bow, stern, or midships. Apply CA in that area, followed by clamps on the keel. This holds things together so you can then invert the hull and run a solvent glue from a brush tip along the seam from the inside. That is allowed to set up, then the process is repeated, closing the seam up as you go.
I thought Ambroid was the orange stuff, a translucent “plastic” material in a solvent base.
Gack!
You are correct, sir.
Ambroid is a methyl cellulose adhesive.
“Elmer’s” is PVA, polyvinyl acetate. What my brain was trying to spew out was Aliphatic resin–the classic yellow carpenter’s glue.
Egad! Do I detect a Major Hoople fan???
Dunno, I once met an LCDR Higgins, and I’ve slept several Holiday Inns (but not an Express).
E gad, sir 
isn’t anything sacred? these days. Hurmmf