Help with Cements and other oddities...

[Guest]

Mr Cement S (not pictured) that I use 90% of plastic to plastic, which is the Gunze version of Tamiya Exta Thin, but in my view better.

I have a bottle of Mr. Cement S, bought because the brush in the last bottle was wearing out so I’m using it until it gets empty, then I will refill it with my usual hardware store solvent. Anyway, that’s not why I’m typing this reply What I mean to say is that Mr. Cement S is not much at all like Tamiya Extra Thin, except in both being liquid plastic cements of course. They smell very different, which already indicates they are different chemicals and so will have different properties when glueing parts together with them. The TET dries more slowly, is my experience, and feels a bit thicker (I know, there’s no thickeners in it — it’s just the liquids themselves that make it thicker).

[Mini Me]

Wow......Thanks to All of you for the very informative responses! I feel a lot more confident as to what to use in a given situation now. Tip 'O the Hat to Tim for posting up the YT video!!

[BarryW]

I have a bottle of Mr. Cement S, bought because the brush in the last bottle was wearing out so I’m using it until it gets empty, then I will refill it with my usual hardware store solvent. Anyway, that’s not why I’m typing this reply :smiling3: What I mean to say is that Mr. Cement S is not much at all like Tamiya Extra Thin, except in both being liquid plastic cements of course. They smell very different, which already indicates they are different chemicals and so will have different properties when glueing parts together with them. The TET dries more slowly, is my experience, and feels a bit thicker (I know, there’s no thickeners in it — it’s just the liquids themselves that make it thicker).

When I refer to being the same, they are both extra thin types that are applied to a dry join. That is the important point here. I did say that it’s better than TET, I found that it penetrates deeper and, as you say, dries faster.

[David Lovell]

Can't see it matters to you jakko if you use home brew ,smells diffrent does it matter does it matter if they use diffrent chemicals both do the same job im with Barry on this the mr hobby stuff is much better not in the way it glues they both do that but any over spill vapes of quicker and cleaner than tamiya.

[Tim Marlow]

When I refer to being the same, they are both extra thin types that are applied to a dry join. That is the important point here. I did say that it’s better than TET, I found that it penetrates deeper and, as you say, dries faster.

Sounds like one has more Butanone (MEK) and less carrier solvents than the other. Nothing more complicated than that is going on.

If anyone is interested, Butanone acts as a plastic welding agent. Other ketones can do this, as can ether, but testosterone (also a ketone, the clue is in the “one” ending) unfortunately doesn’t. This is why swearing at the parts when assembling them doesn’t help

Neither are cements, by the way, as they add nothing to the bond. They just weld the plastics to each other by dissolving the surfaces, then evaporate leaving the welded area to harden off. The difference between plastic cements, such as Contacta and plastic solvents such as TET id that the cement has a styrene filler component, along with its Butanone solvent, which bonds to both surfaces and helps gap fill on bad joints.

I have some pure Butanone, by the way, which is a really “hot” solvent on its own. It readily melts styrene very quickly. It can be used on heavy joints if you are careful, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It works great on ABS though, which is a tougher gig when solvent welding parts. It used to be sold by C and L for assembling their accurate ABS plastic model railway track.

[Mini Me]

Thanks for that Tim....it helps me understand better what's going on when when I'm using these products. I did know about Ketones reacting on plastics from when I was in the Airline industry. All the interior sidewall panels were assembled in the shop with M.E.K. That little trick has allowed me to get a lot of mileage out of a bottle of liquid cement.

[Tim Marlow]

Thanks for that Tim....it helps me understand better what's going on when when I'm using these products. I did know about Ketones reacting on plastics from when I was in the Airline industry. All the interior sidewall panels were assembled in the shop with M.E.K. That little trick has allowed me to get a lot of mileage out of a bottle of liquid cement.

I once forgot to take in adhesive on a quiet night shift so used some ether out of one of the labs…..worked fine, but I wouldn’t recommend it though.

[Guest]

both do the same job

So does this:

[ATTACH]487572[/ATTACH]

… if you want to stick your model together with that.

The point is that different solvents act slightly differently when used to stick model bits together, as Tim explained pretty well, and that lets you choose which one to use for any particular job based on your preferences and what you think will do the job best. If, for you, that’s always the same one, then go for it.

[Scratchbuilder]

Thanks Gentlemen, I now have an idea of what to expect when I try using these various products. I wasn't sure about the decal setting solution as it was a little "milky" looking and is that normal? All the other setting solutions I have had experience with were clear. Here's the next mysterious item ....it came with no paper work or other information....[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1206079[/ATTACH]

It's a ray gun.....

Soldering iron try this link https://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-1...ron-64034.html.

[Mini Me]

Thanks for the link Mike. :thumb2:

[Mini Me]

Here's the next batch of oddities I have never used before. Let me know if you like them and how well they perform and in what capacity.

[JR]

I've used those oilbrushers Rick, seems ok. Would take all the trouble of putting oil paint on some cardboard . allowing it to dry before using for weathering.

Think that bottle on the right , a water colour in black might have been for picking out seams, weldlines, that sort of thing.

No idea on the Wilder, something or someone that fixes things for you

As for the one on the left just another masking solution for use say on windows while you paint.Then its picked off .
HTH

[Tim Marlow]

The Neo looks like liquid masking, like Humbrol maskol.
Johns covered the oil brushers.
The fixer looks like watercolour fixative, used for “fixing” things like watercolour paintings and pastel chalks. Basically a bit like a varnish but much more fluid. I’ve found it dries a bit shiny, but have only used the Windsor and Newton version.
The right hand Hydrus bottle looks like acrylic ink, just like the Daler Rowney FW inks. Very good off the brush or in a mapping pen for lining work.

[stillp]

The Wilder fixer might be intended for fixing pigments.
I've tried that masking liquid but found that it doesn't stick very well, so you can't trim it after it's dried or it just comes off.
Pete

[Jim R]

I bought 3 of those Oilbrushers when they first came out. I have used them but they are a very expensive way to buy oils. They have no advantage, in my opinion, to a blob of W&N paint and some thinner.