Glue for acetate sheets?
- Thread starter Vince-RA
- Start date
Mixed Freight
Well-Known Member
Yeah, you are correct - DON'T use CA glue for windows, most often it cause a real mess with hazing and crazing.
You could use Testors or Model Master Clear Parts Cement & Window maker. They work fairly decently. They can even wick in between the clear window material and the structure. If you apply a little too much, it will still dry clear, but you will be able to see it if you look close. You will have to let the parts lay undisturbed for awhile to give the cement some time to dry.
I prefer to use a liquid model cement (or in my case, MEK thinner) for gluing in clear windows whenever possible. That means both the clear plastic and the opaque plastic substrate must be "meltable" (is that a word?
) by the cement/thinner. Some plastics are kinda' impervious to it, believe it or not. Fortunately, I know styrene plastic melts, and I believe acetate also melts with MEK or liquid model cement, providing an excellent bond.
Lay clear acetate over the window openings inside the structure, apply the liquid cement or MEK thinner with a fine pointed brush so it wicks in between the acetate and the plastic, then let it dry for a few to several minutes. Don't mess with the clear acetate until dry, or you most likely will be taking it out and trying again with a fresh piece.
Those are my favorite methods, and hopefully others will chime in with theirs.
You could use Testors or Model Master Clear Parts Cement & Window maker. They work fairly decently. They can even wick in between the clear window material and the structure. If you apply a little too much, it will still dry clear, but you will be able to see it if you look close. You will have to let the parts lay undisturbed for awhile to give the cement some time to dry.
I prefer to use a liquid model cement (or in my case, MEK thinner) for gluing in clear windows whenever possible. That means both the clear plastic and the opaque plastic substrate must be "meltable" (is that a word?
) by the cement/thinner. Some plastics are kinda' impervious to it, believe it or not. Fortunately, I know styrene plastic melts, and I believe acetate also melts with MEK or liquid model cement, providing an excellent bond.Lay clear acetate over the window openings inside the structure, apply the liquid cement or MEK thinner with a fine pointed brush so it wicks in between the acetate and the plastic, then let it dry for a few to several minutes. Don't mess with the clear acetate until dry, or you most likely will be taking it out and trying again with a fresh piece.
Those are my favorite methods, and hopefully others will chime in with theirs.
Mixed Freight
Well-Known Member
In that case, I'd go with the Clear Parts Cement & Window Maker. It should do a good job of bonding acetate to wood.Thanks for the reply! I should have mentioned in the original post, this would be bonding acetate windows to a WOOD car body
PRR Modeler
Well-Known Member
On wood I use Foam Tack Glue, which if not familiar is a thick white glue similar to Eileen's Tacky Glue which would probaby work also. I've used the Foam Tack on wood kits for years without issue.
Snowman
Well-Known Member
You might also consider using real glass at some point. In years past this was typically sourced from scientific supply houses, the type of thin glass used to cover microscope slides.
But today you can find thin glass easy and cheap: Cell phone screen protectors. They are also somewhat bendable and can be scribed and snapped. The ancient carbide tip scriber I have is from Clover House, and is shaped like a pen, including clip. Pocket protector not included.
Amazon has a bunch of 'em. Ten bucks or so.
But today you can find thin glass easy and cheap: Cell phone screen protectors. They are also somewhat bendable and can be scribed and snapped. The ancient carbide tip scriber I have is from Clover House, and is shaped like a pen, including clip. Pocket protector not included.
Amazon has a bunch of 'em. Ten bucks or so.
I've done some windows from such packaging material, OK for small ones but often not perfectly clear and FLAT. Glass is of course most like GLASS but more difficult to work with. Plexi is almost as good but generally thicker than we might like. For windows, non flatness is really obvious!
glenng6
Well-Known Member
747flier,
Agree it is not perfectly clear. However, as you said for smaller windows, such as coach windows or windows in small structures, it works quite well. Especially if you're conveying the idea of old, dilapidated or abandoned buildings and factories. At least it's worth the price of admission, eating cake!
Glenn
Agree it is not perfectly clear. However, as you said for smaller windows, such as coach windows or windows in small structures, it works quite well. Especially if you're conveying the idea of old, dilapidated or abandoned buildings and factories. At least it's worth the price of admission, eating cake!
Glenn
Snowman
Well-Known Member
On the other hand, you can't shoot a 1/87th scale BB through a sheet of plexiglass...and get anything resembling a BB shot through a sheet of full-size glass.747flier,
Agree it is not perfectly clear. However, as you said for smaller windows, such as coach windows or windows in small structures, it works quite well. Especially if you're conveying the idea of old, dilapidated or abandoned buildings and factories. At least it's worth the price of admission, eating cake!
So there's that.
But you make a good case for your idea too, glenn, particularly since I bought THIS just the other night:
Yep. That whole center section is flat, just begging to be used for windows.
So I concede.
Now..."want a piece-a pie?"
glenng6
Well-Known Member
Snowman,
Yes, I do! The plastic that comes around the Boston Cream Pie is quite clear. In the attached photo I just placed one of the plastic strips, on edge, in front of the Canada Dry car. It is 2 1/2" x 30". That's a lot of windows. Near the top of the photo you can see one edge of the plastic. As an extra benefit the bigger the Boston Cream Pie, the longer the plastic wrapped around it and the more windows you can make and the more cake you can eat. Now that's a great deal! Glenn
Yes, I do! The plastic that comes around the Boston Cream Pie is quite clear. In the attached photo I just placed one of the plastic strips, on edge, in front of the Canada Dry car. It is 2 1/2" x 30". That's a lot of windows. Near the top of the photo you can see one edge of the plastic. As an extra benefit the bigger the Boston Cream Pie, the longer the plastic wrapped around it and the more windows you can make and the more cake you can eat. Now that's a great deal! Glenn
