Help with Cements and other oddities...

[Mini Me]

As the title suggests, I need some help regarding purposes of these various products....first up is a row of cements and other liquids from different makers. I have heard folks comment on this, that and the other cements in the past and paid little or no attention as I have always used Testor's Liquid cement cut with MEK. Now that I have "branched" out, I could use a little info regarding the uses of some of these; which are better than others and so on. Any and all comments and particularly criticisms as I think it would be helpful to hear how others have got on with them.....or not.

 

[Tim Marlow]

I’ve used Tamiya extra thin and Contacta a lot. They are my go tos at the moment .
Tamiya extra thin is a solvent plastic weld product which is very similar to MEK in my experience. Best thing is that it comes with its own fine nylon brush in the cap. I would assume the Mr cement is very similar. The Tamiya ET quick setting is probably just a hotter version of extra thin which flashes off the volatiles more readily, so dries quicker. Replace the cap as you go with these, or like MEK, they will evaporate before your eyes

The Mr mark softener and setter are decal setting solutions, like Micro sol and micro set, but I don’t know which one is which. I’ve never used them, but don’t see why they would be any different.

Contacta is a good plastic cement, rather than a solvent. A little like the tube glue from days of old, but in a much more controllable package. It is thicker than Tamiya extra thin, with some filler incorporated in the formula, so is very good at gap filling joints. The down side is that the spout can easily gum up. I find that a little discipline in replacing the cap as soon as you’ve dispensed the glue minimises that nicely. On the occasions when it does block (it will, no matter how careful you are) a thin wire poked down the tube will get it flowing again. I’ve never needed to go down the “flame the spout” route spoken of by others to clear these, and I’ve been using it for many years.

Lastly the gorilla glue is a gel CA, and the Al’s hobby bottle is a CA accelerator spray which makes it set instantaneously. Never used either of these, but it’s probably like any other gel CA.

Very good haul, by the way…..plenty to play about with.

 

[Jakko]

The two bottles on the right (the Mr. Mark stuff) are not glue, they’re for decals. Of the ones you show, I’ve only used Tamiya Extra Thin and Revell Contacta, and that last one only a very long time ago because I don’t like the needle applicator much. I do know that a good way to clear the needle if it’s blocked, is to run it through the flame of a cigarette lighter to burn out the glue

As for the TET, I really only use that for small parts where the longer drying time of the glue gives me the opportunity to put a small dot of glue where it’s needed and then put the part in it. I normally glue with a solvent sold in hardware stores here (which I put into an empty glue bottle with a brush), but it evaporates much quicker than TET and so can be tricky to use like that. It works very well for gluing parts you put together and then flow the glue into the seam, though.

 

[Scratchbuilder]

As the title suggests, I need some help regarding purposes of these various products....first up is a row of cements and other liquids from different makers. I have heard folks comment on this, that and the other cements in the past and paid little or no attention as I have always used Testor's Liquid cement cut with MEK. Now that I have "branched" out, I could use a little info regarding the uses of some of these; which are better than others and so on. Any and all comments and particularly criticisms as I think it would be helpful to hear how others have got on with them.....or not.View attachment 487483View attachment 487484

Glues from left to right-
Posh glue.
Glue for those in a hurry.
Glue for the poor amongst us.

Serious - They are all the same, the extra thin (fast setting) evaporates faster, left the top of by mistake, next morning left with an empty bottle....

The last two (Mr Mark) are decal softener and setter.

Gorilla - same as any other c/a, it will stick you to anything but will not stick what you want stuck.
Revell - Just c/a under the Revell name.
As for the last - not a clue, test it before use.

 

[Dave Ward]

I only use 4 glues
- Tamiya Extra Thin ( TET ) for fine small parts & tight fitting joints
- Revell Contacta for larger parts & structural joints
- Loctite Precision c/a for PE bits
- PVA ( generic ) for transparancies
I have tried others, but come back to my usuals. I have no doubt some of the some of the cements have their specific uses, but I haven't had any occasions that my glues are found wanting
Once in a blue moon I will use a generic 2-part epoxy glue!
Dave

 

[Andy T]

Trying not to cover what's already been said - the Mr Cement deluxe is a bit thicker & slower than TET so can be brushed onto parts before bringing them together but I was never that impressed with it, the bond didn't seem as strong as TET, so my bottle has hardly been used.

The quick setting TET is just that. Only really usable for wicking into a joint after the parts have been put together but I find it great for really small parts as it bonds before I get the shakes and drop them

 

[Ian M]

I find that the regular TET evaporates befor I can put parts together so I cant Imagine how quick the fast setting must be.
If you are a big user of TET (Tamiya Extra Thin), Do your wallet a favor and buy a 250ml bottle of Tamiya Airbrush Cleaner. Its the same stuff and costs a fraction of the price.
Its a very slight change in the contents, on is 49% of A and 51% of B in the other bottle they are switched around 51% A and 49%B In Japan it is Illegal to sell the same thing as two different things, so the 49/51 split is swapped around. Problem solved.

 

[Mini Me]

Thanks Gentlemen, I now have an idea of what to expect when I try using these various products. I wasn't sure about the decal setting solution as it was a little "milky" looking and is that normal? All the other setting solutions I have had experience with were clear. Here's the next mysterious item ....it came with no paper work or other information....

 

[rtfoe]

As Andy has mentioned, the yellow capped Mr Cement is the thick version similar to Tamiya's original liquid glue. The version that is similar to quick setting TET is the blue capped Mr Cement. There is the oranged capped Mr Cement that has a citrus smell but that takes a while to bond parts. I normally use that to smoothen joints and two part putty to plastic instead of water.

Cheers,
Wabble

 

[Tim Marlow]

Thanks Gentlemen, I now have an idea of what to expect when I try using these various products. I wasn't sure about the decal setting solution as it was a little "milky" looking and is that normal? All the other setting solutions I have had experience with were clear. Here's the next mysterious item ....it came with no paper work or other information....View attachment 487537

Looks like a gas powered soldering iron.

 

[Andy T]

Looks like a gas soldering iron. Portasol is the big name there, this appears to be a copy of that


Edit: Oops, slightly too slow

 

[Tim Marlow]

Like this one….

Schneider Cordless Soldering Iron 792363640343 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Schneider Cordless Soldering Iron at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Tim Marlow]

….and here’s a vid on how to use it…..

 

[JR]

There you are Rick, no need for me to say anything other than love the TET .

 

[BarryW]

Further to the above. My two ‘go to’ cement is Mr Cement S (not pictured) that I use 90% of plastic to plastic, which is the Gunze version of Tamiya Exta Thin, but in my view better. It is used the same way, brush it onto a joint so it is drawn into the join by capillary action giving you a strong bond. Brilliant for large parts ensuring they are in exactly the right place before applying cement. I note that you have both versions of TET including the faster setting one (Gunze version Mr Cement SP). The standard extra thin and fast setting are interchangeable in my view.

Mr Cement DeLux (pictured) is my ‘go to’ when I need to apply a cement to a part before joining. I don't use it very often but it is useful for when I need a slow drying cement.

The Mr Mark Setter is applied underneath a decal to help eliminate air bubbles and improve adhesion. It also has some softening affect. The Mr Mark Softer is the softening agent applied in top of a decal to help it conform better to detail.

The Revell Contacta is good for applying a small drop of cement precisely. I dont use it personally but I know many like it. The needle has a tendency to get blocked.

The Gorila product pictured is a c.a. Superglue, good for joining metal to plastic or resin. It can be useful for plastic to plastic when you cannot clamp two parts due to their shape and without clamping they pull apart. Use this to achieve a quick bond but use it sparingly, it is just to hold the parts together, then apply some extra thin along the join to finish off the joint.

The other stuff looks like an accelerator to speed up the bonding of superglue.

 

[Jakko]

Mr Cement S (not pictured) that I use 90% of plastic to plastic, which is the Gunze version of Tamiya Exta Thin, but in my view better.

I have a bottle of Mr. Cement S, bought because the brush in the last bottle was wearing out so I’m using it until it gets empty, then I will refill it with my usual hardware store solvent. Anyway, that’s not why I’m typing this reply What I mean to say is that Mr. Cement S is not much at all like Tamiya Extra Thin, except in both being liquid plastic cements of course. They smell very different, which already indicates they are different chemicals and so will have different properties when glueing parts together with them. The TET dries more slowly, is my experience, and feels a bit thicker (I know, there’s no thickeners in it — it’s just the liquids themselves that make it thicker).

 

[Mini Me]

Wow......Thanks to All of you for the very informative responses! I feel a lot more confident as to what to use in a given situation now. Tip 'O the Hat to Tim for posting up the YT video!!

 

[BarryW]

I have a bottle of Mr. Cement S, bought because the brush in the last bottle was wearing out so I’m using it until it gets empty, then I will refill it with my usual hardware store solvent. Anyway, that’s not why I’m typing this reply What I mean to say is that Mr. Cement S is not much at all like Tamiya Extra Thin, except in both being liquid plastic cements of course. They smell very different, which already indicates they are different chemicals and so will have different properties when glueing parts together with them. The TET dries more slowly, is my experience, and feels a bit thicker (I know, there’s no thickeners in it — it’s just the liquids themselves that make it thicker).

When I refer to being the same, they are both extra thin types that are applied to a dry join. That is the important point here. I did say that it’s better than TET, I found that it penetrates deeper and, as you say, dries faster.

 

[David Lovell]

Can't see it matters to you jakko if you use home brew ,smells diffrent does it matter does it matter if they use diffrent chemicals both do the same job im with Barry on this the mr hobby stuff is much better not in the way it glues they both do that but any over spill vapes of quicker and cleaner than tamiya.

 

[Tim Marlow]

When I refer to being the same, they are both extra thin types that are applied to a dry join. That is the important point here. I did say that it’s better than TET, I found that it penetrates deeper and, as you say, dries faster.

Sounds like one has more Butanone (MEK) and less carrier solvents than the other. Nothing more complicated than that is going on.

If anyone is interested, Butanone acts as a plastic welding agent. Other ketones can do this, as can ether, but testosterone (also a ketone, the clue is in the “one” ending) unfortunately doesn’t. This is why swearing at the parts when assembling them doesn’t help

Neither are cements, by the way, as they add nothing to the bond. They just weld the plastics to each other by dissolving the surfaces, then evaporate leaving the welded area to harden off. The difference between plastic cements, such as Contacta and plastic solvents such as TET id that the cement has a styrene filler component, along with its Butanone solvent, which bonds to both surfaces and helps gap fill on bad joints.

I have some pure Butanone, by the way, which is a really “hot” solvent on its own. It readily melts styrene very quickly. It can be used on heavy joints if you are careful, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It works great on ABS though, which is a tougher gig when solvent welding parts. It used to be sold by C and L for assembling their accurate ABS plastic model railway track.