Hi Guys, some advice needed please.

when it comes to adding weight to the nose of a model so that it dose not tail drag, what is the best type of adhesive to use?

on a recent project I measured out the amount of lead shot (fishing weight) I needed and then tipped it into the nose cone. to stop it all rattling around I squirted in a genourus amount of Humbrol modeling cement. on inspection a couple of days later I found that the nose cone had melted, the lead weight was still wet and swimming in a soup of melted plastic and semi dried glue. i am now awaiting a replacment nose cone in the post, while it wings its way to me, any advice on how not to melt one's models in the future?

cheers

I always use a similar method but use super glue with accelerator . I find that with this method it's best to build in layers.

I use the same process as your but with just white/elmers school glue in the nose cone. If needed I can also hide it behind/under/above/around anything that won't be seen when the build is done. It only takes about a day for it to set up in a nose cone, smaller uses don't take but a couple hours.

Mark,

I used large lead fishing sinkers and Elmer's white glue in the nose of the bottom 262 (the red area). Put the sinkers in in layers and use as much glue as it takes to coat them. After a few days they are dry and do not rattle around. The Elmer's glue won't attack and melt the plastic at all.




Mark

The best way to avoid such mishaps in the future is not to use styrene cement, at least in large amounts. Firstly, although the weights used will stick to the softened/melted plastic, they don't "glue" to it since they don't react with the cement. And secondly, as you said to have found out, excessive amounts of styrene cement melt and distort parts and can take a veeeery long time to dry.
Good to hear you got a replacement part on it's way.

I second the opinions above, superglue is good, as are other adhesives that don't attack styrene, like various PVA types, gator, etc.

I have a dim recollection of someone using putty to plug the weights in. But it probably has the wame has the same potential to melt the plastic as the styrene glue. How about epoxies?

Yes, sure. Why not.
If it's a putty which bonds to the plastic by melting it, like Squadron's green for example, the same cautions apply as with styrene cement (although they don't attack as radically).
Epoxies should be good if I'm not mistaken. Be it epoxy glues or putties. As they also don't dry by evaporation of a solvent, but cure chemically, thicker layers won't be an issue. I have the impression that 2-part epoxies are similar to casting resin in that they generate heat as they cure. That's most likely nothing to worry about on uses as small as an aircraft nose cone, but good to know nonetheless

so maybe a PVA glue is that what you AMericans call "ellmers"? or super glue?

tahts good advice guys cheers!

Yes Elmers glue in the US is what we call PVA glue. I believe super glue is referred to as super glue the world over but it's proper name is cyanoacrylate or CA for short.

By the way welcome to Aeroscale and the Kitmaker network

It may sound silly, but I use Sculpey with embedded sinkers/weights stuffed into whatever crevice I can find, and brush a little CA glue over it. So far, it's worked for me.


Cheers,
Mike

I use what you call blu tac. It is yellow over here.

I use Plasticene modelling clay somtimes with lead shot or nuts and bolts embedded in it.

CA for me however, it can attack plastic if you use too much and be sure not to touch it or your prints will melt into the plastic. Use as little as possible. I usually apply it like I would Tenax or Pro-Weld. For weights I use segmented lead weights. They're flat so they won't roll around in the nose cone or wherever you decide to put them. They can also be cut pretty easily to size.
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