best glue

[Anonymous]

When Epoxy glue is too thick for the application you have in mind use the old R/C modeler trick of thinning with a small amount of alcohol.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Testors glue for wood and metal models.

Jeffrey Wimberly, Leesville, La.

I'm out of my mind, but leave a message anyway.

[soapbox]

[orsonroy]

Epoxy works, but is nowhere near thin. Even a small amount between parts will leave a gap which will need to be filled (and filling and filing gap filler in metal is not a fun process). If mixed exactly right, it's a decent bond, with more shear strength than ACC.

However, I've built THOUSANDS of lead and pewter models, and MUCH prefer superglues for white metal. in my dim, dark past, I was a wargamer, and virtually everything in that hobby is some sort of white metal. I've built everything from 1/2400 destroyers that weight fractions of ounces to 1/72 Tiger I tanks that weight in at over a pound. Wargaming vehicles and figures go through a LOT more abuse than virtually any white metal model RR model, most of which are static and are just plunked down onto a layout, never to be touched again. I've also worked with a lot of metal in this hobby. If I can't solder it, I use ACC

ACC allows for a much thinner bonding joint, negating the need for gap filling. You don't have to worry about mixing ACC either. The "white fog" that sometimes occurs while using ACC is a result of using too much of it, and so can easily be avoided (less is more with ACC). The white residue is also paintable.

Finally, one thing that virtually all modelers forget about: white metals (all of them) oxidize FAST. The oxidation on pewter and lead (especially) will cause ANY adhesive bond to fail; the adhesive bonds to the surface that oxidizes, and the oxidation falls off the base metal. Once that happens (and it WILL happen), it's easier to fix the model if the residue you have to remove is ACC, since it just flakes off. With epoxy, you have to work it off.

One tip when choosing a superglue: use the cheap, thin stuff. Pretty much all ACC we modelers see in the LHS is the same thing. The only difference is in the fillers. All fillers weaken the basic ACC bond, so the thin, additive free stuff will give you the strongest bonds. And don't use a "kicker"; it's even worse than the additives for reducing the bond life and strength of ACC.

[Anonymous]

Two-part epoxy is by the best solution for metal-to-metal. These days few people use it and you'd be surprised how many people don't even know about it. When I worked part-time in a hobby shop, there wasn't a week that went by, without somebody coming in who wanted to glue metal to metal and had had bad results with CA.

Epoxy is also FAR stronger than CA for situations in which that matters.

[Anonymous]

I've always used gap filling CA and had good results.

[Anonymous]

My LHS sells a super glue made for metal. I really don't know what's different about it than normal super glue, but I have used it but I don't recall any problem painting over it. I also don't use an accelerator. The hold is ok, but not great.

I have used Walthers Goop and Pilobond, which are contact cements. They hold ok and gets stronger over time, but you have to deal with those stringy spider webs. Contact cements can be thinned with liquid styrene cements which makes it easier to use.

As Philip says, 5 minute epoxy will work. However, there are different types of epoxies. Some bond to metal better than others. There's an epoxy called JB Weld that's made for metal. I have used for metal repairs with very good results. Permatex has a [u]Strip Thread Repair Kit that really works good on repairing threads in holes and will also bond pot metals and alloys. I used it to repair a sunroof handle made of pot metal and it's been holding up for over twenty years.

Whatever glue you use, be sure to clean the surfaces with alcohol or lacquer thinner to remove any oils

[pcarrell]

The superglue can leave a white chemical fog on the part that you can't clean off all the way and its a bear to paint over.

[ARTHILL]

I would think that gap filling superglue would work.

[pcarrell]

5 minute epoxy works on about anything. Devcon is one brand. You mix it and then apply it with a toothpick or whatever. It dries clear and is sandable and paintable. It won't chemically fog parts either.

[pbuck]

hello all i was wondering what the best glue to use on pewter parts would be all help is appriciated thank you phil