flybyjohn

My Feedback: (2)

I have just started looking at getting back to the p51 I started building over 5 years ago. I have the first half of the wing almost complete. I have been reading alot on using wood glue instead of CA glue and the benifits wood glue may have for me, ( working in an inclosed area with no ventilation, not even a window). I have no problems building with wood glue but since my first half of my wing is already built with CA glue do you think that building the second have with wood glue would be a good idea? The problems I can see that may arise are possible weight difference, possible stiffness differences, and maybe some other things I can't think of. If the size of the airplane has anything to do with what decision I should make then it is a great planes p51 40 kit. So do any of you long time modelers think I may have any problems switching to wood glue for the other half of the wing or should I stick with the CA and suffer with the fumes in my model building room (crawl space in the house).

I also was wondering if the regular wood glue from the hardware store would work. The stuff I have is Titebond II. waterproof exterior glue.I have used it on a lot of other projects but never on balsa. would this stuff work for model plane building?

Thanks for any replies and any constructive criticism you can give me.

John Kunda

Ram Jet

I use Elmer's Probond (interior/exterior) wood glue quite a-bit. The only drawback is that this type of glue should be clamped for the best bond, the mating surfaces should have a very precise fit and it fully sets in 24 hours. I do think it remains more flexible than CA or epoxy. I never use CA if it will be subject to a-lot of vibration - it's too brittle. My favorite CA is made by Locktite, come with a brush applicator and is marketed as Super Glue. This stuff is very strong and fairly flexible. I sectioned and reassembled a fiberglass engine cowl about 1/32" thick with this stuff and the cowl bends and the glue joint bends with it. I will reinforce the cowl seams with nylon hinge tape and Super Glue before I'm done. I find epoxy too unpredictable. It can set very flexible or very brittle. I may not be careful enough when mixing equal proportions. I don't think Elmer's is any heavier than any other glue if used in moderation and the pre-cured excess wipes away with a damp paper towel.

Bill

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

It won't be a problem.

OldScaleGuy

My Feedback: (2)

John, you will be fine changing and Titebond is a great choice. I have used it myself for years. CA and epoxy both have their place but if you don't mind the slower building time you can save yourself a fair amount of money too.

qldviking

I prefer using a good wood glue myself, one other advantage I have found is that once you glued if you find something not quite right you have a little time to readjust as needed

dhal22

a little off subject but i have most every glue i can find. i like epoxy the least, definitely too unpredictable. i rarely use CA but i like the locktite idea. Hysol is a great glue. you can use whatever you want on the wing but use only the lighter alternatives.

bgfireman

My Feedback: (13)

flybyjohn,
I don't think you will ever tell the difference between glues as far as weight is concerned. I do think you will like wood glue a lot better as far as building is conerned b/c you do have time to adjust if you make a mistake. Clean up and sanding also is much better than with CA. Personally I like Gorilla wood glue. You can pick this up at Wally World(Wal-Mart). I just tell my wife when I get low. She does not need much of an excuse to go there.
Happy building
Alan

flybyjohn

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I had some old CA glue from when I started the project and was glueing some tail feathers for my sons small electric and It did not bond what so ever. Usually the thin CA if you get it on your fingers, they do not come apart, this stuff did not stick at all. There must be a shelf life for this stuff. Oh well, I think I will use the wood glue for most of the building, Epoxy for the firewall and pick up a little bottle of CA for some quick joints.
Thanks again,
John Kunda

flybyjohn

My Feedback: (2)

BGFIREMAN, You said you like to use the gorilla glue. Is this the polyurathane type and if so, the parts are suposed to be a little damp to activate the glue. Do you use a little paint brush with water or spray bottle to wet the wood before glueing or how do you do it. I know this glue is super strong and fills gaps well but would like to know any secrets of how to use if you have any. I have used it for some of my scratch built combat planes for glueing the fiberglass spars in the foam wing cores and it worked great.

bgfireman

My Feedback: (13)

flybyjohn,
This is not the Polyurethane. It is wood glue that is made by the same people that make that glue. It is over in the paint section where all the glue and paint tape is located. The bottle has a dispensing tip on it. I just put a little on and it sets up in about 30 minutes.
Alan

flybyjohn

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks, I'll check it out.

sugarfox

My Feedback: (1)

I've found that when you will need to sand an area that wood glue like titebond is much easier to sand than ca. Such as wing sheeting etc. I use several different types of glue depending on the situation. I've gone back to using Titebond more. sugarfox

flybyjohn

My Feedback: (2)

well I used titebond 2 for all the ribs, spars, leading edge and trailing edges. It is a bit slower than ca but seems pretty strong when dry. I used polyurathane glue for attaching the wing sheeting and found it works pretty good. It takes a fair bit of time to dry but since it puffs up a little, it seems to fill in the little gaps here and there and with the puffing seems to kind of make a continuous fillet all along the rib edge.

I have another question now. Is polyurathane glue strong enough to hold in a fire wall on a 40 size plane? I will have a 52 two stroke attached to the firewall and the plane is the great planes p51 mustang kit. The instructions say to use 5min. or 30 min epoxy. I have found that this polyurathane is pretty strong but not quite as hard or brittle as epoxy.

mikegordon10

Personally I wouldn't use poly glue on a firewall. I'd use the 30 minute epoxy. I use poly on a lot of other items but not on a firewall.

ccrebidoux

My Feedback: (3)

Super Phatic:

• No fumes or vapours to irritate eyes, nose or sinuses
• Very thin, excellent wicking action into wood
• Lighter than CA (looses 50% of it’s weight as it dries)
• Does not bond to skin, washes off with soap and water
• Has greater elasticity than CA, doesn’t dry brittle
• Once dry, it’s sandable and waterproof
• Sets up in approximately 20 minutes, full strength in 2 hours
(Normal carpenters glue takes 12-24 hrs to set if I'm not mistaken)
• Bonds wood, plastic, and foam
• Produces tougher joints than CA, penetrates deeper in the 20 minute set up time

Ram Jet

Except for the water clean up it sounds like good old Ambroid.

Bill

ccrebidoux

My Feedback: (3)

Nope. It's an aliphatic glue formulated super thin. I'm building a 1/6 Vanguard Fairey Firefly with it on RCScalebuilder.com. Take a look, its great stuff!

jimmyjames213

My Feedback: (2)

its this glue any good http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXPT39&P=ML (tower medium ca)
im going to be building my first kit (gp rapture) and bought that glue.
i also have elemers wood glue if thats any good.

btw i really like locktite thin ca.

phattires

http://www.ontarioadhesives.ca/prod_...1.html?sno=298

www.ontarioadhesives.ca

Super Phatic

Give em a shout

oliveDrab

Does Gorilla wood glue foam up like regular Gorilla glue?

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Yes, I use more thin then medium but they both work. I like the thick or medium for sheeting and the thin for any tight fits. I also use wood glue but on large areas it tends to warp the wood so I also use epoxy. Just depends on what I am doing as to what glue I use.

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

Ahhh, glue again, generally,.....when seting sticks, ribs or sheeting n wings, I use regular wood glue or titebondII, but for tacking, I'll use ca in the thin or medium variety. I do have a bottle of gorilla glue, but have yet to find a use for it. In general, if you use wood glue, make sure you can hold the parts tight till it's tacked up and dry, if not, then use medium CA to lay down the sheeting, almost no warpage of the balsa, but when it's just bonding to ribs or thin strips of balsa to balsa, wood glue is fine. It's just a building preference to use some adheasives over others, I prefer wood glue over CA, because of the sandability issue, but other than than, CA is fine for about 90% of the glue joints on most planes, if you are good at sanding rock hard joints with soft balsa on either side of it.