I have a broken part on an LGB freight car that is made out of that slippery sort of black plastic often referred to in advertisements as "engineering plastic". Can anyone who has had success mending that sort of plastic please share their experiences with the glue they used? Thank you in advance for your help.
Sincerely, Sticky Fingers
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I've had some success with gluing Delrin/engineering plastic using Duco Cement. I sometimes sandpaper the area first. One needs to be patient. It doesn't always work the first time.
Here's a helpful site:
Bill Bill's Railroad Empire N Scale Model Railroad:
There is no adhesive which will restore the original strength to your part.
Micro-Mark's latest catalog has a new CA glue which is supposed to bond this type of plastic well (on molecular level - whatever that marketing solgan means).
Also a company called Cool Chem (Google it) makes similar claims about their CA glues.
Personally I think it is all hype.
I had good results melting the parts back together with a soldering iron (using a very thin tip) . Sort of like welding pieces back together. The raised melted plastic can be trimmed off with a sharp hobby knife.
If that is not feasible, another method is to pin the parts together and glue them using CA glue. Drill holes in both parts (they have to line up), then use a brass rod slightly smaller than the holes to pin the parts. If possible or needed, use more than one pin. Apply CA glue to everything and assemble everything (quickly). Best to dry test fit everything first. Super glue accelerator is helpful in this process.
Good luck, Peteski
Aha! After performing actual research (emailing the LGB help site) and being told that there was a kind of glue named UHU made in Germany that was used at the factory, but that they were not completely satisfied with it, I rummaged through an old tool box and tried some stuff in desperation. It worked! The glue goes by the catchy name of "Fix-All Adhesive". It is made by Super Glue Corporation, part number T-FA, and the 18.4 ml tube has a telephone number of 800-424-9300. The company is located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
The directions call for applying the glue to both parts and letting them dry for ten minutes, which worked perfectly.
Happy sticking!
Now that you posted that I remembered that is what I used a few years ago when one of the cats decided to play with one of the trains. He figured if it is outside it is fair game. The "Fix-All" works great. They (cats) have not decided to play with the inside trains yet. I think that either Lowes or Home Depot carries it. Can not remember for sure. Will look this weekend though and let everyone know.
Chris
Excellent - let's hope that it holds up in use.
Peteski
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