Same here, pretty much, altough I’ve found that it does still have a few uses in diorama applications, such as when I need to tie “water” into something… For instance, I used it on the cellophane that I wedged between the hull of a Kingfisher float and the plaster “water” it was in… I was doing the Kingfisher taking off, so I needed to have something a bit on transparent side to make the bow-wake look better, and to add spray effects… It also worked for bullet-strikes on water, although it’s a tricky application and quite time-consuming, and I’ve since found a better way to do it… But I’ll always keep a tube handy… Oh yeah, I also use the tube itself when I need something like seat-belts or cargo straps and the foil tape I usually use isn’t thick enough…
By and large though, It’s the Testor’s Model Master Black and Testor’s Liquid…
If you are having the ‘string’ problem when using the glue, you may want to ensure you have a fresh tube. As it ages, the glue starts having the string problem with greater frequency. Also cap your clue as often as you can. I work from a very small dab of glue at a time and use toothpicks or a hat pin as an applicator. Good luck.
In my opinion using Testors tube glue is fine if you are still listening to Bill Haley and the Comets on the radio. [:D]
I use Tenax and Tamiya liquid cements. They weld the parts together unlike the Testors tube stuff that produces a weak joint that needs to be clamped while drying. This is the 21st century folks, it’s time to use the stuff that works better and faster! [;)]
Tenax ain’t nuthin’ new, Mike… I first used it in the 80’s… Bought one bottle, went back to what worked for me… Too hot for my liking, and half of it evaporated because I have a tendency to walk away from the bench and get side-tracked for a day… Testor’s is cheap and works quite well…
I first tried Tenax around 1993 or so. Yes, it does evaporate very quickly. I disliked it for that reason. While my main cement is the Tamiya extra thin, I do keep a bottle of the cheaper Testors liquid cement. I use that for texturing the surface of smooth kits.
Tube glue has it’s purpose, which is to keep tubes from collapsing flat. I have a tube in my drawer for those odd occasions where it is easier to use the quick initial tack of a tube glue over any others.
CA stands for cyanoacrylate, a generic term for methyl 2-cyanoacrylate, AKA Superglue or Krazy Glue. Zap A Gap is just a brand name (owned by Superglue) targeted to hobbyists and is used to fill gaps in materials. Some CA glues are available in a thin, medium and thick formulation. If using to fill gaps, sand smooth shortly after the initial cure takes place (less than a minute usually), as CA glue that has fully cured (24 hours) is very hard to sand. I use it for gluing dissimilar materials, and use modeling putty for filling gaps.
CA has a strong “pull” strength, but a low “shear” strength. If you try to pull pieces glued with CA you’ll likely fail. Give it a sideways tap and pieces can pop off easily. Especially if you put it in the freezer for a couple of hours.
CA polymerizes in the presence of water, and has an exothermic reaction, which can put out a surprising amount of heat, especially when combined with cotton. It needs to be stored in a tightly closed container in a dry place. Frost free freezers are a good place (the kind where you have to defrost is certain death). Many modelers have been chagrined to find their barely used bottle of CA hard as a rock after only a few months. Putting the container in a jar with a tight lid and a silica gel pack also works.
CA can be combined with an accelerator, usually a hydroxide ion base, for an instant cure. Sometime just breathing on it, like you would do when cleaning glasses, is all it takes. The water vapor in your breathe is more than sufficient for most applications. Try not to breathe in the fumes, as it fairly toxic and can trigger asthma. Even the vapors can adhere to the membranes in your mouth and nose which can be quite painful. CA can also irritate the skin through its exothermic behavior.
Like many products, CA was discovered 'by accident". It was developed by Kodak during experiments to create clearer lenses for bomb sights. They quickly realized it’s potential for adhesion and developed it into the first “superglue”. It was also used as an instant suture during the Vietnam War. 2-Octyl Cyanoacrylate was developed specifically for medical use, and has a much lower exothermic reaction, allowing it to be used as a surgical suture. It is now available for home use as LiquiBand or SurgiSeal.
The larger of the two tins retails for about $10.00. My last one has lasted me nearly ten years and has assembled dozens of models. Look for it at industrial plastic supply distributors or drop me a note and I will help you locate some.
I transfer small amounts into a working bottle and apply it with a Touch N Flow.
I’ve mentioned this on other sites, our group uses methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) purchased at our local hardware store for about $4.00 a pint. It is the main ingredient of most plastic model cements. One pint will last you years! Try it, you’ll like it.
