Green tube Testors

That is the classic old standby glue. It is comparable and contemporary to Ambroid, but it is thicker.

It is somewhat stinky with a strong solvent smell. It dries fast enough to do field repairs and fly within the hour typically, and is much lighter than epoxy.

Phil

Thanks, I hadn't seen it before. I thought it might be a better choice to reconstruct some of the nasty bent/broken plastic airplane models that I have recently bought. Hopeless causes for the most part, but I enjoy the work.

The red tube Testors appears to be toxic, the blue tube not so. Almost all of my models prior to the advent of CA's were assembled with Ambroid.

Bob

Ambroid. ????on plastic // Ca ?? I think I would go with the TOXIC one , always seems to be the best working glues

I keep it in my flight box for covering exposed balsa to keep fuel out so I can keep flying. I used to use it for applying fabric hinges and always had good dependable results. I built my entire Stuntman23 and Li'l Devil years ago with it, and though the planes are now completely worn out, none of that is due to glue failure. I wouldn't substitute it for epoxy on the firewall and front end areas, because it won't withstand a long term barrage of fuel and oil.
Rusty

IIRC, the balsa wood type solvent glues (Testors, Ambroid, Sigment, Duco, etc.) didn't seem to do as good of a job on my plastic models as the styrene solvent glues made for plastic did.

Personally I'd stick with a glue specifically made for plastic when gluing plastic together. If something stronger is required, like restoring where a wing was broken off, I'd think the clear version plumber's pipe cement for all plastics (PVC, ABS, etc.) might be a better choice. A small bottle is cheap at the local home improvement center.

You don't need the cleaner and primer, which cost extra. Primer puts a purple film that may be undesireable. I've used Acetone to clean up and etch the edges of plastic.

Whatever glue, I'd first try a test case somewhere unseen or on discarded parts, to see how well it works.

getback wrote:Ambroid. ????on plastic // Ca ?? I think I would go with the TOXIC one , always seems to be the best working glues

Hi Eric, I used Ambroid on balsa only, I never touched a plastic model airplane until I joined this forum, now it's Katy bar the door.....

I just thought the green tube stuff may be better for joining balsa to plastic like I did on fixing the broken piece of the back fuse on my PT-19 which worked well using only blue tube Testors.

Bob

Bob , I haven't used any Testors Glue in a long time there was something about it I didn't like cant recall right off ,Ambroid was my go to glue , I haven't work with plastic much in awhile . You seem to bee doing fine with it . I only have one plastic cox plane and don't know what it is !!

getback wrote:Bob , I haven't used any Testors Glue in a long time there was something about it I didn't like cant recall right off ,Ambroid was my go to glue , I haven't work with plastic much in awhile . You seem to bee doing fine with it . I only have one plastic cox plane and don't know what it is !!

Now thinking about it, reason why I didn't use Testors wood glue is that it dried too quickly, didn't make as good of joints as Ambroid and Sigment did. Prior to my experiences with Epoxy, I'd coat both parts, say balsa and ply with glue, let it dry. Then recoat and assemble. Testors glue then didn't do as good of a job. It also didn't do a good job on stick assemblies like Comet kits. I don't know about the current fomula.

I prefer the brown tube 3505X Testors cement. It dries faster than the green tube which makes a excellent choice for cloth hinges. It lays down beautifully, has a good shelf life and it doesn't turn amber in color when painted with dope. I do a lot of clear finishing and certain adhesives especially Ambroid really darkens the hinges if used for attachment. The Testors extra fast dry sands beautifully and is very clear. The green tube claims it can be used with metal and wood. Ken

rsv1cox wrote:... now it's Katy bar the door.....

Haha! I wonder if Ian's ever heard that one. A dab of Testors plastic cement, and Bob's yer uncle.

"Bob's yer uncle" I know. Excuse my ignorance on the other. Strange language, English!!

RknRusty wrote:

rsv1cox wrote:... now it's Katy bar the door.....

Haha! I wonder if Ian's ever heard that one. A dab of Testors plastic cement, and Bob's yer uncle.

It is American idiom but strictly speaking it means "There may be trouble ahead".

This phrase is little used outside the USA. It may or may not have originated there. The first known use in print of Katy bar the door with the meaning of 'trouble is in store' is in James Whitcomb Riley's poem When Lide Married Him, 1894:


When Lide married him - w'y, she had to jes dee-fy
The whole poppilation! - But she never bat' an eye!
Her parents begged, and threatened - she must give him up - that he
Wuz jes "a common drunkard!" - And he wuz, appearantly.
Swore they'd chase him off the place
Ef he ever showed his face
Long after she'd eloped with him and married him fer shore!
When Lide married him, it wuz "Katy, bar the door!"

Funny, we must browse the same websites. I almost posted that exact quote.

RknRusty wrote:

rsv1cox wrote:... now it's Katy bar the door.....

Haha! I wonder if Ian's ever heard that one. A dab of Testors plastic cement, and Bob's yer uncle.

Yes, Eric, a dab of Testor's is nice but I have always heard that a little Hoppees #9 behind each ear really attracts the ladies....

ian1954 wrote:

RknRusty wrote:Haha! I wonder if Ian's ever heard that one. A dab of Testors plastic cement, and Bob's yer uncle.

It is American idiom but strictly speaking it means "There may be trouble ahead".

Apparently it is used in UK but has a total different meaning: An exclamation used to show a satisfactory outcome..

http://www.britishslang.co.uk/slang/bobs-your-uncle

It's all sixes and sevens to me.