best glue for fixing detailing parts?

[bluedepot]

what glue do people recommend for fixing pipes and detailing parts to locos?

i tried tacky wax in the past but it didn't stick them on that well.

i don't want glue that will leave visible marks on the buffer beam or elsewhere on the loco.

what do people here use?


cheers


tim

[GeeBee]

Do you want these fixings to be permanent or to be removable???
Graham

[Bealman]

If they are going to be permanent, a tiny drop of smelly old superglue applied on the end of a toothpick will work fine.

[Chetcombe]

I have to say sometimes Superglue doesn't work. It must be something to do with the type of plastic they use on some of the fiddly bits. When that is the case a dab of epoxy resin does the trick.

[Bealman]

You're correct, Mike. I meant epoxy!  Superglue doesn't like that bendy plastic.

[bluedepot]

ok cheers for the replies

i think i will permanently fix them on because i don't want the bits falling off when i put the loco back in the box or falling off on the track...

just have to make sure i never build an end to end or a shunting layout!

cheers


tim

[Railwaygun]

The tacky white glues work well on a variety of plastics.

[silly moo]

I've just bought some Tacky Wax for attaching loco crew and lamps but I didn't find it very good at all, the loco crew didn't stick to the floor of the loco properly.  I feel I've wasted my money.

It has been quite warm lately, about 30 degrees and I wonder if that has had anything to do with it not working properly.

I also wonder if it affects loco paintwork long term. I want to add Golden Arrow insignia to my Merchant Navy but I don't want to damage the paintwork.

[GeeBee]

I've just bought some Tacky Wax for attaching loco crew and lamps but I didn't find it very good at all, the loco crew didn't stick to the floor of the loco properly.  I feel I've wasted my money.

It has been quite warm lately, about 30 degrees and I wonder if that has had anything to do with it not working properly.

I also wonder if it affects loco paintwork long term. I want to add Golden Arrow insignia to my Merchant Navy but I don't want to damage the paintwork.

I am not sure that tacky wax is an adhesive it is more for short term like adding to couplings to stop them coming apart while the trains are running
when I used it I found it had slightly less grip than BluTak but was less messy
Graham

[NeMo]

I think it depends on the situation. Some thoughts...

High quality PVA like Glue'n'Glaze is excellent for situations where you're worried about fogging nearby clear plastic panels or discolouring the underlying plastic. Use a narrow nozzle so you get just the tiniest blob, and a damp cocktail stick can be used to wipe away any excess without leaving fibres behind (a problem with cotton wool or paper towel). The downside to PVA is that it's not brilliant at gluing plastic or metal, so best used only on very small items of these types.

Superglue gel is excellent for items where regular superglue would be too runny. It's brittle, but fine for things like locomotive lamps or sticking plastic people down onto platforms. It works great on plastic and metal. On the other hand it's more expensive than regular superglue.

UHU is a fantastic all around adhesive. Your biggest challenge is dispensing just the right amount of glue. It tends to be a bit stringy which makes a mess! Sometimes it is easier to put the glue on some plastic or card, and then use an unfolded paperclip or similar to apply a small amount to the item being glued down. Do it right and you'll find UHU strong enough for most modelling jobs.

Cheers, NeMo