Gluing Fuselage Sides Together

I like to use the pins (unless they're whacked), but I also use Tenax liquid glue and an applicator that allows me to flow the glue between the fuselage halves. This way I can keep track of how things are fitting together. If there aren't enough pins, put little pieces of sheet styrene to act as supports to help hold the halves in place. Always test fit- if it don't fit without glue, it won't fit with glue. HTH-

I use liquid glue on both halves, let sit for a short while, then put together. the glue has softened the plastic along the edeg by them and the excess oozes out. I can make adjustments for a while. I let it dry and scrape off the excess. This works much better than filling seams. I don't usually have problems with alignment but I suppose if I had a kit whose pins and holes were not doing the job I would trim them off, but not unless it was a problem.

Tom

in article snipped-for-privacy@itc60158.itc.iastate.edu, Tom Hiett at snipped-for-privacy@iastate.edu wrote on 07/31/03 11:06 AM:

Generally, I use a "hot" liquid cement such as Tamiya or Tenax. After I've dry fitted the halves and noted all the bad fits, I use the cement to "Stitch" the halves while holding the two pieces together, cementing only very short sections at a time. It may take a little longer but I generally get those step-joints taken care of without filler.

And if I need filler, I try to only use CA since it shrinks very little and can be scribed over.

HTH

MB

Clamps...Berna Assemblers in particular. The best I've ever used - can't get hold of enough of them.

I usually use masking tape to hold after gluing. Often putting the tape down has moved the parts that I thought were perfect, only to find the next day the tape moved things a bit.....

CRaig

Try putting a toothpick on either side of the joint to hold the tape off of it as it dries. That's what I do when clamps don't seem to be useful.

Does a few things for you - lets you see underneath the tape to check the position of things; and it holds the tape up off of the glue so it doesn't bleed under the tape and mar the surrounding plastic.

I usually remove all locator pins and sand the halves lightly using 800 wet dry paper on a thick sheet of glass, this trues up any minor problems and also keys the joint making the liquid adhesive work more effectively giving a much stronger joint. I use thick rubber bands that have been cut and wrap them around the fuselage tucking the end under the last turn. for liquid adhesive I use a mix of 60% MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) 35% acetone and 5% 2K automotive retarder. (slows the whole thing down long enough to give a good working time)

You are probably applying too much pressure to keep the two halves together.

I usually assemble the two halves with 4 ou 5 pieces of masking tape, and a clamp on the tail, then I flow a little Tamiya Extra Thin Cement in the joint and let it dry for 12 hours.