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Edited: Unsticking the stuck, the answer to the problem

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Edited: Unsticking the stuck, the answer to the problem
Posted by jacon12 on Thursday, August 28, 2014 8:59 PM

I have some Faller CA, comes in a plastic bottle that has a hollow wire protruding from the top for an applicator.  There is a little plastic cap for when not in use.  Looks like this..

http://www.faller.de/App/WebObjects/XSeMIPS.woa/cms/page/pid.14.17.91/agid.1114/atid.778/lg.en/ecm.at/EXPERT-25-g.html

No matter how careful I've been glue has evidently dried in the 'needle' applicator.  I like using it because of the precise control the thing provides.  Any suggestions on how to clean it?

thanks,

Jarrell

 HO Scale DCC Modeler of 1950, give or take 30 years.
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Posted by Motley on Thursday, August 28, 2014 10:38 PM

Try soaking it in nail polish remover. That should disolve the CA.

Michael


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Mile-HI-Railroad
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 29, 2014 1:05 AM

Your Faller "CA" is just plain solvent-based plastic glue. There is a quite radical way of freeing the needle applicator. Just hold a flme to the top and burn off the clogging. It works, but be careful when doing it.

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Posted by modelmaker51 on Friday, August 29, 2014 5:07 AM

Just push a piece of wire down the tube. I threw away the plastic top and just keep a wire in the tube. The wire has to fit snugly. I did this about 5 years ago and haven't noticed any loss. Or you can just keep a piece of wire handy to flush the tube before and after you use it.

Jay 

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Posted by richhotrain on Friday, August 29, 2014 5:29 AM

I'm not so sure about Ulrich's flame method (personally I would avoid that method), but the thin rod or needle method works and any acetone based fluid, including nail polish remover, or lighter fluid is effective in dissolving CA adhesive.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, August 29, 2014 6:29 AM

I use a different brand of CA, from Bob Smith Industries.  My LHS carries it.  I try to practice good "glue hygiene" with all of my sticky products.  I wipe off any residue from the applicator tip, and let the container sit open until I can see that all the glue has dripped back down out of the tip.  Then I put the top on.  I try to keep the containers upright when not in use.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by bogp40 on Friday, August 29, 2014 8:08 AM

richhotrain

I'm not so sure about Ulrich's flame method (personally I would avoid that method), but the thin rod or needle method works and any acetone based fluid, including nail polish remover, or lighter fluid is effective in dissolving CA adhesive.

Rich

 

I use rhe Faller Xpert amd perfer it over all other styrene cements. It is not a CA. I have found that during use, each time I will set the bottle down, just gently squeeze to clear out the needle applicator. Quick wipe of the small glue that may bubble out. When the needle does get clogged, I do as mentioned, and just hold a flame along the tip until clear (usually just a sec or two), no worry that you will end up w/ a "flame thrower" have done this for many years.

One reason I like Faller, it is easy to apply precisly, slower drying to allow repositioning, if you do get a bit of glue on a painted surface, it can be immediatly wiped w/o marring paint and will provide an extremely strong bond. Unlike the thinner MEK products where the solvent tends to dry rapidly requiring added glue, the needle applicator allows to do quite long joints and assemble (long building corners, CV girders, ME Viaduct etc)

The Testor's Model Master (odd black bottle w/ needle, works quite the same) but stil pefer Faller.

Modeling B&O- Chessie  Bob K.  www.ssmrc.org

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Posted by cowman on Friday, August 29, 2014 8:54 AM

When using any of my glues that have that type of delivery tube, I let the container sit upright a few minutes then gelntly squeeze the bottle.  Not enough to push more glue into the tube, just enough to get a puff of air through, so I now that I have a clean tube.  I also keep a piece of paino wire around in case I forget to do the above.

Have fun,

Richard

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Posted by bogp40 on Friday, August 29, 2014 9:00 AM

cowman

When using any of my glues that have that type of delivery tube, I let the container sit upright a few minutes then gelntly squeeze the bottle.  Not enough to push more glue into the tube, just enough to get a puff of air through, so I now that I have a clean tube.  I also keep a piece of paino wire around in case I forget to do the above.

Have fun,

Richard

 

Richard, that's exacly the "trick", even during use I sometimes need to feel or hear the "puff" before application.

Be careful w/ a full bottle, I have had glue "puff" on my ear. Dah!

Modeling B&O- Chessie  Bob K.  www.ssmrc.org

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Posted by jacon12 on Friday, August 29, 2014 9:43 PM

Thanks for all the suggestions and 'tricks', such as a gentle squeeze of the bottle.  I'll have to try that as soon as I get it flowing again.

Again, thank you.

Jarrell

 HO Scale DCC Modeler of 1950, give or take 30 years.
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Posted by jacon12 on Tuesday, September 9, 2014 8:08 AM

I decided to try the easiest method first by running a lighter along the upper part of the metal tube very briefly, just a couple of seconds at a time and it worked.  Just keep the heat away from the plastic container itself, of course.

 HO Scale DCC Modeler of 1950, give or take 30 years.
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Posted by germanium on Wednesday, September 10, 2014 1:17 PM

Poke a 0.3mm drill from either end of the tube - should clear it.

Dennis

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Posted by bogp40 on Wednesday, September 10, 2014 6:21 PM

germanium

Poke a 0.3mm drill from either end of the tube - should clear it.

Dennis

 

Used to "poke" the tube, but too many times it just pushes the dried crap into the bottle only to clog repeatedly, heating and "Puffing" out a clog clears and cleans for fresh glue to dispense.

Modeling B&O- Chessie  Bob K.  www.ssmrc.org

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