Just remember to have lots of ventilation!
I tried using acetone for a model ship when I was a youngster. Probably lost a few brain cells. Got acetone on everything, it was so runny, even with a small brush. It was a mess, not my best build.
Be careful with both MEK and acetone. Especially around fire. Acetone can be explosive, and MEK floats on water, so water will spread the fire. Bad juju.
Daktah John said:
If you can buy MEK in Cali, you must be able to get it in NC
I was lazy and used what I had laying around last spring when I did a quick and dirty restoration to put a few used buildings out: 3M Super Weatherstrip and Gasket Adhesive. Ask me in the spring if it held over the winter!
You would think so, Jon. Maybe I have to ask for it.
Isn’t the 3M the stuff Rooster uses?
If it’s the old yellow elephant snot stuff, I bet it will hold up well 
Ralph
You can always get it from McMaster Card. Quick delivery as well.
Steve Featherkile said:
Just remember to have lots of ventilation!
I tried using acetone for a model ship when I was a youngster. Probably lost a few brain cells. Got acetone on everything, it was so runny, even with a small brush. It was a mess, not my best build.
Be careful with both MEK and acetone. Especially around fire. Acetone can be explosive, and MEK floats on water, so water will spread the fire. Bad juju.
But I’ll bet you felt good. When I was a teenager, sniffing glue was the thing to do. Never tried it in that capacity. I was a model builder and was always working with it anyway.
Ralph Berg said:
Daktah John said:
If you can buy MEK in Cali, you must be able to get it in NC
I was lazy and used what I had laying around last spring when I did a quick and dirty restoration to put a few used buildings out: 3M Super Weatherstrip and Gasket Adhesive. Ask me in the spring if it held over the winter!
You would think so, Jon. Maybe I have to ask for it.
Isn’t the 3M the stuff Rooster uses?
If it’s the old yellow elephant snot stuff, I bet it will hold up well
Ralph
Rooster uses the 3M™ Plastic Emblem and Trim Adhesive, 03601 which I have used as well for attaching detail parts with good results. And yes; the 3M Super Weatherstrip and Gasket Adhesive is yellow and runny like Elephant Snot. Has good initial tack, but can be messy. The excess rubs off fairly easily once it starts to set up.
Wow, I haven’t checked in since Friday and you guys rock. Lot’s of good info.
THANKS!
I use MEK on almost everything. As others have already posted- it welds (melts) the parts together. I haven’t had a MEK joint fail, yet. However, it is quite runny, so its not great on small detail parts.
-Kevin.
Thanks. I will keep that in mind. I have already purchased the e6000 and so far, so good. Seems to be fairly strong. Time will tell once it’s outside.
Thanks again!
So Matt, how did the e-6000 work out? You’ve had two winters, now.
I built several buildings last winter, set them out in April and pulled them into the basement in Octoger, well before it got nasty. This Spring, I noticed that many of the glue joints had failed over the winter. I used Testors plastic solvent glue.
I’m using Surebonder 9001 high-strength adhesive. It has skull and crossbones, and fire signage so it must be good.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)
It’s transparent, and waterproof, and works well with LGB plastic both West Germany, and China.
Found it at Hobby Lobby. I used to use E6000, but found it doesn’t work as well as 9001.
Steve Featherkile said:
So Matt, how did the e-6000 work out? You’ve had two winters, now.
I built several buildings last winter, set them out in April and pulled them into the basement in Octoger, well before it got nasty. This Spring, I noticed that many of the glue joints had failed over the winter. I used Testors plastic solvent glue.
I haven’t got them out yet. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)The area I plan on putting them in is finally ready. So, soon. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
BUT, I do have my colorado models grain elevator out. It has taken a really hard beating. We had a few strong storms come through. The wind actually picked it up and placed it on it’s side. It’s sturdy. So, I would figure the piko buildings will be good to go.
Two tips for buildings.
I have about 70 pola and piko kits out (they come in in the winter) in the UK. I make them with standard polystyrene cement, but found that there was a steady need to make repairs every winter. I now reinforce the inside of the main structure and roof with silicone sealant. This has dramatically reduced the numbers of repairs needed each year and if the buildings are done in batches is not expensive, one tube will do about 8-10 buildings.
I too have had a problem with some of the taller buildings blowing over in high winds, and this can cause considerable damage. I cured this by cutting up 4 or 6 inch wide insulation building blocks to just smaller than the inside dimensions of the building and stacking them two high. the base of the building fits over the blocks like a sleeve and prevents them from toppling over. Since then no more casualties from the wind.
What are “insulation building blocks”? I’ve learned what flyash is, and how what we call concrete blocks here are referred to differently there
Greg
p.s welcome to LSC
p.p.s do you have a name?
Flyash is/are our Cinderblocks, inert waste from power plants, mix it in cement and sell it
or
bury it?
Sell Sell!!!
Adverse Camber said:
Two tips for buildings.
I have about 70 pola and piko kits out (they come in in the winter) in the UK. I make them with standard polystyrene cement, but found that there was a steady need to make repairs every winter. I now reinforce the inside of the main structure and roof with silicone sealant. This has dramatically reduced the numbers of repairs needed each year and if the buildings are done in batches is not expensive, one tube will do about 8-10 buildings.
I too have had a problem with some of the taller buildings blowing over in high winds, and this can cause considerable damage. I cured this by cutting up 4 or 6 inch wide insulation building blocks to just smaller than the inside dimensions of the building and stacking them two high. the base of the building fits over the blocks like a sleeve and prevents them from toppling over. Since then no more casualties from the wind.
Welcome Adverse Camber
We have a few here on LSC that use nicknames but some that use their real names with Negative Camber or so the Pharisees say?
Adverse Camber said:
Two tips for buildings.
I have about 70 pola and piko kits out (they come in in the winter) in the UK. I make them with standard polystyrene cement, but found that there was a steady need to make repairs every winter. I now reinforce the inside of the main structure and roof with silicone sealant. This has dramatically reduced the numbers of repairs needed each year and if the buildings are done in batches is not expensive, one tube will do about 8-10 buildings.
I too have had a problem with some of the taller buildings blowing over in high winds, and this can cause considerable damage. I cured this by cutting up 4 or 6 inch wide insulation building blocks to just smaller than the inside dimensions of the building and stacking them two high. the base of the building fits over the blocks like a sleeve and prevents them from toppling over. Since then no more casualties from the wind.
I do something similar. My structures are all built on 1/2 inch thick pink foamboard, and I’ve been adding another 1/2 inch piece of foam, glued to the top of the base foam, but cut just smaller than the inside dimensions of the structure, so that it fits snugly and keeps the wind from moving the buildings. The base is then screwed to the benchwork. If we take have to take the structures in for repair, they can be slid off the foam, or the screw removed to take the whole base.
The thing to remember with Piko/Pola kits is there is a colour paint wash over all the moldings to give them “highlights” and/or a weathered appearance. I haven’t come across one of their kits that doesn’t have this feature. Another German make you may come across, Vollmer, does not apply a colour wash.
It is important to remove this “wash” coat from the mating surfaces of all joints on the structure, use sanding stick/block c 600-400 grit, or it will impede the effectiveness of any solvent you are using to bond surfaces together. I also subscribe to the idea of using silicon caulking to strengthen joints. Another method would be to use two pack car body filler, particularly with quick cure resin structures, as a strengthening medium. I have had buildings out 365 days of the year for up to 12 years, temp’s from -15C to +30C, in full sun or shade without the need to rebuild, with just the use of solvent based products - so long as they are properly prepp’ed before assembly.
I think you call them cinder blocks. They cut with a saw and come in multiple thicknesses, but are light and not that strong. They are not cement blocks. Anything similar, or a big wood offcut will do as long as it can be cut to size to slot the building over with no room for it to rock and blow over.
