Super (CA) glue dilema

[jspitza]

Hello all:

Quick question for you regarding the properties of thick super glue, mainly Gel.

My current project, the Revell BF109K is in a bad state. I attached the rear fuselage half, and applied the CA glue to the support and carefully aligned the joint. Right. I then used the kicker and discovered that the area around the joint line sunk or pulled inwards toward the frame, kinda like one large sink hole. At this point, all I can do is to fill in the area and continue. Shaping and contouring are key but not my strong points and the results are not pleasing. Did the CA pull and distort the fuselage half? I'm now remembering frustrations with past projects and this time I think I know why but would love some input. Take care, Jeff

[Guest]

Not quite sure why you would use super glue for sticking the fuselage together. No matter how bad the fit, carful use of liquid polly is still the best with loads of rubber bands or clamps.

One thing I do like about super glue is as a gap filler. Trouble is that when the SG dries, it is so hard that it does not sand very easily. In fact being so hard, it tends to leave a raised lump and the plastic tends to get ground away from around it. Good tip I have seen and tried with great success is to use SG and Talcum powder (smells nice to).

First run superglue into the gap and immediately sprinkle loads of talcum powder on it. This soaks into the super glue and acts as a kicker (not sure why but it does). Give it a minute until it is dry and brush off the excess talc. What this leaves is a less hard filler which dries very fast and sands as easy as any filler I have used. In theory, it shouldn't shrink and bonds the parts better than filler so any flexing should not leave crack marks(!)

Easy to do and is the fastest easy to sand filler you can get.

[stona]

Sorry I missed this earlier. I've not experienced such a problem as I rarely use the kicker but I suspect it was simply caused by heat. The kicker is a catalyst which speeds up a chemical reaction producing the heat. Maybe the plastic has literally melted,or at least softened. I hope you manage to sort it out.

Cheers

Steve

[jspitza]

Thanks guys:

I'm starting to gather more and more info about the heat issues: You guys have also reconfirmed my suspicions as well. I'm using the glue as a clamp and then running a bead of Tamiya Exthin to weld. The kicker is used first and generates the heat then may be trapping the liquid cement glue!

[Guest]

I've always noticed when wiping the tube with a cloth or tissue, if I press too hard I feel it heating up! I didn't know there would be enough generated to cause a problem with the plastic though! Although I've never used accelerator so maybe that's why I've not had a problem. I'm intrigued by the CA/talcum powder idea though...

[stona]

I once stuck an aerial wire and my thumb to the tail of an aircraft,along with a squirt of kicker, and can definitely confirm the heat thing. Hard to say how hot due to onset of panic but I definitely felt it! I see what you mean about trapping the liquid cement Jeff. The problem looks to have been caused by a combination of factors.

Cheers

Steve