I don’t see any recent thread about this subject, and I want my own thread!
I have some photo etched parts that I need to glue to plastic. The photo etched part is a flat oval plate that is about 5mm wide by 3mm tall. And I need to glue it to a flat plastic “post.” The plastic has had the paint removed, so I am trying to glue the PE directly to the plastic.
I use Gold CA most frequently, but it doesn’t seem to hold very well.
I have Red or Magenta CA, and I have thin Loctite brand CA’s as well.
In my glues and putty’s drawer I also have JB Weld, 5 Minute Epoxy, Apoxy Sculpt, Miliput, and some 2 part plastic weld product from JB Weld.
What is going to make that part stay put? It is similar to a car license plate, so it might accidentally get bumped durring transport or while handling.
I’d use CA glue for sure. But first, make sure there’s a flat facet sanded into the plastic part so there’s good surface area for the glue to work. Also, maybe scuff-sand both the plastic and PE part, to give the glue some “tooth” to grab onto.
It’s never going to be a very strong joint, in any case.
Couple of things on this Chad. First, remember that PE is going to be fragile regardless of the adhesive. Second, if you apply PE over painted surfaces, it will be more prone to breaking off than if it is applied directly to plastic.
I prefer to use Loctite when attaching PE, but just about any superglue will work (see Tojo above). We also have contributors who use liquid plastic cement to soften plastic and then push the PE into it. Others have used clear gloss dabbed on with a paintbrush to attach PE.
For larger, less delicate PE parts, lightly scuffing the attachment surface with fine-grit sandpaper or a sanding pad can provide tooth for attachment, too.
For really big PE, you can always turn to 5-minute epoxy. Doesn’t take a lot to accomplish the task.
For the plate, scuff the backside and go with either superglue or epoxy.
I don’t have much luck with CA. When attaching PE to plastic or resin I use PVA (white glue). Evergreen “Canopy Glue” works for me. It’s available at Hobby Lobby.
I haven’t used the clear gloss method, personally, nor white glue or canopy glue for PE. If those grilles are flat and won’t have any torque on them or have to hold a curve, I don’t see why the clear gloss wouldn’t work. They basically need to just rest in place. Apply with a fine-tipped brush and go.
One other thing to consider with larger PE parts: The metal has spring to it. So if it needs to conform to a curve, it’s going to want to spring back to its normal, flat shape. Consider annealing the part and shaping it to the curve before gluing. That way there’s less tension on the adhesive—it’s just keeping the PE from slipping instead of having to coerce it to stay put.
I use CA glue (Bob Smith Industries). I have also used white glue.
I have read comments online over time from those who used Future to attach PE parts. I haven’t tried that, myself.
I did not glue the part that this thread was originally talking about yet. I have to glue the bumper on the car first. BUT the small part I mention in my reply to Tim has been glued on.
I had a pair of very small grilles to glue onto this car. I used regular white Elmers glue and it worked very well. HOWEVER, I might go back, clean it up, and try using gloss clear because I can see where the glue is. The glue is clear, but it is not glossy like the paint around it.
I liked the way the parts stuck, So I might give Elmers a go on the bumper though.
Everything is already painted. This is a car model kit and I am just trying to glue on some final photo etched details.
Last night I gled on some small grilles that go on each front fender. Cars body is already painted and polished. These grilles are very small… for car parts. Only about 1.5mm in diameter. I painted on some Elmers glue around the opening and then placed the PE grilles on there, resting on the glue.
Now the bumper “badge” the topic this thread was originally about… For this I have taken the bumper and sanded the surface where the “badge” will go so it is flat and there is no paint or anything on it. And I have roughed up the back of the PE badge with 120 grit.
My best advice is to clean the parts, rough up the mating surfaces, use a thin CA sparingly, apply pressure without sticking your finger to the part(tooth pick?), don’t try to move it and let it set awhile before handling. Better yet, don’t ever touch it again. As an aside, I tried using Pledge floor wax to hold windows on a plane model. It worked until I pushed too hard. I did find that with the Pledge coating I could use CA , without fogging the windows and they held very well. Good luck.
Ahoy ORE. I’ve got to throw in with you about CA. That stuff scares me, and I’m fearless! However, in addition to PVA and canopy glue, I recommend a product called Mod Poge. It’s a water base glue that dries clear. The car guys use it for windshields, headlights, taillights and other gluing applications so it won’t mark the surface. Sounds like artsy-fartsy stuff, but it works great.
I ended up roughing the surfaces with 120 grit. and I also drilled a very small hole into the bumper post where the plate was attached. Then I dabbed on some thin CA.
