Does anyone have some tips for laminating a thin sheet of styrene to a large surface? In the past I’ve used MEK solvent, same as for regular joins, but often ended up with warped areas. I suspect that the solvent would be “trapped” under parts of the sheet and couldn’t dry quickly, thus giving it time to attack the styrene.
I’ve been using two-sided tape I get at the craft store. It comes in large sheets, or rolls from 1/2" to 1/8" wide. If I recall, the brand is “Reflections” or something similar.
Peel the orange plastic back to expose the sticky side, then press in place. Get it right the first time, 'cause it don’t come back up. Oh, and the more rivets you’ve embossed, the greater the chance you’re going to munk it up.
Later,
K
I have been using 3M spray adhesive. Sometimes spraying both pieces, and sometimes only one. Like the tape above part placement is critical.
Other spray adhesives are available and the few that I have used over time have all held well.
Yeah I agree with Hollywood on the spray adhesive…
Has anyone tried the cleaner and glue used for PVC pipe? That would give some wiggle room for a few seconds before it cures. But I have never tried it. Interesting thought.
Lou Luczu said:
Has anyone tried the cleaner and glue used for PVC pipe? That would give some wiggle room for a few seconds before it cures. But I have never tried it. Interesting thought.
Probably have an even worse problem with trapped solvent leading to softening and distortion.
It is too hot to trap between like that Lou. Causes distortion of the sheets
OK, scrap that idea!
Dave Marconi said:
I have been using 3M spray adhesive. Sometimes spraying both pieces, and sometimes only one. Like the tape above part placement is critical.
Other spray adhesives are available and the few that I have used over time have all held well.
Stop telling my secrets
Regarding tape, in his book and in Garden Railways, Jack Verducci recommends Killer Red and Johnson Plastic pressure-sensitive tape, which is like the stuff they use to stick rear view mirrors to car windshields. I haven’t tried it because I’m too lazy and/or cheap.
My go-to method is slopping on Weld-On 16, the stuff in a tube. It takes a few minutes to set up, allowing me enough time to move the plastic sheet around if necessary. But, as someone inferred, it can cause problems, mostly causing the top layer to soften (“melt” is such an ugly word) if you put it on too thick. I just zoom around the base material and lay many random beads until I figure I’ve covered most of the area. I believe that Russ at TAP Plastics suggests spreading the Weld-On around with something like a popsicle stick, but that’s too much like work. True, there are areas that don’t get covered, hence, glued, but it’s not enough to keep the overlay from popping loose. BTW–and I speak from painful experience here–the disparity between a thin material being laminated to a thick one, can cause your walls or whatever to warp. I’ve reinfored the inner walls with thick styrene strip, which helps only marginally. I finally bought some big wood working clamps to make the pieces mate when I assemble the structure.
As for 3M and other spray-on adhesives, I’ve used them, but the downside is that if you coat both surfaces, as recommended for maximum stick, ya better have your stuff perfectly lined up. because if you are off a bit, there’s no going back. In other words, you are stuck.
One neat thing you can do with the tape is to use the 1/8" wide tape, and–say you’re doing a tender or box car–just lay the tape along where you’ve got the rivets embossed on the sheet being laminated to the base. Lay that down, then take a heat gun to the side. The sheet will warp slightly in the “untaped” areas. With a little practice, you can get some pretty realistic effects to the side of a car so the metal sheet is not “glass smooth.” I recently experimented with that on the back of a Galloping Goose model I’m building, and it looks pretty cool! (I know, pictures!)
Later,
K
Kevin Strong said:
One neat thing you can do with the tape is to use the 1/8" wide tape, and–say you’re doing a tender or box car–just lay the tape along where you’ve got the rivets embossed on the sheet being laminated to the base. Lay that down, then take a heat gun to the side. The sheet will warp slightly in the “untaped” areas. With a little practice, you can get some pretty realistic effects to the side of a car so the metal sheet is not “glass smooth.” I recently experimented with that on the back of a Galloping Goose model I’m building, and it looks pretty cool! (I know, pictures!)
Later,
K
Ooh, I REALLY like this idea. Kevin gets a cookie.
Kevin Strong said:
(I know, pictures!)
Bob McCown said: Ooh, I REALLY like this idea. Kevin gets a cookie.
No Pics No cookie!!