We’ve all had instances where we needed to attach parts temporarily, for painting, test-fitting, etc. I have to temporarily attach drive sprockets, idlers, road wheels and return bogies to my DML Marder II in order to assemble those tiny indy track links. The “axles” are not suffiently snug-fit to hold the wheels “dry,” and the drive sprocket has no axle at all- it cements directly to the exterior gear housing. No poly-caps or glue-on hubs.
Can anyone recommend a robust, non-solvent glue or technique that would lend itself to holding the wheels securely enough to build the tracks, but still be removeable w/o damage? Initial experiments with Elmers’ and Future are disappointing. BTW- nothing in or on the lower hull tub has been primed or painted, yet.
Hello. You may want to try good ol` elmers whit glue. It does take a little time to set up, but can be taken apart and cleans up with water. Good luck…Harv
Try some crazy glue (CA). It’ll hold strong, but it’s not a solvent glue. When you need to get the pieces apart, pop the assembly in the freezer for an hour, give it a couple of light taps and they’ll come right apart.
Gators Grip, formerly sold under the Gator’Glue name.
Made by Kenny Gator Loup out of Sulphur LA, he is beginning to sell the heck out of this stuff for attaching PE parts to ships. You will find many other uses as well. Dries clear and has immediate tack after about ten minutes. I told him on Saturday he needs to think about giving away tiny promotinoal bottles at next years Nats.
Here is the URL. I have used about half a bottle now and all I can say is it WORKS. Also he does custom paint masks if you provide the artwork, fuzzzy picture published once in a Polish language magazine, sketch on a napkin, etc…you get the idea. I have a few of his custom paitn mask sets.
A similar product to what Loup packages is The Ultimate by Crafters Pick. Its available at craft stores, I got my bottle at Michaels. IIRC, its a little less expensive than GG. It is labeled as a water-based superglue. It can be used either as a one surface tack glue or a two surface contact cement. It has good flexibility, yet holds.
Another good water soluable PVA/white glue is Aleene’s Tacky Glue, also from the craft store.
Interesting products. I don’t have much in the way of a compete LHS within 100 miles, but I can check the craft stores for the glues mentioned, and will check out the Gator site, as well. The CA in the freezer sounds interesting, also- never tried cold as a release agent. Does the viscosity of the CA matter, Fred? I usually keep only medium or gel, but the thin stuff is easy to find and cheap.
The viscosity of the CA makes no difference. They only add a retarder to slow down the curing time and that’s what makes it thicker or thinner. Once dry though, they’re all the same.
Test the method on some scrap parts, just to make sure you’re comfortable with the idea.
As luck would have it, I have a couple of battered, 30-yr old Tamiya panzers lying around that are perfect for such experimentation, so I will check it out. Thanks again, guys.
What about Mod-Podge ? a thick, elmers like white glue that’s water soluable, and in my exp. pretty easy to remove. Used it in Model RR. thick and tacky soon.
Sold in places like Hobby lobby, art/craft stores.
ditto on the tacky glue, I just saw that above. very similiar.
ive got a bottle of the Aileens but I dont seem to have good luck with it. it’s like it goes hard in the bottle once I open it, then when I do manage to get some out, it does not stick well.
Another one was the foam glue…oh boy…that stuff was like workign with TAR!
Recently, I read a modeling tip in Scale Auto Enthusiast (if I have the name correct) about using Poligrip denture cream as a temporary holding glue. I’ve tried it a couple of times and it seems to work OK as long as you’re gentle. Once you’re done, you can take the assembly apart again and the Poligrip cleans right off; it’s quite easy.
I use Scenic Accents to help position and hold small photoetched parts (ship railings and other non-structural items) to styrene before applying superglue to permanently attach them. I’ve also used it to temporarily hold multiple pieces of styrene sheet together while shaping them identically. It works perfectly in these instances. For what you are trying to do, it might not offer enough shear strength for the drive sprocket, but would probably work well for the other portions of the suspension. I can’t be certain, because I don’t build tracked vehicles, but one option, I suppose, would be to drill holes in the sprocket and gear housing for a real axle of some kind.
Both Liquitape and Scenic Accents are relatively inexpensive, however, and are extremely useful additions to the work bench, so I’d give one of them a try.
Thanks for all the replies. As it happens, I have had no success with any of the glues in my particular application, so I’ve decided to alter my assembly plan and finish the upper and lower hulls separately, and build the track in place before joining the upper permanently to the lower. Leaving the track in upper and lower halves for removal and painting will not require temporary glue and the entire suspension can be painted and weathered before the completed track is put in final position and glued. Thanks again for all the suggestions.
A not-too-adhesive suggestion is to use the tacky stuff some brands call Blu-Tac… the stuff for hanging poster boards. I use it to build figures; just used this nethods 1/2 hr ago. In order to align the arms that will be holding a rifle (hands attached to gun), I put some up the sleeve, holds the hands (holding rifle) while I get the arms glued in place. I have used this stuff to hold road wheels and drive sprockets in place while shaping the tracks.
Does this hold fairly securely. And then when you unbond, use what, a little force prying apart. Does the cement area flake away or need sanding. Does it bond painted surfaces?. Damage upon removable
Does this hold fairly securely. And then when you unbond, use what, a little force prying apart. Does the cement area flake away or need sanding. Does it bond painted surfaces?. Damage upon removable? BTW which Mod-Podge recommended, gloss?