I have seen that there is three main types of Tamiya Extra Thin, eg: "normal", quick setting and low odour.
Is there really much difference between the three?
Is there really much difference between the three?
Tamiya Extra Thin, whats the difference?
- Thread starter pjgtech
- Start date
They all work but are 'more' or 'less' 'hot' to the plastic. The low odour is a bit less hot for example.
With low odour I ment the 'Limonene' odour version (which is less hot), but I haven't used the 'new' low odour product so far. Cheers
I have some of the quick set but don't use it much. I like it for tiny details, like inside a cockpit, where you want it to set fast so the part doesn't wobble around.
I don't find the bond as strong, so wouldn't use it for anything structural, although I could see it being handy for quickly tacking a part in place, before running the regular tet over it.
I don't find the bond as strong, so wouldn't use it for anything structural, although I could see it being handy for quickly tacking a part in place, before running the regular tet over it.
Low odour is excellent, maybe slightly longer to stick, but its minimal.
So much less stinky and my go to glue from now on.
So much less stinky and my go to glue from now on.
Yeah, I'ved used the normal one and the quick set, but not the low odour one, did not notice that much difference between normal and quick set, as even the normal is pretty fast setting IMHO.
Here is some thing that might be a bit controversial to some persons.
Why pay for a small amount of branded liquid glue for way more money, than what a bulk lot of virtually the same stuff actually costs.
Coming from Australia, the price of brand name liquid glues is just CRAZY, when compared to what you can buy in the plumbing section at your local hardware store.
A simple Google search, soon shows the STUPID differences in the prices of these so called wonder branded glues can rip off you.
Click on GOOGLE link below ---
These rediculous prices are quoted for miniscual quantities, of these so called wonder glues.
Now lets go to a hardware store and to the plumbing section to see what's available at what price for what quantity.
Click on Bunnings link below ------------------
BLOODY BIG DIFFERENCE FOR THE PRICE PER QUANTITY, eh.
Now lets look at the make up of these expensive wonder glues, compared to what the plumbers use.
Go check out what is actually in the liquid, like what's it actually made from and remember that ALL LIQUID GLUES FOR PLASTIC, are clearly marked as dangerous to your health.
Some even frighten you with the word 'cancer', most others say harmfull if inhaled, that IS --- ALL AND EVERY ONE OF THESE DIFFERENT BRANDED LIQUID GLUES.
INCLUDING those extra expensive brand name glues, packaged in special little expensive bottles, which you the modeller, are actually paying for that little fancy little bottle with that silly price per millilitre.
So why not just cut the expensive crap out and go buy it in BULK, for far less price than the expensive crap costs.
It all works exactly the same, it is basically ALL made from the CHEMICAL called MEK, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, or a couple of other chemicals, that the expensive glues just have a very minor amount of another chemical in them to change the smell of them, to appear that they are different and should be more expensive.
Guess how advertising works ------------------ "to extract from "you the sucker", your hard earned precious money".
So why not wise up and start to save your hard earned money, for something else that YOU really need.
Oh, at one time MEK was said to cause you to grow an extra eye, or somehow cripple your hands/fingers, WOW, still waiting for something like that to happen, even after using MEK for about 40 plus years.
The best part about MEK is when you first take the lid off, up to the nose and have a real good sniff to get the day progressing, now that is the way to get a very good start to the day.
So before ANYBODY decides to rip into me, YOU better do a check on the specification sheet of YOUR favorite glue, just to find out what is actually in the make-up of YOUR favorite glue.
Oh --- MEK has about two or three different names that are used, to mask that MEK is actully in that glue.
So I'll put my flack jacket on and retreat to the depths of my bunker, for what is about to follow ----------------
Why pay for a small amount of branded liquid glue for way more money, than what a bulk lot of virtually the same stuff actually costs.
Coming from Australia, the price of brand name liquid glues is just CRAZY, when compared to what you can buy in the plumbing section at your local hardware store.
A simple Google search, soon shows the STUPID differences in the prices of these so called wonder branded glues can rip off you.
Click on GOOGLE link below ---
These rediculous prices are quoted for miniscual quantities, of these so called wonder glues.
Now lets go to a hardware store and to the plumbing section to see what's available at what price for what quantity.
Click on Bunnings link below ------------------
BLOODY BIG DIFFERENCE FOR THE PRICE PER QUANTITY, eh.
Now lets look at the make up of these expensive wonder glues, compared to what the plumbers use.
Go check out what is actually in the liquid, like what's it actually made from and remember that ALL LIQUID GLUES FOR PLASTIC, are clearly marked as dangerous to your health.
Some even frighten you with the word 'cancer', most others say harmfull if inhaled, that IS --- ALL AND EVERY ONE OF THESE DIFFERENT BRANDED LIQUID GLUES.
INCLUDING those extra expensive brand name glues, packaged in special little expensive bottles, which you the modeller, are actually paying for that little fancy little bottle with that silly price per millilitre.
So why not just cut the expensive crap out and go buy it in BULK, for far less price than the expensive crap costs.
It all works exactly the same, it is basically ALL made from the CHEMICAL called MEK, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, or a couple of other chemicals, that the expensive glues just have a very minor amount of another chemical in them to change the smell of them, to appear that they are different and should be more expensive.
Guess how advertising works ------------------ "to extract from "you the sucker", your hard earned precious money".
So why not wise up and start to save your hard earned money, for something else that YOU really need.
Oh, at one time MEK was said to cause you to grow an extra eye, or somehow cripple your hands/fingers, WOW, still waiting for something like that to happen, even after using MEK for about 40 plus years.
The best part about MEK is when you first take the lid off, up to the nose and have a real good sniff to get the day progressing, now that is the way to get a very good start to the day.
So before ANYBODY decides to rip into me, YOU better do a check on the specification sheet of YOUR favorite glue, just to find out what is actually in the make-up of YOUR favorite glue.
Oh --- MEK has about two or three different names that are used, to mask that MEK is actully in that glue.
So I'll put my flack jacket on and retreat to the depths of my bunker, for what is about to follow ----------------
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Oh, here's something I swiped of the web many many moons ago, so CAN NOT accredit it to any person, alive or deceased.
Please remember that this is very old and written by a yank, I can not attribute if the pricing is still the same, bet it aint though.
If your favourite glue is mentioned, then please do a WIKIPEDIA SEARCH for the chemical that is in YOUR glue, just to see how dangerous it is to YOUR health.
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Did some research on various "adhesives" a year or so ago. Most of what we are discussing here are not really adhesives, rather they are solvents that will melt styrenes.
I have sorted them by brand, contents and cost if purchased by the quart, or in enough 1 or 2 ounce bottles to make a quart as most hobby products are only available in those small sizes. Some hobby products as you can see have additives added to control the kick or speed. Some are just repackaged Methylene Chloride.
Tamiya liquid cement, orange bottle, acetone, butyl - acetate, $96.00
Tamiya extra thin cement, acetone, butyl - acetate, $104.28
Tamiya extra thin cement - quick setting, acetone, butyl - acetate, $91.01
In the Tamiya adhesives, the mix of butyl acetate and acetone varies by adhesive type, controlling the quickness or "hotness".
Tenax 7-R, Methylene Chloride - 98 - 100%, $118.49 (Discontinued?)
Flex-file Plast-i-weld, Methylene Chloride - 98 - 100%, $98.24
Micro Mark Same Stuff, Methylene Chloride - 98 - 100%, $95.20
Plastruct Plastic Weld, (orange label), Methylene Chloride - 85%, MEK 15%,$76.32
Plastruct Bondene, (white label), Methylene Chloride - 55%, MEK 45%, $79.68
Ambroid Pro-weld, Methylene Chloride - 98-100%, (Discontinued?)
Testors liquid plastic cement #3502, Ethel acetate - 35 - 40%, MEK 35 - 40%, Propylene glycol methyl ether acetate - 25 - 30%, allyl isothiocyanate - .5%, $96.32
Now see what a quart of what chemical is in YOUR favorite glue cost's, by buying it in bulk ----------------
The following are products I have purchased from a local custom plastics fabrication shop. These are products they use. I can buy them by the pint or quart from them.
The first two make up the major ingredients in most styrene adhesives.
Methyl Ethyl Keytone, commonly referred to as MEK, also called 2-butanone, ethyl methyl keytone. $8.99 qt. can get at most bulding supply centers and paint stores.
Dichloromethane, also called Methylene Chloride. $33.98 qt. This is a very fast setting product with a high rate of capillary action.
Scigrip Weld-on #3,(very fast setting) Methylene Chloride - 80%, Trichlorethylene - 15%, Methyl methacrylate monomer - 5%, $25.47 qt
Scigrip Weld-on #4,(fast setting) Methylene Chloride - 60%, Trichlorethylene - 40%, Methyl methacrylate monomer - 1%, $25.47 qt
The Scigrip stuff I also use in my shop to fabricate sneeze guards for salad bars and such out of Plexiglass and polycarbonate sheet.
I have also downloaded the safety data sheets for all these products.
Hope you find this information useful.
Please remember that this is very old and written by a yank, I can not attribute if the pricing is still the same, bet it aint though.
If your favourite glue is mentioned, then please do a WIKIPEDIA SEARCH for the chemical that is in YOUR glue, just to see how dangerous it is to YOUR health.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Did some research on various "adhesives" a year or so ago. Most of what we are discussing here are not really adhesives, rather they are solvents that will melt styrenes.
I have sorted them by brand, contents and cost if purchased by the quart, or in enough 1 or 2 ounce bottles to make a quart as most hobby products are only available in those small sizes. Some hobby products as you can see have additives added to control the kick or speed. Some are just repackaged Methylene Chloride.
Tamiya liquid cement, orange bottle, acetone, butyl - acetate, $96.00
Tamiya extra thin cement, acetone, butyl - acetate, $104.28
Tamiya extra thin cement - quick setting, acetone, butyl - acetate, $91.01
In the Tamiya adhesives, the mix of butyl acetate and acetone varies by adhesive type, controlling the quickness or "hotness".
Tenax 7-R, Methylene Chloride - 98 - 100%, $118.49 (Discontinued?)
Flex-file Plast-i-weld, Methylene Chloride - 98 - 100%, $98.24
Micro Mark Same Stuff, Methylene Chloride - 98 - 100%, $95.20
Plastruct Plastic Weld, (orange label), Methylene Chloride - 85%, MEK 15%,$76.32
Plastruct Bondene, (white label), Methylene Chloride - 55%, MEK 45%, $79.68
Ambroid Pro-weld, Methylene Chloride - 98-100%, (Discontinued?)
Testors liquid plastic cement #3502, Ethel acetate - 35 - 40%, MEK 35 - 40%, Propylene glycol methyl ether acetate - 25 - 30%, allyl isothiocyanate - .5%, $96.32
Now see what a quart of what chemical is in YOUR favorite glue cost's, by buying it in bulk ----------------
The following are products I have purchased from a local custom plastics fabrication shop. These are products they use. I can buy them by the pint or quart from them.
The first two make up the major ingredients in most styrene adhesives.
Methyl Ethyl Keytone, commonly referred to as MEK, also called 2-butanone, ethyl methyl keytone. $8.99 qt. can get at most bulding supply centers and paint stores.
Dichloromethane, also called Methylene Chloride. $33.98 qt. This is a very fast setting product with a high rate of capillary action.
Scigrip Weld-on #3,(very fast setting) Methylene Chloride - 80%, Trichlorethylene - 15%, Methyl methacrylate monomer - 5%, $25.47 qt
Scigrip Weld-on #4,(fast setting) Methylene Chloride - 60%, Trichlorethylene - 40%, Methyl methacrylate monomer - 1%, $25.47 qt
The Scigrip stuff I also use in my shop to fabricate sneeze guards for salad bars and such out of Plexiglass and polycarbonate sheet.
I have also downloaded the safety data sheets for all these products.
Hope you find this information useful.
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So I spend about a tenner or so at most a year on Extra Thin.
Won't exactly save me a fortune buying chemicals in industrial size quantities.
Not very helpful either with keeping our local model shops in business.
Talk about skin a turd to save a pound
Won't exactly save me a fortune buying chemicals in industrial size quantities.
Not very helpful either with keeping our local model shops in business.
Talk about skin a turd to save a pound
I'm the same, cement is a negligible cost as far as I'm concerned.So I spend about a tenner or so at most a year on Extra Thin.
Won't exactly save me a fortune buying chemicals in industrial size quantities.
Not very helpful either with keeping our local model shops in business.
Talk about skin a turd to save a pound
Sure, there are savings to be made with alternatives, but even I'm not that tight
For example, I buy standard thinner by the 25l barrel for around £50. That would
make a TET sized bottle less than a penny, or to be honest I'd never miss such small amounts so I could just top up my bottles for free, but I still buy TET.
Most of the cost incurred in hobby glues is actually in the packing and transport. Bulk is cheaper, always will be, but buying like you say does bring other issues that you don’t mention.
One of them is material quality. Is the chemical you are buying of the appropriate quality and contaminant free? Personally I would want it to be Lab quality if I was buying like this, and I’m not sure your bulk buy meets that criteria. For the costs you mention it is probably technical grade, which is the lowest available , containing unspecified impurities, some of which could be pretty nasty.
In addition, for bulk purchase you will need to both decant for use, and store the bulk you have bought in between top ups. This stuff is highly flammable and vapour can be explosive so storing inside is an absolute no no. Even storing in a garage you would need a flammables bin, which would wipe out your savings at a stroke…..in addition you would need a spark free environment, and to ensure there is decent ventilation. There are many other considerations, toxicity, OEM and MEL exposure all increase as the volume you handle increases, for example, but these are just the ones that came immediately to mind based on forty odd years working in a chemical environment.
Ignoring all of this though…how much do you actually use? If I use two bottles of TET it’s been a very hectic year….it would take me a lifetime to use all of this up…..bulk buying makes sense for things like paint thinner and cleaner, as we use much more, but brushed on glue….nah
One of them is material quality. Is the chemical you are buying of the appropriate quality and contaminant free? Personally I would want it to be Lab quality if I was buying like this, and I’m not sure your bulk buy meets that criteria. For the costs you mention it is probably technical grade, which is the lowest available , containing unspecified impurities, some of which could be pretty nasty.
In addition, for bulk purchase you will need to both decant for use, and store the bulk you have bought in between top ups. This stuff is highly flammable and vapour can be explosive so storing inside is an absolute no no. Even storing in a garage you would need a flammables bin, which would wipe out your savings at a stroke…..in addition you would need a spark free environment, and to ensure there is decent ventilation. There are many other considerations, toxicity, OEM and MEL exposure all increase as the volume you handle increases, for example, but these are just the ones that came immediately to mind based on forty odd years working in a chemical environment.
Ignoring all of this though…how much do you actually use? If I use two bottles of TET it’s been a very hectic year….it would take me a lifetime to use all of this up…..bulk buying makes sense for things like paint thinner and cleaner, as we use much more, but brushed on glue….nah
Call me old fashion if you like but I have not bought Tamiya extra thin for a couple of years or four....However I have bought quite a bit of Tamiya Airbrush cleaner...
Have a read of the labels if you have both...There is 1% difference in the two components. Japanese laws prevent the same product being sold as two different and separate things.
Cost wise the Cleaner is a lot cheaper than the glue.
Tamiya extra thin. £4.75 40ml.
Tamiya Airbrush cleaner. £10 for 250ml.
Have a read of the labels if you have both...There is 1% difference in the two components. Japanese laws prevent the same product being sold as two different and separate things.
Cost wise the Cleaner is a lot cheaper than the glue.
Tamiya extra thin. £4.75 40ml.
Tamiya Airbrush cleaner. £10 for 250ml.
Last time I looked we couldn't get it over here, or had to pay ridiculous shipping costs for importing it.
I'll have a look and see if the situation has changed though as it's certainly an option I wanted to persue.
For me, the cost (especially of scale model adhesive) is not much of an issue TBH, as I do tend to spend a fair bit on all my hobbies, and I have other hobbies that cost way more than Scale modelling! Lol....
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