Topic: Re: Martin's 2nd Matchbox Corvette (Read 19028 times)

Backerther · « **Reply #25 on:** March 30, 2025, 03:42:42 am »

Just at a glance, the hull seems well aligned..

If so and if I were you, I would apply a thin CA all along the joint lines inside the hull after intensive masking of the joints outside the hull. Hold the hull as it is for a couple of hours. The rest is to apply epoxy (cheap ones do not work

) and wait another 24h to get maximum bond and stiffness for RC model. It's really no brainer and secure.
It's my own style of assembly based upon my successful experience of this corvette whose hull is built with CA and epoxy, as in the video below. !!!

Proven by repeated lake-sailing tests causing no problems at all.

But this is not an only way, needless to say. How to build a model ship is entirely dependent upon individual idea through his thought and experience.
An undeniable fact/example surpasses any theories even in this case.

https://youtu.be/LWEDAVnQuFU

KitS · « **Reply #26 on:** March 30, 2025, 01:46:47 pm »

Which glue did you use for it in the end?

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #27 on:** March 30, 2025, 05:00:42 pm »

It's Sunday ..... not got that far yet KitS!

NB: UHU POR or Hart?

Colin Bishop · « **Reply #28 on:** March 30, 2025, 06:36:15 pm »

Use of adhesives was something I covered in my two part article for Model Boats on modelling materials recently - shame nobody seems to read the magazine... I did include some nice photos too.

One of the key points, and it's not something I made up, is that it is almost invariably better to use a glue designed for the job in hand. It your are sticking wood then use a a wood glue, if you are sticking polystyrene use a liquid poly or polystyrene cement as mentioned above by BB. If sticking different materials then use the glue which matches both of them. Other glues will of course work but they won't work as well although they may work adequately for your purpose. It's no different to using the right tool for the job. You can bash a small nail in with a club hammer but a cross pin will be easier and more accurate.

It's not just about sticking power either. Epoxy and wood glue (and others) can be used to stick wood but the PVA and Aliphatic types are water clean up so any excess can simply be wiped away. Epoxy is messier to use. This can make all the difference if you are adding planking that is meant to be seen and take varnish. Cyano and epoxy leave marks.

BB makes a very good point about epoxy in his post in that it will only stick to plastic if the surface is abraded - there is not true bond as when you use a polystyrene adhesive which actually welds the two surfaces together and you can't get better than that.

There are some useful contact adhesives in tubes with different formulations but beware of using them with styrene such as adding 'plating' to a GRP hull for example, as some of them will eat into the plastic after it is in place and soften it without you realising it.

Something else which affects many of us is the effect of volatiles in the adhesives which can cause respiratory or skin problems. This is particularly true of cyano (even the odourless type), liquid poly and similar bottle adhesives such as acetone plus of course epoxy and polystyrene resin. Epoxy is low odour but can still cause skin problems. The water based and acrylic glues are generally much nicer to use and don't have these side effects. Deluxe SuperPhatic is an excellnt substitute for those allergic to cyana for many appmications where one surface is porous and the other hard such as wood to plastic.

Often overlooked is double sided tape which was recommended by ex member Bryan Young. He sent me some many years ago and I am still using it along with some varieties. It often comes in very handy as it is essentially a thin film of instant contact adhesive whichcan be placed very accurately and gives a very strong bond between any smooth surfaces. I use it to attach surface detail to my scale models.

Colin

Bunkerbarge · « **Reply #29 on:** March 30, 2025, 07:42:01 pm »

What is particularly interesting with this project is that Martin would never have been able to dismantle the hull and he would never have been able to scrape the old glue off if the correct glue had been used in the first place. I guess he should consider himself lucky that the original builder used the wrong glue!

Colin Bishop · « **Reply #30 on:** March 30, 2025, 08:46:53 pm »

Yes indeed, it certainly looks like the hull was not stuck together very well originally. If polystyrene adhesive was used it would never have come apart so easily so not a very good original joint.

Colin

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #31 on:** March 30, 2025, 10:48:29 pm »

Quote from: Bunkerbarge on March 30, 2025, 07:42:01 pm

What is particularly interesting with this project is that Martin would never have been able to dismantle the hull and he would never have been able to scrape the old glue off if the correct glue had been used in the first place. I guess he should consider himself lucky that the original builder used the wrong glue!

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #32 on:** March 30, 2025, 10:58:22 pm »

A few detail shots after the clean-up.... still a few spots to clean up....

Does Isopropyl alcohol damage Polystyrene?

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #33 on:** March 31, 2025, 06:15:47 am »

Part 2 - https://youtu.be/aPWaBPOddhA

Backerther · « **Reply #34 on:** March 31, 2025, 08:17:59 am »

It seems that you have endured hard and long time to clean up the hull by which the hull looks neat enough to get into next step.!! Especially joint parts and lines of each half have been roughed well suitable to adhere by intensive scraping works.

An effort never betrays its result.!!!

JimG · « **Reply #35 on:** March 31, 2025, 11:48:08 am »

Quote from: Martin (Admin) on March 30, 2025, 10:58:22 pm

A few detail shots after the clean-up.... still a few spots to clean up....

Does Isopropyl alcohol damage Polystyrene?

No problems using it to clean, isopropyl alcohol (Or other alcohols) are not solvents for styrene and polystyrene.
Jim

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #36 on:** March 31, 2025, 08:31:11 pm »

Thanks, Jim!

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #37 on:** March 31, 2025, 09:06:59 pm »

Corvette Part 3 - Pick a prop shaft

https://youtu.be/G6K6Rp8zMv8

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #38 on:** May 04, 2025, 09:41:56 pm »

Glue the hull together this weekend ( video to follow ).

There high lights and low lights...... more of the latter unfortunately ....

KitS · « **Reply #39 on:** May 05, 2025, 07:10:29 am »

So THAT'S where all the Bulldog Clips have gone!

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #40 on:** May 09, 2025, 11:47:23 am »

1. Where can I buy compatible styrene sheet? ..... need to beef up the hull internal joint....

2. What Styrene filler can you recommend?

KitS · « **Reply #41 on:** May 09, 2025, 02:21:56 pm »

Almost any styrene sheet will bond to Matchbox/Revell plastic, even Hobbycraft sell it, albeit not in too wide a range of thicknesses.

There's equally numerous fillers available, but everyone has their own faves. Humbrol, Revell, DeLuxe to name but a few. Mine is Presto, but no-one sells it in the UK these days, and I have a friend in Germany sends me some when I need more.

JimG · « **Reply #42 on:** May 09, 2025, 08:08:31 pm »

I would make some paste with styrene scrap and liquid styrene glue. Dissolve the styrene in the glue till you get a thick paste and add that to the inside of the joint. It does take a few days to fully dry out but will both seal and strengthen the joint. The moulded hull sections are thick enough to take this but don't try it with thinner styrene sections as it can dissolve it's way through them.
Jim

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #43 on:** May 16, 2025, 04:47:32 pm »

Matchbox / Revell Corvette Part 4 - Stuck on you

https://youtu.be/bHVXInX9sZw?si=NKT96EJ5NegFR9Vx

SteamboatPhil · « **Reply #44 on:** May 16, 2025, 09:50:32 pm »

Love it

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #45 on:** May 17, 2025, 10:08:59 pm »

Matchbox / Revell Corvette Part 5 - Watching paint Dry
Hull prep and spraying the primer

https://youtu.be/MwHjmE7z56Q?si=5greo0pUcCmrrlgH

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #46 on:** May 18, 2025, 08:45:50 pm »

I pondered this all week, decided that the hull centre join did need some reinforcing.
I didn't any styrene sheet on hand, so bought some ribbon and used that with the Screwfix Mitre glue
.... got it done, not pretty but functional.

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #47 on:** May 18, 2025, 10:35:03 pm »

Also did the first round of hull filling corrections ....

Backerther · « **Reply #48 on:** May 19, 2025, 02:23:14 am »

Quote from: Martin (Admin) on May 18, 2025, 08:45:50 pm

I pondered this all week, decided that the hull centre join did need some reinforcing.
I didn't any styrene sheet on hand, so bought some ribbon and used that with the Screwfix Mitre glue
.... got it done, not pretty but functional.

In my case, I simply applied two-part epoxy without any hesitation...from my experience of building the model boats.

The pics below were taken only 4 years ago, but the application of the adhesive had been done preceding 14 years before.
And she is still now serviceable as a RC runnable boat keeping a sailing scale realism even on the rough waters.

News:

Author Topic: Re: Martin's 2nd Matchbox Corvette (Read 19028 times)

Bunkerbarge