What is the concensus on the Touch-N-Flow appliator for liquid cements? They sound like a good idea, but do they work?
Thanks
Mike
mikeV, i love mine. it took a few builds to really get the hang of how the thing works. for me personally its the best thing ive tried so far to apply glue accurately.
Thanks Saltydog. It sounds good. [tup]
How do you put the liquid cement into it? Do you use an eye dropper or something?
Now, if I can just find an online hobby shop that carries all the items I want so that I don’t have to pay multiple shipping from different sources. [:D]
I am going to check locally first.
Mike
just like a wash mike. put the touch n flow in the liquid cement metal end first and just leave it for about 30 seconds to a minute and capillary action draws it up and into the tube. it will only rise as far as the level of the liquid in the container so if it gets low you may have to lean the container over a bit. one tip for this kinda application is dont hold the parts with your fingers too close to where your “welding” or the capillary action of the glue will tend to suck right under your fingers and youll have deep finger prints to sand out on your model. hey mike, check your email, i emailed you a couple of questions myself.
Thanks Saltydog.
I shot an email back to you already. [:D]
By the way, what liquid cement do you use in your Touch-N-Flow?
Mike
I love my Touch-n-Flow but most of the time I use old drafting pens. As far a what type of cement to put in the Touch-n-Flow, I’ve used Ambroid, Tenax-7, and Testors. I’ll email you a picture of the drafting pen if you like. [;)]
Thanks Woody.
I have a drafting pen that I bought along with the Tenax 7R several years back. It works good but you have to leave the bottle open too long if you need much cement which causes it to evaporate quickly.
Mike
Touch N Flows the way to go…especially using adhesives like Tenax or Ambroid Proweld(Which is what I use), best $5 you’ll spend…As far as using it with other cements…well I dont know. I have some Tamiya Xtra thin cement that I need to try it out with…
Mike just be sure to keep the plastic tube handy they come in. Also be very carefull replacing the red “cap” on the storage tube…I once some had it hit the metal tip and bend it…it still worked kinda, just took longer to fill up…
That sounds like an advertising jingle. [(-D][(-D][(-D]
Thanks for the info Chris. I am going to buy one.
They have that set at HobbyTown USA which has the bottle of Tenax, a plastic applicator bottle, the Touch-N-Flow applicator, and two packages of micro brushes for $15.95. I think I may just buy that.
Micro-Mark also sells the Touch-N-Flow with 2 bottles of Tenax for $10.95 but I can’t see paying $6 for shipping on one small order, and no, I can’t afford to buy more goodies to make it worth the shipping cost. [:D][;)]
Mike
Hey Mike,
I use the touch-n-flow too and really like it. Works a real charm. I use Ambroid Pro-Weld and really like that glue. However, I go a little further when ‘filling’ the touch-n-flow. I actually dip it into the glue and just ‘suck’ the glue up the tube (like a straw). Just don’t go to fast or you’ll have a mouthful. I stop when the liquid is about 2" from my mouth and that much glue lasts quite a while.
One small tip I’ve learned. Sometimes the plastic from the model can clog the tip. I’ve found that if I just drag the tip along a paper towel or kleanex after each use, it releases some glue and clears the tip. It’s a quick, easy little habit and I’ve never had a problem since. If it does clog up, a dip in some laquer thinner will usually clear it.
Chris is right though, keep the tube because it’s quite fragile. I’ve broken one already.
PS, DO NOT try to use this thing with extra-thin CA. It will ruin it… (don’t ask me how I know…)
Murray
Wow Murray, your a pretty brave man! No offense, I had thought about the suck method…well while using the applicator, I had it in my mouth holding it and like a dummy took a breath in through my mouth MMMMMMM yummy a mouthful of PROWELD! ACK[xx(][xx(][xx(] I immediatly spit it out without swallowing any thank God.[:I] Really didnt suffer any ill effects from it other than the horrid taste and burning sensation.[:0][B)]
As far as the clogs go murray’s right that generally fixes it but what I actually do is put the needle back in the bottle tip down(if using Tenax or Proweld) and then pull it out after about a second or 2 and wipe the tip with my finger. By putting the needle in the bottle the Tenax or Proweld will actually 99.9% remove the clog for you.
Glad Murray mentioned the CA as I forgot to and I ruined my 1st applicator that way. NO CA at all…however I do ocassionaly run some Debonder through it to unglue a completely dry CA joint. The second one was lost due to the cap incident explained earlier.
Mike you might also want to check out ScaleHobby and see what Steve’s prices are…I know he has free shipping on his finishing supplies. I cant remember if the applicator and Tenax would be in this category or not…
Yeah, it’s a little bit risky, and these chemicals (whatever they are) probably aren’t in the list of things you’d want swimming around on your tongue (even in the smallest amount). However, I find that it takes more effort than I thought to coax the glue up the tube. I had one “incident”, but that was just becuase I was trying to fill the tube as much as possible, instead of stopping a couple of inches from the end (Doh! Won’t do that again!!) It doesn’t travel anywhere near as fast as a drinking straw, and I just give a gentle ‘tug’ to ease it up the tube. It was just the only way I could figure out how to fill the tube when my bottle of Ambroid was getting low?
I guess if I got in the habit of setting the touch-n-flow in the glue in between uses, that would keep it filled (at least to the level of the glue in the bottle). But, then I’d be wiping off the outside of the tube everytime I went to use it (it would definitely prevent any clogs though.) I also found that the glue (Ambroid or Tenax or whatever) evaporates out of the jar very quickly and so I don’t like leaving the cap off.
Murray
Hey guys I just returned from HobbyTown USA and bought the Tenax “Space Age Plastic Construction Kit” like this here:
The plastic bottle in the picture is designed to be filled with Tenax and then you insert the metal syringe into the opening in the back of the Touch-N-Flow applicator and fill it up that way. That way you don’t get it on your tongue. [(-D]
It came with a bottle of Tenax 7R, Touch-N-Flow applicator, the plastic bottle to fill it, and two packs of Micro Brushes, one fine and one super fine.
I can’t wait to try it. [:D]
Mike
I just did that. [banghead]
I put the metal tube end in first with the plastic storage tube horizontal so as to not damage the metal tube on the Touch-N-Flow if I just let it fall into the storage tube.
Then when I pushed the red cap on the end, the edge of the cap caught the glass tube of the Touch-N-Flow and pushed it against the bottom of the container bending the metal tube a little. [
]
They need to redesign that storage tube to protect it better, or maybe they did that on purpose for job security? [;)]
Mike
LOL Job Security!
Sorry to hear that Mike, I however did mine the opposite way, my metal tube was facing up and was a lil crooked when I put the cap on…Severly bent mine, still worked(Kinda), so if yours is a lil bent it should be ok.
When you have a few xtra $$$ pick up another one to keep as a spare, I have 3 total…Just in case. Geesh I wish someone would open a 24 hr LHS!! LOL
I have one Mike. I like it a lot.
mark956
Thanks Mark. I think I am going to like this one also.
Mike
Chris,
A 24-hour hobby shop? Now that would be original. [:D]
Do you have the plastic bottle that I mentioned for putting the liquid in the Touch-N-Flow? It works good. [tup]
Mike
I have one, and I love it. However I just ruined it. I guess I misunderstood that it would work with all liquid CA glues. I used a brand called HOT STUFF Super T. Made by Satelite City. I wanted to use it because it is gap filling. It is as much a liquid as the Tenax I have been using so I figured it would work fine. It bonded almost imediately in the tube. I couldnt blow out the glue in minutes after trying it out. Well, i guess you learn the hard way sometimes.
Anyone have any idea if a CA debonder will clean it out?
God Bless
Dave
how do you clean it out after use, i got one from Micro-Mark with twobottles of Tenax under 10 bucks
Thanks
Shawn