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Campbells corrugated aluminum best adhesive

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Campbells corrugated aluminum best adhesive
Posted by rrebell on Thursday, September 30, 2021 6:22 PM

I did a roof recently and now I forget what I used, might have been ACC as it was metal to wood. Now it will be cardboard to metal. What have you used and it stayed on for the duration.

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Posted by RR_Mel on Thursday, September 30, 2021 7:19 PM

It’s been years since I built up my Campbell Silver Spur Mine but I think I used Aleene’s Wood Glue for the entire kit.

That is my go to glue for craftsman kits.

It's still hanging in there after about 15 years.


 
Mel

 
My Model Railroad   
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

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Posted by 7j43k on Thursday, September 30, 2021 7:25 PM

I think I would use epoxy.  It will bond to metal.  It will bond to wood.  I can't see why it wouldn't bond to cardboard.  It's great at gap-filling.

 

Ed

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, September 30, 2021 7:56 PM

I am pretty sure all I have ever used on Campbell's corrugated siding is old-school contact cement.

Paint both surfaces with the cement, let it dry, then carefully press them together for a permanent bond. This did not seem to warp the cardboard roof templates that Campbell used.

I am going back a couple of decades here. There might be better products now.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by trainnut1250 on Thursday, September 30, 2021 8:03 PM

I've done lots of campbells corrugated. "Killer red" double sided tape works great. Its not ordinary double sided tape - its industrial strength.  I have also used Aileens with success but it is hard to keep the glue off of the front surface. Contact cement works but is lots of work for a large area.

 

If you need more info on the Killer red let me know and I'll look up the source - we had to special order it.

 

Guy

see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site

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Posted by HO-Velo on Thursday, September 30, 2021 9:10 PM

Contact cement here.  

Alum. to wood, 30 years and counting, some panels lifted a bit, but structure was attic stored for a few years (excessive heat).

Alum to matt board, 8 years and counting.  Regards, Peter

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Posted by rrebell on Thursday, September 30, 2021 10:04 PM

Thats what I like, real world facts.

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Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, September 30, 2021 11:29 PM

When using Campbell's aluminum sheets, I use gelled contact cement, applied to both mating surfaces using a suitably-sized brush,  (the gelled stuff goes on smoother than regular contact cement), which means that I don't have to rub the aluminum panels (to get a better bond) once they're on the structure - the cement just seems to grab, and the panels are in place, with no extra work and no deformation of the corrugations.
Most of mine are done on .060" sheet styrene, and I usually "prep" the plastic with an application of lacquer thinner - this softens the surface of the plastic, allowing the contact cement to bond more easily to it.

Here are a few examples...the photos don't show the corrugations all that well, but clicking on the photos will yield enlarged views...

...this one is a photo of a real building, printed on good quality cardstock (from Kingmill), then mounted on a sheet styrene sub-structure, while the roof is covered in Campbell corrugated sheets...

...another one atop a sheet styrene roof...

This coal dealer's shed has a corrugated roof (and out-of-the-frame end)...

...but the roof panels are cemented to the framework of the built-up roof, as shown here on the underside of the removeable roof...

...and here's some corrugated roofing on a couple more scratchbuilt small structures...

While I've not used it for the Campbell corrugated sheets, another option that should work well is double-sided carpet tape - apply it to the roof (or wall) then gently lay the panel in place.

I also have a number of fences with the sheets mounted directly onto the framework of the fence...

...the lettering was done using a homemade stencil and my airbrush.

Wayne

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Posted by maxman on Friday, October 1, 2021 12:29 AM

What, exactly, is gelled contact cement?  Is this the water based one, or the other more toxic flavor?  Big can or tube?

Unfortunately I don’t do well searching for things when I don’t have at least a brand name to look for.

So if you can suggest a flavor, it would be appreciated.

Thanks!

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, October 1, 2021 1:10 AM

Living the dream.

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Posted by doctorwayne on Friday, October 1, 2021 1:17 AM

maxman
What, exactly, is gelled contact cement? Is this the water based one, or the other more toxic flavor? Big can or tube?

The first time I used it, I believe that it was from Weldwood, in a gallon can.  It is not water-based, so does have that lacquer-thinner type of scent.  I was using it to veneer some homemade kitchen cupboards.  In over 30 years, not one panel or strip of that veneer has ever loosened.
The advantage of the gelled formula is that there are no drips when you load the brush (I was using a 2" brush for the cupboards, but used a 1" for most model work. 
I also used the gelled stuff to put down some cork roadbed, and atop that, some Central Valley tie strips, and finished-up using a stiff 1/2" brush to secure soldered-together 12' and 15' lengths of rail to the ties. 
Like any contact cement, apply the cement to both surfaces, and let it sit until it's dry-to-the-touch.
To ensure accurate alignment (since contact cement bonds, surprisingly, on contact), I place sheets of waxed paper over the tie strips then, after lining-up the end of the length of rail with the tie strip, moved the waxed paper just enough to press the end of the rail onto the first tie.  After that, it was a move-the-waxed-paper-a-bit, then press-the-rail-in-place...the process actually proceeds quite quickly.

When the gallon can had been used-up, I bought a pint can of LePages gelled contact cement, which worked as well as the Weldwood, but it did seem to me to have a shorter shelf life....perhaps I was working more slowly, as it was on smaller items, which demanded a neater application.

If you're sensitive to the odour of chemical-based glues, the double-sided tape is a good alternative.

Wayne

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Posted by maxman on Friday, October 1, 2021 8:08 AM

Guys, thanks for the info.  I’ll make a note of this and try to remember where I put the note.

Now I just have to figure out what “PVA” is.  If that turns out to be “wood glue”, I’ll be good to go.

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Posted by rrebell on Friday, October 1, 2021 8:54 AM

maxman

Guys, thanks for the info.  I’ll make a note of this and try to remember where I put the note.

Now I just have to figure out what “PVA” is.  If that turns out to be “wood glue”, I’ll be good to go.

 

Basicaly PVA is white glue.

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Posted by dknelson on Friday, October 1, 2021 9:34 AM

trainnut1250
I've done lots of campbells corrugated. "Killer red" double sided tape works great. Its not ordinary double sided tape - its industrial strength. 

I have been making more and more use of 3M transfer tape - very thin double sided tape, very strong adhesive.  For some purposes I apply it to both surfaces.  However you get ONE CHANCE to get it right when mating the surfaces.

Apart from that I have used good old fashioned Walthers Goo BUT I actually follow the instructions on the tube (does this make me less manly?  Kisses) and apply to both surfaces, let it dry a bit, and then press together.  

Dave Nelson

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Posted by trainnut1250 on Friday, October 1, 2021 12:11 PM

dknelson
trainnut1250
I've done lots of campbells corrugated. "Killer red" double sided tape works great. Its not ordinary double sided tape - its industrial strength. 

I have been making more and more use of 3M transfer tape - very thin double sided tape, very strong adhesive.  For some purposes I apply it to both surfaces.  However you get ONE CHANCE to get it right when mating the surfaces. 

Yes you do only get one chance with the sticky tape. I ruin very few pieces even with the one shot approach.

dknelson

Apart from that I have used good old fashioned Walthers Goo BUT I actually follow the instructions on the tube (does this make me less manly?  Kisses)

 

If you have to ask..LOL .Smile Cool I'm sure the goo directions aren't as bad as the directions in an IKEA item...

 

Guy

 

see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, October 1, 2021 2:04 PM

maxman
Now I just have to figure out what “PVA” is.

rrebell
Basicaly PVA is white glue.

I have only bought one bottle of glue labeled as "PVA".

For my observations, it was just regular old white glue. Like Rrebell, I could not tell any difference.

-Kevin 

Living the dream.

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Posted by Overmod on Friday, October 1, 2021 2:21 PM

maxman
Now I just have to figure out what “PVA” is.

Poly(vinyl acetate).  Active ingredient in Elmers and some other white glues...

I have to wonder if some of the information here is useful in this specific context:

https://rurallivingtoday.com/rural-living/best-wood-glue/

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Posted by BigDaddy on Friday, October 1, 2021 6:42 PM

I did a Campbells building and I think it was white glue.  As the siding is light and if you are in no hurry, any glue that dries in the next hour ought to be OK. 

If you are in a rush, the thin ACC would do.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by rrebell on Saturday, October 2, 2021 8:58 AM

So I have been doing tests, wanted to get this done but I do have other areas to finish, it is just this area only has basic scenery and a foam mockup of the building. So far Tacky Glue is a no go, Canopy glue, no go, transfer tape, no go. Testing ACC gel, caulk, both white and clear and contact cementl, will find out later today. Also I found a winner with a flaw, Pace makes a two sided tape called Permanent Mounting Tape that has a bit of a foam backing which makes it unsuitable for the walls as it adds to the thickness, but this stuff holds, can still be removed from the siding but only in peices.

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Posted by trainnut1250 on Saturday, October 2, 2021 10:40 AM

The tape you want is "Killer Red" by Bron. Jack Burgess and a group of us local guys bought a bunch of rolls of this a couple of times over the last 15 years or so. I have some buildings that are going on a decade that are still holding tight. My friends and I collectively have many data points to suggest this stuff will hold long term.They do sell it now through suppliers a roll at a time (we had to meet the minimum for the distributor (10 rolls?).

The beauty of this tape is that you are not making glue appiications to small pieces of corrugated metal. You apply it to the shell and then pull the backer off and start applying the metal. My latest project was a model of the Merced Roundhouse (on the YV). I had over 500 pieces of corrugated to apply to that structure. I would still be applying the corrugated if I had to paint glue on the back of each of those pieces.

The key getting a good look is to barely overlap the pieces no more that a 1/16" and they snug right down an don't lift on the edges.

Here is the tape on the side of my engine house

Here is the finished application before paint touch up

Have fun,

 

Guy

see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site

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Posted by rrebell on Sunday, October 3, 2021 9:23 AM

Ok so white caulk is the worst, clear much better along with gel ACC. Contact cement works fine, not as good as the pace tape but good enough. Next up is the cutting, says in the instructions not to use scissors but they seem fine for the job but then mine are super sharp.

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Posted by wp8thsub on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 9:24 PM

rrebell
Next up is the cutting, says in the instructions not to use scissors...

I like to make a jig from scrap styrene (to hold the metal square to the edge), and employ a bend-and-break technique.  Bend the aluminum a couple times back and forth, then it should break cleanly along a corrugation.  A jig can also work great for making a bunch of pieces the same size.

Milton Elevators 1

by wp8thsub, on Flickr

For the elevator at left, I attached the corrugated metal to styrene using Weldwood contact cement thinned 50:50 with lacquer thinner.  It's held up for over 20 years.

Rob Spangler

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Posted by rrebell on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 5:20 PM

Well I started. I cut the corigated siding using a Chopper and a new pad (much more important doing this than new blade) and I turned it to other directions too so that I had a fresh surface every now and then. Also the way you chop, firm hand and an extra push at the end and also staching the sheets (three seemed to work best). Last don't try to glue up too much at once and attach the corrigated stuff to something as you apply the glue.

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