Glue

[Steveuk]

Hi all,
Hopefully as a very new member I have posted in right section, apologise if not.

I have just started N gauge and I have started building a station , Mainline railway station, ready cut card kit, I understand instructions, but I found when I had to glue the windows I am using contacts professional by revel, but when I glued the plastic windows down they all seemed okay, so I left them to dry.
When I went to start again 24 hrs later, I picked the station part up and all the windows fell off.
I know I used a lot of glue and they seemed fine,
So any advice to a novice I would appreciate .
Regards
Steve

[austinbob]

I use Roket Card glue which will also glue wood and plastic. No problems so far.

Only need a tiny drop and dries fairly quickly (5 mins).

I got mine from Gaugemaster shop at Ford near Arundel

[Komata]

Steve

What you've experienced is a not uncommon problem, so rest assured you're not alone.

I have found that the best glue for 'card' is good old PVA, (no particular brand BTW, as all 'white glues' are essentially the same product), and yes, this includes the plastic windows.  PVA dries 'clear' so it won't leave residual marks or 'fog' the plastic as CA ('Super Glue') does.  it also 'gets into' the card and forms a very strong bond with that material

However, rather than just take my 'say so' as 'Gospel' might I suggest that you experiment with ONE plastic window first, using PVA for the purpose, and see if it works.  I believe that it should, so please let us know how you get on.

Hoping that this helps.  Have fun.

[port perran]

I'd second that.
Good old PVA is, I think, under rated but it does the job.

[CaynhamCourt]

I think you need to be aware that the comment about using PVA on windows by Komata may well leave you with blank holes where the windows used to be in years to come.

PVA will fix plastic but only temporarily. You will find that over time (couple of months +) the glue hardens and looses it's grip on plastic. The clue is in Komata's comments about "getting into" as it cannot do this with plastic.

I use PVA for lots of things but it will not permanently fix plastics!

Good old Copydex is brilliant and will not stain plastic or card but never lets go....

Happy modelling.

[austinbob]

I think you need to be aware that the comment about using PVA on windows by Komata may well leave you with blank holes where the windows ued to be in years to come.

PVA will fix plastic but only temporarily. You will find that over time (couple of months +) the glue hardens and looses it's grip on plastic. The clue is in Komata's comments about "getting into" as it cannot do this with plastic.

I use PVA for lots of things but it will not permanently fix plastics!

Good old Copydex is brilliant and will not stain plastic or card but never lets go....

Happy modelling.

I agree about PVA

I've built many a Metcalfe kit using PVA but the windows always drop out after a couple of years. I now use Roket Card glue which works on plastic windows as well. www.deluxematerials.com

[Zunnan]

PVA does the trick for porous materials, but is a little slow for my liking, and as noted won't hold plastics forever. I tend to limit PVA use to materials which need a good solvent free bond where I don't mind waiting for it to dry. For card kits, I'll second, third (you name it!) Rocket card, great stuff and will deal with the glazing in most if not all card kits. However, for the glazing I prefer canopy glue (and/or Glue n' Glaze), I also use the stuff for plastic kits as I have found solvent based adhesives can sometimes damage the glazing; cyanoacrylate (superglue) is a definite no-no too...'fuming' effect can make a model look like a dusted crime scene!

Glue n' Glaze is much thinner than PVA, and slightly more so than Rocket card so dispenses through a smaller more precise nozzle and as you let it go off a little before fixing the glazing in you get no bleed at the edges getting to your fingers and transferring all over the window.

[cjdodd]

I use little strips of double sided tape for windows.