Finding the right adhesive

[Richard Spoors]

I have bought second hand an 0 gauge kit to build a long wheelbase goods van. The chassis is etched brass, so fairly straightforward. The van body is from pre-cut "Northeastern" scribed wood sheet to which etched brass sections are glued to create the body framework.

Where I should like some advice concerns the choice of a suitable adhesive to fix the etched brass sections to the wooden body. For me the problem seems to be that the face of the brass strips against the wood has little surface roughness to help the glue adhere. Or, should I use a cyanoacrylate with a short delay in going off?

One of my other concerns is the need to be able to mop up any overspill before it affects the adjacent surface of the timber.

Thanks in advance for advice.

Richard

 

[Eastsidepilot]

Richard,
I'd be inclined to use 5 min Devcon 2 part epoxy. Use it sparingly to avoid over spill, you could rough up the brass with a coarse wet and dry or emery.
I have used this when applying wooden buffer beams to metal back plates.

Col.

 

[adrian]

I seem to remember using evostick on some early 7mm wagon kits. I'd place the brass in place and draw a faint pencil line around it, remove the brass and apply the evostick to the wood in the required area with a small plastikard spreader.

If I remember correctly evostick was also recommended in Chris Crofts seminal MRJ articles on wagon building.

 

[AJC]

I would reckon that either of the above suggestions would work just fine but that epoxy might well prove more durable.

Some of dad's early plastic and metal wagons used Evo-stick and they've, mostly, held together pretty well, certainly better than cyanocrylate might work with wood - I worry that too much will be absorbed into the wood. Thinking about it, I built an ABS whitemetal rectank (4mm) years back and the wooden floor (scribed ply) and this was epoxied in. It's still in place.

Adam

 

[Steph Dale]

Richard,
I suspect that superglue gel is probably the way to go, just make sure the brass has a good key.
If you're relying on the wood to form an external finish then apply any surface treatment, dye etc before assembly.
Steph

 

[TheSnapper]

Richard

Just a small point: Using "superglue" to bond porous surfaces such as wood & cardboard to each other or to another surface, I have found it helps to slightly dampen the porous surface(s). I believe the glue sets by reaction with moisture.

Cheers

Tim

 

[Steph Dale]

Richard

Just a small point: Using "superglue" to bond porous surfaces such as wood & cardboard to each other or to another surface, I have found it helps to slightly dampen the porous surface(s). I believe the glue sets by reaction with moisture.

Cheers

Tim

Breathe on the surface...

Steph

 

[Richard Spoors]

Many thanks for all of the advice. Once in position the etched brass frame pieces are not going to subject to stress so I plan to try 2 part Devcon and superglue gel on some test pieces and go from there. And yes, it's an old kit from the 1980's but with good detail to make it worth while building. I liked the idea to at least put an undercoat of paint/stain to the wood before gluing.

Richard

 

[geoff_nicholls]

If you ever use Cellulose Thinners to strip paint, it also dissolves evo stik. And I find superglue makes my nose run, even though I can't smell it.