I'm about to start my first build. its gonna be an Extra 300. I'm currently thinking about the kind of glue I'll be using, and I'm basically thinking its gonna be either Aliphatic resin (Titebond) or CA. I know about the difference in set times of the two choices, but I wanted to know if there is anything else I should consider. Which would be best, or is there another reasonable alternative?

I'm sure you'll get lots of opinions. CA will allow for a faster build, but requre good fitting parts and has vapors with healt concerns. Alphatic is slower, but a tried and true glue. It's also easier to sand. I tend to use a combination, but mostly CA for general construction. But for butt jointing balsa sheets and attaching sheets, I always use alphatic.

Scott

I want to stress that this is my first build, so if anything is gonna make the job easier and will most likely end up in a flying airplane, I want to hear about it.

I use Titebond for most joints, except for those that need to be glued after the parts are positioned, then I use CA. I also try to use Titebond on joints that are going to be covered since CA is much harder than balsa and it's hard to get a smooth joint when sanding. Don't use thin CA on plywood, only medium or thick. You also need epoxy for the firewall.

Vote for Titebond II here.

I am getting back into the hobby after a 30 year absence. That is to say that I have never used any CA products. My question is (oh, I have so many more) is light CA so penetrating that tacking joints (say a wing) with CA and following up with an aliphatic (titebond) resin not practical? Will the wicking be so great that subsequent apllications of titebone would be wasted?

I have on occasion applied aliphatic glue and used just a drop of thin CA to tack the parts together. But thin CA, if it's fresh and still thin, will wick completly into a joint, and, in some cases, wick in more than you wanted. So going back over the joint with aliphatic would be pointless.

Andy

If you have not used CA before--I would suggest using a very little amount to see if you are going to have any health reaction to the fumes. I am very allergic to it and I cannot use it at all. So I wouldn't spend a lot to time using it my first time to see how it will affect you. Just a word of caution. I get where I can't breath and I have to sleep in a chair because I can't lay flat. Just be careful. When I need to use the CA, my wife will do it for me. I just show her where I want it and then I leave the room.

I gave up on using CA about 6 years ago and now use Elmer's Carpenter's Glue. Best choice I've ever made in the hobby. I feel that my builds are much better now that I'm using Elmer's. There are no nasty fumes as there is with CA. You have more time to position your parts before the adhesive sets. The glue joints can be sanded easily. And IMHO the Elmer's is lighter than the CA. Many people say that CA makes for a faster build. I don't necessarily believe that. I feel that if proper planning is done in how you will be building you can build almost as quickly with wood glue as you can with CA. In fact, building fast with CA can cause problems because many will try to build TOO fast and make mistakes in their build.

Ken

I use thin and thick CA and epoxy. I use the thin CA for tight balsa to balsa joints. Fit the pieces in the desired position and then let the CA wick in place. The thick CA is for places where I'll be fitting one part onto another, or for ply to balsa joints where the thin may not wick all the way to the center of the joints. Since there are issues with the fumes, don't put your face directly above the joint you're gluing. I often position a fan set on low to blow the fumes away from me. I use epoxy sparingly in high stress areas such as landing gear blocks, firewalls, and areas where I need time to ensure alignment is correct before the glue cures, such as tail surfaces.

And finally, I use Balsarite for fuel proofing and to treat wood before covering. I put 3 or 4 coats in the engine area, fuel tank compartment, around the wing saddle area, and anywhere else I think fuel may creep onto the wood. I apply 2 light coats (sand between them to knock down the fuzz) to the rest of the plane, but only on the wood that the covering will touch. I feel that the covering adheres to the wood better if it's been sealed with Balsarite first.

I use pacer hinge glue for my hinges both nylon and CA hinges. Very quick grab and good strong bond. Titbond for other areas and epoxy for firewall, landing gear and wing blocks. Seems to work for me. I mostly scratch build.

Plugin and Klaatu (Great name BTW - I wonder how many people know its origin) I think I can answer both of your questions.

There are three types of CA, Thin, Medium and Thick

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Thin CA is used when you have two tight-fitting parts - Like when the end of a rib fits tightly into a notch in the leading or trailing edge stock. The two pieces are joined and aligned, then a drop of thin CA is added to the joint. It will wick into the wood (effectively sealing it) and hold the joint extremely well - and almost instantly.

Thin CA is also the only glue that should ever be used with CA hinges. Personally, I use it for CA hinges and very rarely elsewhere.

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Medium and Thick are basically the same, but Thick CA has a slightly longer setting time, so it gives you a little more time to align parts.

Both of these glues are used in a more conventional manor - add glue to one part, and join it to the second, but unlike regular wood glues, they set very quickly when the parts are pressed together.

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I use Medium CA for 90% of my builds. About the only place I deviate from Medium CA (Aside from Epoxy for high-stress areas and Thin CA for Hinges) is, If I am adding one large surface to another (like adding a doubler to a fuse side) I will squiggle a line of wood glue around the doubler, but I will leave a few bare areas where I can put a drop of Medium CA. Now I can press the pieces together, wait about 20 seconds for the CA to set, and continue building. No need to stop and wait overnight for the glue to dry.

Something else worth mentioning... You can use an excellerator on Med and Thick CA (It shouldn't be used or needed for Thin) but I use these VERY sparingly, and when i do, I don't use the spray bottle, but instead I just dip a piece of wire or small screwdriver into the bottle and drip it exactly where it's needed.

You've heard all the pros and cons, recommendations, cautions, and what-not.

By now you've probably figured... It's your choice.

It all depends on your preference.

My preference has changed since I started building. At first I was all CA. Now I'm almost all Alphitic. Now, I use thin CA to do hinges, and reinforce screw threads. I use 30 minute epoxy on F1s, and tailfeather attachment. Then again, I'm not in a rush to slap a plane together either. I'd rather take my time and have the plane turn out nice.


Good luck, and happy landings....

You can make your work area CA vapor, and paint fume free with a simple house fan and a window. Blow the air from the fan OUT the window and it sucks the vapor right out. You need to be a little close to the window fan but it works great. If you do this for years check out the fan blades. It will be coated with the CA you would have had in your lungs! Second words of warning CA fumes can burn your eyes very badly too. I heard (though it never happened to me) that the fumes can glue your eye shut. As for a little history lesson back in Vietnam they used to give solders spray cans of CA. If someone got a large battle wound they would spray the CA on the wound to stop massive bleeding. It saved a ton of lives and is still used in surgery to this day for a lot of procedures.

"Klaatu barada nikto" Great movie.

Army of darkness I believe?... A classic.

Nope, "The Day The Earth Stood Still" with Michael Rennie and Patricia Neal

Apparently we're both right... and pretty much anyone else who takes a random shot:

[link]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaatu_barada_nikto[/link]

They are also in the process of preparing to film a remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still". Heard that just the other day.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970416/

Oh COOL!!!!

Hi plugin, if this is your first build I hope that you are not planning to fly after its built. An Extra 300 is not a trainer and is not very stable for a first plane.

It is in fact my first build but it will not be my first plane as I already MASTER a NexStar and will be geting a four star or pulse xt ARF to fly while I build the extra.