I’m at the point with my scratch built flatcar that it’s time to start putting on the details. I have most of the Ozark stuff I need but am wondering what everyone uses to glue the white metal to wood or styrene?
I was going to pick up some epoxy at the hobby store today but forgot.
CA (super glue) usually works well for me.
-Brian
I’ve never had good luck with the shear strength of CA. It works if you pull on it, but bump it from the side and it’s not very strong.
Any other favorites ?
Jon,
After trying many, I took the advice of someone else on here and bought " Welder" contact cement. I think from Wal-Mart. Although contact it is now my #1 choice for dissimilar materials.
Dave
I called Ozark with exacty that question just the other day. They said to use gap filling CA glue, not the thin stuff, and to clean the parts thoroughly before gluing them, The castings have a release agent on them which will hinder the glue
I have a brand new bottle of Zap-A-Gap CA. I suppose I can try it. Thanks for the cleaning advice.
Mine get attached many times. It’s real easy to bust them off. If the glue doesn’t break, the metal does. Just call me Og.
(http://digitalblueglobal.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/caveman.jpg?w=229&h=301)
Say it with me Everyone…Lawn and Garden GOOP…see the Goop …buy the Goop…the Goop is good…
JB Weld available at auto parts stores. Go with the 4 minute stuff. Once it’s there it’s done!
Never seen the L&G Goop :o Have some Plumber’s Goop in the toolbox, but not going to use that. Matt has some 5 Min epoxy I can use - basically the same kind of stuff as JB Weld. I think Ric said in his flatcar thread that he was using epoxy from West Systems.
5 Replies, 4 different products. Glad we all agree 
Jon,
I have applied Ozark castings to many types of materials, including wood. I use Zap-a-Gap, gap filling grade (the only superglue that I ever use). The secret is to file the back of the casting (where super glue is to be applied) so that fresh shiny whitemetal is visible. As stated, mould release will impact not only on ultimate strength but also on grip time as it retards the curing process. No matter how much care is taken, ultimately shock resistance of super glue is quite low, as you have found out.
I try not to use CA, for the reasons stated above, but if the castings have pins (such as some of their stake pockets) that gives them some resilience to being bumped, then it holds well. Otherwise I’ll use 5 min. epoxy.
Later,
K
“I think Ric said in his flatcar thread that he was using epoxy from West Systems.”
Yes, I use the “West System G/5” 5 minute epoxy, but they all work basically the same. Epoxy is like Kleenex and is generic word created from a patented product name. JB Weld is the same with a heat resistant filler added. WEST sells a whole bunch different fillers that can be added to the 5 minute or other epoxys.
It is worthwhile to have all the pieces you want to glue cleaned and ready. Plus holes drilled for those parts that have pins sticking out. I usually mix it on a butter dish lid. You can scrape the unused cured glue off the butter dish lid and reuse the same lid. Mixing of these type of epoxys is 1 to 1 by volume. So not touching, but in very close proximity, put two equal parts of equal size. I try for 1/4 inch circles. Mix for 1 minute with match stick or plastic spru or any type of small apparatus. Use until glue changes consistency and then quit and start with a new batch. You can have up to 8 or 9 different little patches of drying epoxy on the same butter lid as you work on a project.
Wash your hands often as some people can get a skin reaction to the drying glue or the “green” (usually less than 24 hours of curing) dust of the glue. If around it too much I personally will start getting a tingling sensation in my lips or an itching sensation on my hands. Time to get yourself cleaned up and be away from it for awhile. In 40+ years of messing with this stuff, the chemical reactions have created the person you know today. That probably answers a lot of questions for some of you guys. 
Thanks guys -
I’m figuring out now that milling the lumber and putting it all together straight is the easy part. These details are a bear !!
All of what I put on so far has pins. The queens posts and stake pockets I have do not. I used the Zap-A-Gap CA on the details with pins, but will take the epoxy advice for the flat backed details. I decided to install poling pockets because I had some and I like them. The are flat backed with holes for NBW castings. My theory was to glue on the casting, then use it as an alignment jig for the NBW details. That failed miserable as I could not get CA to hold the pocket to the end beam at all. I ended up drilling with the casting free and gluing the NBW castings into the pockets, then gluing the whole assembly to the car.
Actually I DID use teh WELDER cement for the refit of the 119 it works good, I’m just not sure if its UV stable like the LNGG …
Jon, I have used Walthers GOO for a number years with good success. Yes, a part does get knocked off but a clean up and reglue and it still is there. Oh course clean parts and smooth wood does help allot.
Paul
I heartily endorse Walthers Goo. The best contact glue bar none.
I only wish it was still obtainable here.
Epoxy is not stable with pigment in it. If it is clear, its UV unstable. If grey like JB Weld, I would suspect it is stable. The shiny surface that needs to be scuffed up is called blush and will even prevent other epoxy from sticking if not roughed up. Any epoxy that shows that you want to keep from detiorating in the sun, just rough the surface and paint. Prime and paint if your picky. Epoxy that is holding parts together, like under a Ozark part is not exposed to UV, so no big deal.
I’ve had great luck with gap filling CA, I use Zap-a-gap brand
edit: scratch or buff the glueing surface of the metal a little, gives more grooves and surface for adhesion bond
