question about materials

[ThoroughBreed]

During a recent visit to hobbytown to check on some decals that still haven't been replaced by microscale, my sons friend went with me to find some items he needed for his nitro rc car. Well after he looked around for some screws and so forth for the car, we were talking about how to repair the shell on it, as the type of plastic isnt real super glue compatable. I found a bottle of tenax-7r welder cement and thought we would try it. It worked great, as we put in some bracing on the inside of the shell and repaired some breaks/cracks.
Well afterwards, I thought about the cement and some old Heljan buildings I have that have seen better days and thought to try it. It worked great on those! I didnt think I'd ever find the best cement to use on those. I had asked on a few forums, but never got a good response and kinda wrote them off as unusable.
So, heres the point of this topic, what kind of cements, fasteners, solvents would noobies/moderates/even the greatest modelers use for types of plastics/woods/roadbed and so forth?
Maybe a list would be nice and everyone could chime in with what theyve used for certain applications. It could kinda be a beginners guide to needed supplies.
I use the following items:
for foam,cork roadbed, and track laying----elmers glue or plain latex caulk spread with a small putty knife, it makes it so that if you need to make adjustments whilst laying, the items are easily moved without loss, and can easily be removed from the items if you decide to remove the track, just soak with warm water.
for most plastics---- nothing like the good old super glue, or CA as folks like to call it. If applied correctly, makes great joints with plastic without a big mess. I can buy it from the local grocery store, 4 tubes for a buck, and it seems that the cheaper the stuff is, the better it holds. And as I recently found, TENAX-7R for older plastics and styrene.
tapes--- regular electrical tape for use when you need to cover surfaces to keep old contacts from reappearing, as inside the athearn bb locos when you remove the clip from the bottom of the motor for dcc purposes;
household 2 sided tape---- used to attach dcc decoders and electrical to inside of shells of locos, also used for extra weights in the same area as well as for cars.
Oh, I also use fishing weights, semi flattened with a hammer, to add weight to make the cars track better and to make the engines pull better.
I'm a great recycler, scavenger, or pack rat as the wife says. I won't throw away plastic items such as from packaging materials, that can be used for windows, walls, and so forth. I use old medicine bottles, cleaned, to store screws, couplers, and other parts.
Large magnets come in handy to retrieve items that have been dropped in small places.
Small clamps to hold walls and other items together.
Surgical scissors and clamps for helping with detailing.
So, if you all will help with this list, I'm sure someone will find it useful.

[Eastern Roads]

I currently use five different adhesives on the layout. My most used is Elmers White. I just went through a gallon jug of the stuff, as it's super useful for thinning down and using for ballast, and scenery, and wood based materials.
I use thin and thick CA when the thin won't make the contact, and when I'm putting two different materials together (like the flatcar thread).
Then I use Gorilla glue for when I really have to hold something down. I used some the other day on a base for a station that was warped. I glued it directly to the layout.
Then I use another all purpose glue for holding weights, and having a stronger hold on keeping odd materials (other than plastic) together.
Oh, yeah, then the ever present plastic cement in the tubes.
I've used latex caulk/ liquid nails- projects, for holding down the foam sheets that are part of the base of the layout.

Now if you REALLY want to drive my wife crazy, then we can talk about the stuff I squirrel away and scrounge! (she tosses stuff if she doesn't think SHE needs it!) The other day we went down to the local reservoir trail, and they have this really great HO scale Bluestone. She saw the bag of stone, and just scratched her head!!

Tools? Well, anything from a framing hammer to a jeweler's screwdriver has been used here. Pics for that later...

[ak-milw]

I use most of the above mentioned adhesives in one way or another. I also use the Liquid Nails for projects to glue my track down.For wood kits I prefer Elmers wood glue, mainly because it is water proof and will not fall apart with humidity or a slip of the water spray bottle.

[domiluk]

I like to use Elmer's glue for wood I get that two side tape from the mirror dept. at wal mart I use all kinds of super glue but for glue that you use on plastic I go to home depot an get quart of MKE it's a paint solvent it works just like tenax-7 and cost less and you get more for your money.If you use some be sure to put it in a glass bottle use it just like tenax.

[ThoroughBreed]

Originally Posted by domiluk

for glue that you use on plastic I go to home depot an get quart of MKE it's a paint solvent it works just like tenax-7 and cost less and you get more for your money.

See, thats something I didn't know, already helped one person. TY sir.

[Trainman1965]

Now you are saying that MKE is a paint solvent if so how does this work. I mean does it melt the plastic back togather.

[Daryl]

MEK acts like a plastic welder

[domiluk]

trainman yes that what it dose I like it because all you do is hold the pieces together and apply the MKE I use a brush what i did was when the tenax bottle was empty I refilled it with MKE now I have and a little bottle to work out of. now whenyou use it the first time take two pieces of old plastic and try it let it set for about 30sec. it will get harder with time and if you want to take it apart just add more MKE and apart it comes.

[eTraxx]

I was going to add a link to 'Supplies' (more on that in a bit) and found this thread. Since it 'fits in' .. I'll add that link here.

About MEK. Look on the back of a bottle of Testor's Liquid Cement. It says ... "Contains acetates and methyl ethyl ketone". Methyl ethyl ketone is MEK. Curious about that 'acetates' .. according to Wikipedia, "Acetates are salts or esters of acetic acid." .. would be interesting to know the purpose of the acetates are in the cement.

In any case, I purchased a quart (32oz) of MEK at Lowes for $9.69 .. which if I round off for taxes to $10 means that I paid about 32 cents an ounce. The bottle of Testor's Cement I have is one ounce and cost me $3.39 at my LHS .. or $3.39 an ounce. I figure the MEK will last me a lifetime.

On to the link. This is from trainweb.org .. titled "Supplies". It covers cheap replacements for items you purchase for your hobby.

Supplies - cheap(er) stuff for the hobby

[Rhearn4]

I will stick to adhesives. I have been collecting tools for over 40 years and have quite a collection. Some get used a lot, others not so much.

For laying cork roadbed, I use contact cement. It has the advantages of speed and permanance. Once its down, its down. Which is also a disadvantage. Changes result in pretty much destroying the cork.

I handlay my track. I use yellow carpentar's glue, unthinned, to lay ties.

I use ACC (super glue) in some areas in my trackwork. I flow a little under the frog, guardrails and the stock rails where the points contact on turnouts. I also use it at electrical gaps. Both to hold in the plastic spacer I put in the gap, and on a couple of ties either side of the gap.

I also use ACC on dissimilar materials if shear strength is not an issue, and to join white metal castings.

If shear strength is an issue, I use epoxy (JB Weld is my first choice) on dissimilar materials or materials that just won't seem to stay together any other way.

Sometimes I use 5-minute epoxy. But I have found that it really doesn't set up to a satisfactory degree in 5 minutes and isn't nearly as strong as JB Weld.

I have an ancient bottle of Testors acetone based plastic cement (actually, weld) that I use when scratchbuilding in Evergreen styrene. I think that bottle must be 30 years old. One uses so little on each joint that I probably have lost more to evaporation than I have actually used. The bottle is still half full. I am sure MKE would work as well. I can't imagine how long a gallon would last.

For years I have used white glue for wood structures. However, I have recently switched to Alene's Tacky Glue. When set it is not quite as strong as the white glue, but, so far, seems plenty strong enough. It starts tacky and sets up very rapidly, so it really speeds construction.

Many years ago I used Ambroid cement on wood structures. But I learned that it detiorates (sp?) with time. I don't think you can get it anymore.

On the limited modifications I have made to Bachmann rolling stock (I model On30) I find that the acetone works just fine. There will be more on this as every single Bachmann freight car is going to get some modifications. Mostly they will be lowered and new coupler pockets installed.

Since I don't typically assemble plastic kits, I can't really speak to that. I have some Testors plastic cement, the traditional tube, stashed away. I use it if I have trouble getting styrene to stick together. It usually means I have been sloppy in cutting the parts.

Hot glue gets used to stick together card board strips for scenery. I haven't done that in years, but will be starting a scenery project as soon as I get some remodeling done around the house and can get back down the basement.

Reg