Why why PE metal parts

[Calico Jack]

I have used this CA pretty exclusively for photo etch with great results. It's a bit pricey, but offers some flexibility when used with PE that it can take light abuse without parts flying.

https://www.vms-supplies.com/product-page/flexy-5k-ca-xt-thin-contact-adhesive-for-photo-etched

They also have it in a thicker viscosity and also black.

Oh and just a little tip when dealing with photo etch. If you have to make bends or rounding, it's best to anneal the PE beforehand. This will soften the rigidness to allow better bends and retaining them over wanting to spring back to it's original shape and allows easier gluing. HTH

 

[the Baron]

Some even use white glue (PVA), and I have seen some modelers use Future to attach some PE parts.

 

[Littlemarten]

What those of you who have trouble applying CA to tiny parts need, is to make some of these: They are cut off sewing needles of several sizes, from small to microscopic, mounted in dowels and color coded for size.

 

[Littlemarten]

I use Mercury Adhesives CA glues in thin, medium, and occasionally thick viscosity. I find that they work better for scale modeling than the general purpose CA glues, possibly because they are specifically made for that and similar applications.

Some notes on CA glues:

1. CA, cyanoacrylate glue, is moisture activated as others have mentioned, which is why the hot breath technique works. Beware of high humidity in the workroom! You can also just breathe on the part if the metal is cold.
2. The thicker the viscosity, the slower it sets.
3. "A little dab 'll do ya." (Yes, I'm that old.) The more you use, the slower it sets.
4. It frequently helps to apply the accelerator to either the model surface or the PE part, rather than trying to hold the part in place on the model while applying accelerator. Basically, the glue goes on one surface, the accelerator on the other.
5. In small applications, the accelerator works even after it has dried.
6. Water vapor is an accelerator. Water is not.
7. Baking soda, either dry or as a saturated solution, is an accelerator. Solution is better. However, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is hydroscopic. If you use too much, your model will grow fur.
8. CA as a filler, which necessitates accelerator, works very well. However, it needs to be sanded after initial set. After the CA initially sets or hardens, it continues to get harder over the next 24 hours or so. It will be much harder to feather into the surface if you leave it overnight.

It is possible to sculpt a broken-off piece of a plastic part using medium or thick CA with an accelerator. I've replaced broken-off parts of small figures, lengthened struts, and even replaced small lost parts this way. Apply accelerator to the piece. Get a largish drop of medium or thick CA on an applicator, touch it to the broken piece and stretch the drop as far as you can without breaking it. The CA will harden from the base up. When the CA can't be wiggled, pull the applicator away. Repeat until you have an adequate length or extension. File and sand into final shape.

 

[BarleyBop]

"A little dab 'll do ya."

If you want your comb stuck permanently in your 'do' !

 

[the Baron]

If you want your comb stuck permanently in your 'do' !

Then you just need to use a little acetone hair tonic

 

[Littlemarten]

If you want your comb stuck permanently in your 'do' !

Since I have been shaving my head for thirty years or more, this is not a problem.

 

[Littlemarten]

One thing I didn't mention: Skin oil is a marvelous bond inhibitor. Wearing tight-fitting nitrile gloves is not a bad idea. This also keeps the glue and accelerator off your hands.

Mold release is also a bond breaker. Clean the plastic and metal surfaces by wiping with ethyl alcohol (Everclear™), not isopropyl. Isopropyl alcohol and some CA don't play together well. Denatured alcohol is okay.

Using acetone to remove it from your skin can cause dermatitis, and will severely dry skin. Nail polish remover (Do they still make this?) is a better option. You can also just leave it—skin oil and normal washing will get it off in a day or so. Peanut oil is also effective and good for your skin. It is, however, not good for your paint job on the kit.

I've noticed that some PE manufacturers coat the surface of the metal. This coating is probably for oxidation protection, but it seems very well bonded to the surface, and may be considered a primer. Some of it also appears to accelerate CA curing. I tend to leave it unless it seems to cause problems. Some of these coatings are soluble in ethyl alcohol, some in acetone, but what they are I do not know.

 

[Heavy 7]

Good, informative write-up. I will check out Mercury Adhesives. I've been rolling the dice, not knowing what is what.

Cheers
Pep