The name of a kind of glue?

**Breaddrink** · 01-31-2005, 11:03 PM

Another one from England that I can't find the name of in Merrycarr :D

Can you tell me, any of you - if you know, the name of the glue you'd use to weld model airplane parts together with as a kid?

In England the stuff was called 'polystyrene glue' or 'polystyrene cement' and rather than simply bonding and causing a sandwich in the way most glues do, it actualy fused plastic to plastic...For this reason if you squirted it onto foam packaging the stuff would melt away before your eyes.

Pretty fumey stuff too from what I recall, and this alone may make it hard to come by I supose...

I can only seem to locate epoxy or CA glue in the big box stores, and these don't work too well with plastics in my opinion.
The bond created is more of a weak joint than a true fusing of both sides together...And yes I dropped my belt sander and busted the handle in two :D
I'd like to attempt a repair before simpy buying a new handle as the break is so clean, though if this is the right kind of plastic for such a glue I don't know...
I wondered if some kind of plumbers adhesive might work in the same way for plastic pipes?

**Limey** · 02-01-2005, 01:39 AM

That would be my suggestion Rob..try Plumbing Stuff...

Although the plumbing pipe will be either PVC or ABS when its more than likeley that your tool would be Polypropalene.

PP (polypropalene) is not the easiest stuff to repair as it is very inert.

I don't think that Polystyrene cement would be any help. From my young model airplane kit glue sniffing days I am thinking that the solvent in the cement was Acetone based so were it me I'd but a blob of nail varnish remover on an inconspicuous part and leave it a few minutes to see if it makes a mark on the plastic.

When ever I'm faced with a task like this, two part epoxy or CA is a "try"..but the small glue surface area of the joint often results in only a semi temporary repair. If it's a case of not worrying to much about looks I have made permanent repairs with a glass fibre tape and epoxy resin..think car repair kit.

Limey

**FireWrks7** · 02-01-2005, 04:23 AM

a look.

Anthony

**Sawduster** · 02-01-2005, 07:08 AM

They do tend to stash that stuff away at those shops as the fumes you mentioned were discovered some decades ago to give folks a buzz. So now it can only be purchased by consenting adults who are supposed to monitor and supervise its use by their offspring. That and they've come out with some without the toxicity of the old stuff which also does not work.

As a kid I was "Way" into making model cars and spent many hours in my room with the door closed painting (most likely with lead based paint which also used volatile chemicals as a carrier) and glueing up those old AMT 3 in 1 car kits. Probably inhaled way too many fumes from the glue and paint and that's part of my excuse as to why I am the way I am, that is, having quite a few loose screws.

**arcticfox46** · 02-01-2005, 07:43 AM

I am a bit of a model builder, used to build plastic cars in the 60's, but now into Model Railroading - "The World's Greatest Hobby". http://www.greatesthobby.com/

Testors has a variety of "glues" or "cements". The one I prefer, and I think you are refering to is a liquid cement. Testors has it. I comes in a little square bottle with a brush attached to the cap.

MEK, or Methel Ethel Keytone will do the same thing, and I beleive it is the ingredient in the testors glue. I think you can get MEK at Home Depot.

The handle of your power tool may be a plastic that will not "weld" with the MEK or testors. In that case I would think Epoxy, Duct tape combination would be best. May not look good, but it should work OK.

**bdog** · 02-02-2005, 12:01 PM

You are looking for Polystyrene Cement (plastic glue). Citadel makes some (http://oz.games-workshop.com/storefr...9007&orignav=9) but it is pricey. Testers and others make the same stuff for less money. Any hobby shop should have it (Hobby Lobby, Hobby Town USA, etc.)....

PS. The link is for reference only. I don't think you can buy it over the internet anymore because kids like to sniff it....

**TDHofstetter** · 02-02-2005, 08:24 PM

I'm an AMT model builder from waaay back, too... along with a number of other manufacturers. The old-style xolol/toluol-based styrene cement (as sold be Testor's et al) ain't (supposedly) available anymore, it's been replaced with something newer, safer (?) and not as effective. At any rate, you'd have an awful time trying to get it to give you an effective-enough bond on the handle of a power tool, since that handle is VERY probably not styrene (extremely brittle) - probably polycarbonate instead - and model cement is formulated specially for styrene.

Now, there's a material sold in the plumbing section of your local hardware store... it comes in a big (OK, maybe 6 ounces) purple tube, and it's called "Plumber's Goop". That's some neat stuff. Ya gotta clean the heck outta' the plastic you're bonding, smear the stuff on liberally, plant it together, and go away until you're darn well sure it's cured into infinity. Takes longer than you'd expect, considering it smells like crazy.

That'd be my best, easiest, guess. Next would be one of the high-strength epoxies sold in the automotive parts stores. Mix THAT stuff really vigorously for exactly as long as they specify on the label, apply as with Plumber's Goop, and go ahead & heat it up to 150 or 200 degrees (Fahrenheit) to accelerate the curing process.

If neither works, order a new tool handle...

-- Tim --

A novice has many options,
An expert, only a few.