Stupid Tenax-7R Question

[Tchail]

I've had great success with using Tenax-7R as a welder, but recently I haven't had much luck using it as a glue.

I'm trying to assemble the Star Trek 1/2500 Cadet Series kits, and putting together the secondary hull halves has been a bit of a pain.

Despite brushing on Tenax onto the pieces and clamping the them together, nothing seems to stay together permanently.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

-Tchail

[Fokker Ace]

Use some plain old liquid cement on the sides of the hull halves and them stick them together. That's how I do mine.

[Bellerophon]

I got into the Tenax rut, too. For a while I was Hebco's best customer! Now I use Plastruct and Testors, and save the Tenax for when I need it. But the only problem I had with Tenax was it evaporates so fast that bonding long seams required multiple applications.

[Kylwell]

Never had an issue with it. The only trick I can think of is making sure the seam is ever so slightly open to give the glue a better chance @ wicking in. And don't be stingy with it.

[aussie muscle]

either the tenax has gone off or the hull is not entirely compatible with it. try a different brand.

[Tchail]

I think my biggest problem is that Tenax is evaporating before I can get the hull-halves together.

I have other glues - I'll give them a try.

Thanks everyone,

-Tchail

[ajmadison]

I think my biggest problem is that Tenax is evaporating before I can get the hull-halves together.

I have other glues - I'll give them a try.

Thanks everyone,

-Tchail

I had/have this problem as well. I tend to principally use ACC, so Tenax is not my first choice (but its in arsenal of building tools/tricks/techniques). But my solution to this problem was to continue to brush Tenax onto the mating surfaces of the kit parts, to start the process of softening the styrene. Then assemble the parts, then use either a very fine tipped brush or the touch-n-flow applicator to add, through capillary action, some additional full strength solvent. Usually this does the trick.

[Glorfindel]

Sniff it.

[Marco Scheloske]

I think my biggest problem is that Tenax is evaporating before I can get the hull-halves together.

THAT's the error!

Tenax is not supposed to be brushed onto the parts first and then holding them together.

You have to assemble the parts first, dry, without glue. THEN take the Tenax and either a very fine brush or (better) a needle applicator like the "Touch'n flow", and add the Tenax to the seam of the parts. Only a VERY small amount of Tenax is needed - it will be sucked into the seam by capillary action, immidiately bonding the parts together. It works like magic!

[Kylwell]

I think my biggest problem is that Tenax is evaporating before I can get the hull-halves together.

THAT's the error!

Tenax is not supposed to be brushed onto the parts first and then holding them together.

You have to assemble the parts first, dry, without glue. THEN take the Tenax and either a very fine brush or (better) a needle applicator like the "Touch'n flow", and add the Tenax to the seam of the parts. Only a VERY small amount of Tenax is needed - it will be sucked into the seam by capillary action, immidiately bonding the parts together. It works like magic!

I brush mine on when needed, you just have to move quick.

[Marco Scheloske]

I brush mine on when needed, you just have to move quick.

That may work, but it is not the inteded way to use this kind of glue. The "dry fit than add glue"-method will work definitely (and create a very, VERY strong bond).

[Hatewall]

I recently tried the Tamiya extra thin and was very pleased. $5 a bottle.

[Migmaker]

Marco is correct in how to use the Tanax or even Weld-on, assemble dry and swipe! done...course your build time will be cut in 3rds lol been building this way for many years

Will

[BERT aka MODEL MAKER]

Same principal as ambroid pro-weld ? let it wick in with capillary action.