Glue Cleanup?

[Didymus]

What's the best way to remove dried Testors Plastic glue from a painted model? Sometimes I goof and smear it where I don't want it.

I've tried alcohol, but that doesn't really remove it. I could scrape it off or sand it and repaint the area, but I'd like to find something that doesn't damage the paint finish.

Thanks!

Ddms

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

I doubt you'll be able to remove it w/o damage. It's just a thickened version of the liquid glue that welds styrene, it's strong stuff so it's likely chemically bonded/damaged the paint in that area. Anything strong enough to remove it will also be removing the paint. AFAIK, there's no miracle glue remover that only works on glue but not on paint or styrene. Best idea is to learn from the mistakes and avoid them in the future.

I haven't used tube glue for years. It's too risky and too slow. It will continue to soften styrene for months/years; I have models where I used it to attach glass to a roof, and years later noticed dimples in the roof exactly where that glue was underneath. It even happened to some promos made in the '70's.

I use superglue very sparingly anywhere near a visible surface, and canopy glue for stuff that's dangerous/risky and I want a good strong bond w/o danger of damaging paint. Superglue is also damaging to paint; even being careful often I'll get a small bit of damage from it somewhere on the paint and I can buff most of it away but often it leaves a small mark...and these are from very small spots of damage.

I haven't bought/used tube cement in years...but I have several big tubes of it...that came in diecast model kits

[Didymus]

You make some really good points. Thanks.

I've been using mostly CA and occasionally canopy glue. Thin CA seems impossible to control, and even thick CA has no holding power until it's dry.

Tube glue is just sticky enough to hold items in place - and not too gooey, like contact cement. But I don't want my models coming apart in a few years.

Canopy glue might do the trick. I'll try using it for more stuff.

Thanks.

Ddms

[M4tt83]

What is canopy glue; I haven't heard of it before?

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by Didymus

You make some really good points. Thanks.

I've been using mostly CA and occasionally canopy glue. Thin CA seems impossible to control, and even thick CA has no holding power until it's dry.

Tube glue is just sticky enough to hold items in place - and not too gooey, like contact cement. But I don't want my models coming apart in a few years.

Canopy glue might do the trick. I'll try using it for more stuff.

Thanks.

Ddms

I use accelerator for 99% of my CA joints; I use either medium or gap filling CA, medium seems best. I have replaced the spray nozzle w/a cap that has a needle so I can pinpoint the accelerator on the glue joint. A small drop of CA applied w/a toothpick or craft stick to the final location, attach the part, apply a drop of accelerator...done. No waiting!

I even use tiny amounts inside windshields/glass sometimes just to hold the part in place while I put a canopy glue surround around the entire part.

You can also use a cotton swab to apply accelerator to the part that's being manipulated into place. Drop of CA in locator hole, swab accelerator on the part being attached, place...done. And accelerator seems to totally prevent the CA from fogging.

Originally Posted by M4tt83

What is canopy glue; I haven't heard of it before?

Canopy glue is thick white glue that was made to hold airplane canopies onto the fuselage. Formula 560 canopy glue is my favorite, available at most hobby shops. Microscale Micro Krystal Klear is a very similar product. Looks like Elmers, but it's 1,000 times stronger, and it has a little "stick" even when wet. Dries clear, and very strong...almost like epoxy. Use for gluing glass, lenses, any exterior trim parts that might slop a little glue on the model that you want to clean up w/a little water before it dries. My only "problem" with it is that if you immerse the parts in water, it might come apart. Not sure if this will happen w/fully cured glue, but I've had it happen once and now I use it to my advantage; sometimes I'll use it to glue something I want to come apart later, a drop of water, let it sit, and it will come apart.

[Didymus]

I've tried using CA accelerator, but I gave up. My InstaSet is in a spray bottle with a jet-stream nozzle. It's impossible to spray a small amount, so it always makes a huge mess. And if it doesn't "take" on the first try, I can't seem to get a good bond on the second.

Sounds like I didn't try hard enough to make it work. I'll try putting it in a wide-mouth jar and using a Microbrush applicator to dribble it on the joint.

My accelerator is pretty old. Does it have a shelf life?

Ddms

[Didymus]

I managed to fit a bottle cap with a Microbrush, so now I have a groovy accelerator applicator. (Repeat five times fast.)

Works like a charm! Instant joints! Thanks for the, ZoomZoomMX-5, for the great solution.

Ddms

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by Didymus

I managed to fit a bottle cap with a Microbrush, so now I have a groovy accelerator applicator. (Repeat five times fast.)

Works like a charm! Instant joints! Thanks for the, ZoomZoomMX-5, for the great solution.

Ddms

Cool! When I learned about superglue and accelerator (20+ years ago), it literally transformed how I built models. I would literally be lost without it.

[cbrain]

Ever since I learned of the Tamiya Extra Thin Cement... I've never used any other. Except for elmer's white glue which I use for clear windshields, headlights, and/or taillights.

Some "special" features of the glue:

-This cement is extremely useful when gluing plastic parts to a desired position while holding them in place together.
-The thin cement flows smoothly between the gaps of the fitted parts by capillary action.
-The plastic screw-on lid has an applicator brush attached.
-The pointed applicator tip makes it easy to put the cement where desired.
-Clear liquid.

[Didymus]

Originally Posted by cbrain

Ever since I learned of the Tamiya Extra Thin Cement... I've never used any other.

Never heard of it. Is it cyanoacrylate, like Superglue?

Ddms

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by Didymus

Never heard of it. Is it cyanoacrylate, like Superglue?

Ddms

It's liquid styrene cement, but in a nice container with a great quality small brush...really good for styrene construction, but it forces you to do all assembly either before paint, or scrape paint from every single glue joint. To me that's insane, and why I use CA, epoxy, or canopy glue, only needing to scrape plating before gluing but not worried about scraping paint.

[cbrain]

Originally Posted by Didymus

Never heard of it. Is it cyanoacrylate, like Superglue?

Ddms

Nope, just like what zoom zoom stated, it's something like very thin styrene cement. Fluid consistency is something like lacquer or acrylic thinner.

Some people I know use polyurethane (PU) reducer or chloroform as substitute.

You necessarily don't have to scrape off paint from all the glue joints. For small detail parts which really doesn't require strength, applying extra thin cement directly would be sufficient. But it is recommended to scrape off some paint when your joints require strength.

What's good about this is it won't leave much distinguishable mess even if you over apply the cement. Unlike your regular cement or CA wherein if you apply too much, you will either have to scrape or sand off the excess when dry (You'll just be spreading/scattering it if you try to wipe it off when wet). Which isn't good when your surface is already painted.