I have only ever used Testors. I have not had problems and it performs up to my expectations. There was a rumor that Testors was going to change their formula, and I bought over 50 bottles of it in a panic. I hope it has a long shelf life.
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-Kevin
Living the dream.
I appreciate the responses, fellas. The brush I used was natural hair. It seemed that something on the brush handle was not MEK compatible and smeared onto the bristles on the brush; leaving them useless.
The brush that comes with the bottle works fine. It's just too large for fine work.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstage Does Plastruct have that much higher concentration of MEK than the Testor's; the latter containing "acetates and methyethylketone"???
Does Plastruct have that much higher concentration of MEK than the Testor's; the latter containing "acetates and methyethylketone"???
I use 100% MEK for my styrene work. You can't get a higher concentration than that. I've never had it fry a brush or fill in holes or whatever. It just works.
I do use a natural brush. I think I bought mine back before "un-natural" brushes were available. Used it for decades. Like I said, no "frying".
The ONLY problem I ever had with MEK is, when the bottle gets "old", it sucks up water out of the air and gets diluted. And won't bond anymore. Which is kind of an "opposite" problem.
MEK isn't your problem.
Ed
The Plastuct Glue I use has a brush built in. What's wrong with it?
The Plastruct Plastic Weld label states "multi-purpose......for bonding Plastruct ABS, Styrene, Butyrate and Acrylic to itself or each other." I always assumed that "each other" included styrene to styrene.
That said, I don't like it. It seems to be very thick and doesn't flow well. It also quickly develops a big wad on the bristles of the small brush I use to apply it. I have had better luck with the Testors liquid, Ambroid Pro-Weld when I could find it, or Micro Mark Same Stuff which actuially appears to be the "same stuff" as the Pro-Weld right down to the packaging.
I have not yet experimented with the "get it by the gallon" lacquer thinner or MEK which someone will inevitably recommend.
Tom,
I don't know what to tell You......I have been using Plastruct Plastic Weld orange bottle for a very long time and don't have any problem's with it. But I believe I learned a few things. One being when gluing small parts together less is more. Put a dab on both pieces You want to join...don't fill the hole with it. You can coat both pieces of a long part and it will appear dry, but when touched together, they will bond just like contact cement. I also use it on all plastic's, styrene, ABS, together and like materials......no problem. My scratch/ bash bridge project is styrene and ABS plastic all mixed plastic's and Did not have a problem with the glue and it is extremely strong,,,should be, I have to handle it a lot while setting up the abutments and piers.
The brush You are using to apply it with, is probably a synthetic......lacquer thinner will probably glue it together also. I use nothing but Camel hair and Red sable brushes and don't have any problems with that. I also read that post You linked to,(before I joined the forums Btw) and I must say....I do not agree with what they said.......My opinion only of course.....only about buying the MEK in quarts, but You can get lacquer thinner to do the same thing do I agree with.
Take Care!
Frank
tstage It would melt and evaporate the surface so quickly that any pre-drilled holes started filming over and the part would no longer fit into the hole. In fact, it fried the brush I was using to apply the Plastruct with.
It would melt and evaporate the surface so quickly that any pre-drilled holes started filming over and the part would no longer fit into the hole. In fact, it fried the brush I was using to apply the Plastruct with.
Hey Tom-
I'm not sure what this sentence means. If you're assembling something along the lines of "insert Tab A into Hole B", then you should assemble the stuff first and then barely touch the wet brush to the (dry) joint and capillary action will draw the solvent in and weld the parts. Applying liquid to the two parts first and then sticking them together might end up as you described.
I've never fried a brush. For delicate areas, small brush; large areas, large brush. For very delicate areas, I have a micro-pipette that delivers tiny little droplets of solvent upon contact with the joint.
Hope this helps.
Robert
EDIT Added this link Solvent Weld Micro-Applicator
LINK to SNSR Blog
Okay, I just ran across the following thread from 2009:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/161310.aspx
So it looks like Plastruct is for bonding dissimilar plastics together and Bondene is more for styrene-to-styrene bonding, which - IIRC from a discussion with someone at an LHS - has a longer working time. Does that seem right?
Thanks,
I have always used Testors Liquid Cement for assemblying kits but picked up some Plastruct Plastic Weld last week for another project and decided to try it out on a Branchline boxcar kit last night.
Well, I don't know about the rest of you but I found Plastruct WAY TOO aggresive for delicate work: It would melt and evaporate the surface so quickly that any pre-drilled holes started filming over and the part would no longer fit into the hole. In fact, it fried the brush I was using to apply the Plastruct with. Does Plastruct have that much higher concentration of MEK than the Testor's; the latter containing "acetates and methyethylketone"???
The Plastruct was recommended in the Highliner assembly instructions. Are there any assembly tips & tricks you can share for using the stuff and what brushes to use/avoid. If I can get away with using the Testor's on the Highliner kit I will - just for the extra working time.