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3M Styrofoam Spray Adhesive (6070)

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  • Member since
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  • 305,205 posts
3M Styrofoam Spray Adhesive (6070)
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 2, 2007 2:38 PM

I bought a can of this 3M Styrofoam Spray Adhesive (6070) to glue up different layers of pink foam in my landscaping on my train layout...

 Any experience with this product from 3M?  I'm using Foam-safe construction adhesive to glue to first layer of foam to the plywood.  I tried the same stuff inbetween layers of foam, but doesn't setup very fast, or at all in one example.

This adhesive says it's made ofr styrofoam, so I'm assuming this is a good thing... (http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/mmm/mmm6070.htm)

Any experience out there?

  • Member since
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  • From: Elgin, IL
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Posted by orsonroy on Saturday, February 3, 2007 7:14 AM
 interfx wrote:

I bought a can of this 3M Styrofoam Spray Adhesive (6070) to glue up different layers of pink foam in my landscaping on my train layout...

 Any experience with this product from 3M? 

 

Yes; lots. Two layouts ago, I found this "wonder adhesive" and used it to mount foam to plywood, to mount cork to the enchwork, and to lay track.

STAY AWAY FROM THIS GARBAGE.

Spray adhesives are basically rubber cement in a spray can. This material is designed primarily for one use: building posterboard displays or photo mounting. It's low-tack, not very aggressive, and a TEMPORARY glue bond, even if you use it "properly"; eg: spray both surfaces, push them together, seperate them, wait an hour and reattach the parts.

The parts held together so long as they were not "messed with" in any way. As soon as the layout started it's inevitable cycle of expansion and contraction, the bonds started failing. In one very spectactular example, a chunk of my mainline looked like a Hotwheels track loop when I went downstairs after a partictularly humid week. I have tried at least five different types of spray adhesives made by three different manufacturers, and they all performed the same - horribly.

Normal foam-safe rubber cement will work. Liquid Nails will work. PL300 will work. Latex caulk will work. Heck, white or wood glues will work. But I've never had an adhesive fail as totally and as quickly as all of the spray adhesives on the market.

Ray Breyer

Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 3, 2007 7:22 AM

great feedback...  How did you glue different layers of foam together then?  I tried a test sample with PL300, and it "never" dried...  (2 weeks)

 Thanks for the advice.

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  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Saturday, February 3, 2007 9:06 AM
I use standard water base white glue. Haven't had a problem with it in thirty years.

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  • Member since
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  • From: Elgin, IL
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Posted by orsonroy on Saturday, February 3, 2007 2:04 PM
 interfx wrote:

great feedback...  How did you glue different layers of foam together then?  I tried a test sample with PL300, and it "never" dried...  (2 weeks)

The biggest problem with using foam when building a layout is that fact that it's designed to stop the passage of air - it IS insulation, after all. Most glues NEED the passage of air over them to dry. Hence you get a nasty situation where it takes forever for adhesived to dry in between layers of foam.

You've got four options: 1) let the stuff dry for as long as it takes (which may be up to a month!); 2) let the glue partially dry before you laminate the two layers of foam together. It cuts drying time considerably; 3) use SILICONE caulk to glue foam to foam. It dried faster since it mostly cures once the ammonia evaporates from it (which is the downside: it STINKS); 4) use foam-safe rubber cement. Used as a conventional rubber cement, it'll be dry once you add the two layers together. The main downside of using RC is it's high cost relative to all the other adhesives out there.

I generally use silicone caulk to glue foam to wood and foam to foam. I'll then use latex adhesive caulk to glue roadbed to the foam, and track to the roadbed. I use white glue for all of my scenery bonding.

Ray Breyer

Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 6, 2007 6:01 PM

Thanks for all of the suggestions.  Ended up using Liquid Nails for Foam to glue foam to wood.  And used Silicone caulk from Foam to Foam...

Worked great!

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