I think the most asked glue question is: "What is the best glue".
The answer to that is "The one that works"
I only do low power stuff, short list:
Paper to paper - white glue or titebond
Paper to balsa - titebond or epoxy for higher stress loads
paper to fingers - CA
plastic to balsa - epoxy
plastic straws to paper - model cement
plastic to fingers - CA
balsa to balsa - titebond
balsa to fingers - CA
fingers to fingers - CA
Babar added:
I like this. I would add that EPOXY to fingers is NEVER a good choice.
EPOXY
CAUTION: Some people have an allergic reaction to Epoxy glues resulting in skin burns and blisters. Even if you haven't had a problem the first few times you use Epoxy, you could develop an allergic reaction from skin to Epoxy contact.
Newer RED couplers can freeze in the wrong position using the "New Stronger Formula" white or yellow wood glues. Epoxy allows a smooth slip fit of an engine mount or coupler when joining two body tubes.
TIP: Be careful - epoxy is slippery. The coupler or engine mount could continue to slide down inside the body tube if the tube is set vertically on end.
YELLOW WOOD & WHITE GLUES
Titebond and Elmer's Wood Glues are fine for Low Power Model Rocket construction.
I tend to use yellow wood glue for general building.
If I'm building a model with pre-printed "skins" (like a Centuri Vulcan or Quest X-30) I'll use white glue for the outside visible fin fillets. White Glue dries clear, Yellow Glue dries Yellow.
PLASTIC GLUES
TIP: For assembling a Estes Mercury Redstone or Saturn V plastic tower - Use a Bottled Liquid Plastic Cement with the brush attached to the bottle lid .
DON'T EVEN GO NEAR TUBE TYPE PLASTIC CEMENT! Never buy the Blue Tube non-toxic cement. Trust me, it won't hold. Everyone has had a bad experience with a "safe" plastic glue. Tube type plastic cements are not what they were in the 1960s.
SUPER GLUES
Do not use Super Glues to assemble an engine mount, shock cord mount, to glue on fins or a launch lug.
CA glues do have a limited place in model rocket construction.
Super Glues (CA Glues) work well for hardening up the inside edges of body tubes. Not the entire interior, but about 3/16" in from the top of the tube.
Super glues can be used to harden and strengthen a card stock reducer shroud or nozzle after it is glued onto the model.
Many Modelers "tack" a fin on with CA glue then follow with wood glue fillets.
The problem - The CA glue wicks into the root edge. Even a small drop of CA glue will spread, farther than you'd think. Wood glue fillets won't soak into an area covered with CA glue. If you are impatient, use the "double glue" method when gluing on a fin.
Super Glues dry hard and become brittle over time. Fins and launch lugs can pop off later on.
Never "set" a knot in a shock cord or shroud line with CA Glue. The line or cord will become too stiff and will crack in two!
BEACON FABRI-TAC GLUE
This glue works well gluing plastic adapters or plastic boat tails into body tubes. It also works well gluing in nose cone shoulder bases. This glue is acetone based and is fairly thick like the plastic glue from the 1960s and 70s. Fabri-Tac is not recommended for fine work, like the Mercury Redstone, Little Joe II or Saturn V plastic tower assembly.
HOT GLUE GUNS - Hot glue guns have no place in general model rocket construction! Hot glue guns have been used in the FlisKits stacked styrofoam cup models.
I've been writing notes for a podcast episode on this very subject, because I see the question all the time.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that bothers me on the forums is people's sarcastic responses to this question. We *want* people to be asking this, because it means we are bringing new people into the hobby. Newbies should be able to ask these basic questions, and get real answers. They don't know it's been asked a million times before.
Then again, every time I see someone ask if hot glue is okay, I want to scream.
Agreed
DeleteI am glad the dangers of epoxy were noted. If you must use epoxy use polypropylene gloves (when they become available again and be in a well ventilated room or outdoors.
ReplyDeleteEpoxy left my hand with severe chemical burns that came close to landed me in the local burn unit needing skin grafts. Bones are best seen in x-rays, not visually.
Manuel Mejia, Jr.
Aside from risk of allergic reaction, the chemical reaction involved with its setting is that it is exothermic (i.e. gives off heat) -- enough such that you can suffer from burns from it if you're not careful.
ReplyDeleteThere's a similar warning with cyanoacrylate (aka "super glue") as well. Spilling (a sufficiently large) amount on yourself or your clothing could get rather serious*.
* I've not done it myself, but know of someone who had relayed the cautionary tale of his experience -- he'd been a bit impatient and carelessly tried to dislodge the clog in the nozzle by squeezing it out. Fortunately he had sufficient presence of mind to quickly disrobe and avoided serious injury.
hot melt glue is rubbish.....no place in any hobby unless your crafting a flower basket .....
ReplyDelete