RKTLaunch

When I ordered from BSA, their tech guy recommend gold ca. It seems overly sticky...in one regard.

I used to use green label Testors and put wax paper between the wood and pin board. It didn't stick to the wax paper. This CA seems like it will.

Is there other material used to keep the wood from sticking to the surface it's pinned down on?

Thanks

Wildflyer

Isn't Gold CA for foam? I rarely use the foam CA because it is expensive.
If you are gluing balsa or other woods you can use a good carpenters glue like Titebond.
Titebond won't stick to wax paper and works very well, but I leave it overnight to completely dry.

If you are using a CA glue, I have found that Glad Cling Wrap does not bond to CA but Saran Wrap will, it melts with the heat and fuses to the wood. Big damn mess getting it off.

RKTLaunch

The tech at BalsaUSA recommended Gold CA. I've got more than a gallon of TiteBond. I used it to glue and screw all my rafters when I built my house, but it takes too long to dry. I'll probably either get some Testors... or maybe 5 minute epoxy.

I'm going to try an experiment today with Gold CA and parchment paper.

RKTLaunch

My test with both thin and thick Gold CA. Plywood glued to balsa. At bottom right I glued with a gap to see how well it would stick. That was the thick CA. The other piece was fit directly with thin CA. They both stuck well and just a little sticking onto the parchment paper.



Honestly, I don't like this glue much...tricky to keep your fingers from getting stuck and it dries too fast. I think I'm going to go with what I know and have done successfully before. Ordered Testors Green Label.

solentlife

There are three things I want from a glue :

Reasonable grab time
Strong joint
Lightweight

There are few glues that actually achieve all three ... but Polyurethane Resin Glue does .... you know it as Gorilla Glue .... but its also available as Generic glue at local builders / DIY shops at much less cost.

Grab time - in about 1 hour you can handle the item but not stress it. Overnight - its set and good to go.
Strong joint that you can spread out and ease stress points out unlike CA which soaks in creating hard stress points.
Lightweight - controlled by you as to how much 'water' you apply ... usual action is to wipe PU glue on one surface and lightly mist the other with damp. Bring together and clamp to resist the expansion. With light misting - the expansion can be easily 2x .... but its feather light as its like a foam ...



Its perfect for mixing with small amount of water and then dribbling a small amount into nose cowls ... undercarriage areas etc. - BUT watch out for the huge expansion - so a little goes a long way !!

... shows re-inforcing a thin wall nose cone test ... I then 3D printed a new cone ... poured in a small amount of PU / Water mix and have a strong but no weight nose cone

Another glue - if you are doubling up sheets or laminating .... is Carpet Spray Glue ... yes ... it really works ... the foam safe spray contact stuff that carpet fitters use for foam-back carpet.

OK Epoxy ... a great glue - BUT its heavy when used to complete a whole model. It also can create stress points where glue line ends. Best used sparingly in specific points and not overall.

CA - at first - this seems to be the best glue - but it has a few drawbacks ... first that it creates rock hard balsa / ply where applied and it can lead to stress cracking at glue line end . Its a bas**** to work with as it gets fingers stuck and various !! If you fail to get it to bond with first application - applying more just makes it worse ! But CA is the glue of choice when assembling 3D prints ...

firemanbill

for most building areas I use an Aliphatic resin like the one available from Deluxe Materials. For sheeting areas I like their Speed Bond.

Strong structural joints get 30 minute epoxy.

RKTLaunch

The Aliphatic resin, how much working time does it have?

I don't do full sheeting, I cover the top of the leading edge..back to the tallest part of the rib, only. Testors always gave me just enough time to glue the top of that part of the ribs, the cross pieces. Then I just held it in place for a couple minutes and could let go and let it cure. I don't know, 3-5 minutes.

firemanbill

The AR is similar to yellow wood glue in drying times. The Speed bond can be instantaneous with heat if applied correctly. I am not a big fan of CA as it seem to be too brittle in some applications and is harder to sand. 30 Minute Epoxy is my choice for structural portions

solentlife

Where you've been using Epoxy for structural and to give strength ... have you tried Exterior Grade PU Glue (Brown Gorilla Glue is same) ..... strong but so much lighter and easier to work with.
I too was an Epoxy user - still do but 5 min ... but around joints / undercarriage mounts etc. - PU Glue is now my go-to .... very lightweight ... sandable ... drillable ... can even be fashioned into shape by use of tape ... wet finger etc.

RKTLaunch

Quick search for pu glue....



45 minute clamp time.

I used Titebond 2 to glue and screw my 2x10 rafters together. They have excellent products.

RKTLaunch

I am liking the TiteBond (above). It's a little slower than I'd like but it's really good and has some flexibility without breaking.

Funny, I was searching "mini clamps...hobby clamps", etc. I snapped, umm clothes-pins. I've got really good ones I found for drying negatives....see how they work.

firemanbill

Harbor freight is a good source for small and medium size clamps also

solentlife

I buy what are called Marquee Clamps in the DIY shop ..... they come in different sizes .... used to hold up the plastic sheet on Marquee frames at markets ..... towels on beach chairs .... etc.

firemanbill

Harbor freight clamps, for the win! lol

solentlife

Amazing what even an old LiPo can do !!

firemanbill

HAHA! Yeah, man I use about anything heavy. Old fluorescent light ballasts work well also. I have cut all the wires off since taking this pic.

RKTLaunch

I built a house and moved 5 years ago...had to throw stuff out....all my T-6 aluminum, gone. Lots of good project remnants, gone. I put an upgrade engine and trans in my Acura last year...so I've got some old auto parts lying around, but not much else.
I do have lots of wrenches, sockets etal, but they stay where they belong...no matter what.

solentlife

I can vary weight applied by careful choice of which part used paint tin I use - even the dried out ones.

Pop bottles with sand / old nuts bolts ertc. - anything to create weight in them.

Different size lipos ....

firemanbill

Not to hijack a thread from glue to weights but there seems to be so little good conversation threads here nowadays so apologies in advance...

So many good tools and tricks of the trade so to speak. Normal household items being put to good use in the build process. I have baggies full of playground sand that works well for curved sheeting, nice and form fitting. Vegetable cans work well, used them a lot before starting with the ballasts. Wife would always wonder where all our veggies went. lol I have used rectangular paving/landscape bricks to hold fuselage halves together upright to keep them square.

I love to hear what other people do and how similar, and very differently we all do things.

RKTLaunch

No, all good info. The baggies with sand is interesting. That would set on multiples of ribs nicely....evenly, with care.

RKTLaunch

I'm not happy with this TiteBond polyurethane glue. It's good glue and does what it's supposed to do, but it bubbles and foams up as it dries. ... makes a mess that's hard to clean up. Very time consuming and not as easy to sand as they promote in their literature.

I'm pretty much stuck with it.... having ordered plenty for the whole model. I'm not throwing it away. I do have some Testors also that I am using for some places.....

Pain in the ace.

solentlife

The whole point of PU glue is that it bubbles and foams up to fill the voids. The trick is to tape the area to stop the foam expanding out of the joint or at least to control it.
I find that once its nearly set ... after an hour or so - a wet knife can easily slice away the extra.
For sanding - best is to use a metal coarse file to remove most and then finish with sand paper.

Depending on the material you are bonding ... Rubbing Alcohol .... the Hand Sanitizer sold for CV 19 .... these lift PU .....

each glue has a 'learning curve' .... I like PU as its the lightest there is and its gap filling etc. Its strong ...

Groundloop

In the far, far long ago, I used Ambroid for all my balsa model plane building. I wonder if it is still made?