Model Boat Mayhem
Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => Glue etc. => Topic started by: tobyker on April 16, 2011, 12:48:40 am
-
I have used polyurethane glue, the yellow foaming stuff, on dinghies and models, in the form of Balcotan and Gorilla glues , and never had any problems with it. I am however having problems with the current lot, the Titebond version, gluing a 1/8 ply framework together. The glue seems to be sticking and going off ok, but when it has dried the foam is very brittle instead of being tough, and the joints are giving way as I trim the excess foam off. I'm using it just like I have before, but it's simply not playing. I tried damping the wood before gluing, but that doesn't seem to work. I'm working in an outside unheated brick garage, in which tools go rusty if not oiled, so there should be enough damp about. The glue was a new sealed tube bought from the LMS a couple of weeks ago.
Any ideas?
-
My immediate thoughts, all glues have their own characteristics.
I would be inclined to use the glues I have used before for vital parts of the construction, and find alternative uses for the glue you in your possession.
I tend to stick with what works (pun intended) %) %)
-
hi there
I am just wondering if the shop has stocked up with a 'bad batch' of glue. On the other hand, I myself have had a similar problem to yourself, where the glue I had used had been frozen in the severe winter the other year - as it had been kept in the shed. The symptoms I experienced of the glue was that the exterior foaming of the glue was extremely brittle - however, the centre core was still soft and it didnt matter how long I had left it - talking in days - it was still soft. Also, the centre was a different colour - at first I thought this could be because of the timbers I was using containing oil - as I was gluing Iroko wood - even though I tried later on just with the plain soft wood and it had the same affect.
When building models I tend to keep to the ALIPHATIC wood glues or the bog-standard EVO-STIK resin W glue - which are classed as weather-proof. As long as these glues are sealed with a good coating of paint/varnish - they are okay - at least out of 45 years of modelling :P I dont seem to have had one model fall to bits yet - unless of course I have dropped it! %% %%
Aye
john e
bluebird