Best way to secure fiber strands

chiver · Post by **chiver** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 11:03 am

I've tried useing white glue, and I've just found it to be messy, it shrinks too much when it dries and the strands just fall out, I've heard that superglue melts the strands. So would expoy work?

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 1:08 pm

Expoy works. I use Gorilla rubber impregnated CA myself.

Joseph Osborn · Post by **Joseph Osborn** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:02 pm

I wouldn't say there is any one best way to secure the fiber strands. I do know that regular old super glue does damage the typical plastic fibers we use for model lighting. I have used 5-minute epoxy and it works extremely well, and I have heard of guys using a hot glue gun but I have not tried that yet. The hot glue gun seems to be a good solution, since you don't have to mix up a batch of epoxy every few minutes. You can even get black hot glue sticks in case the regular clear versions are not suitable for the application.

chiver · Post by **chiver** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:30 pm

Question about hot glue, is it ok to use to encase a flasher circuit? I built one not on a board and want to glue all the parts so none get bent and short the circuit

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:39 pm

Depends on the hot glue. Electrical components get hot, hot glue can act act an insulator making parts overheat.

chiver · Post by **chiver** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:49 pm

I was going to use cheap dollar store glue

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:57 pm

Then expect a burn out.

chiver · Post by **chiver** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:30 pm

Any better idea?

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:34 pm

Heat shrink tubing.

admiralcag · Post by **admiralcag** » Sat Feb 15, 2014 6:46 am

Kylwell wrote:Heat shrink tubing.

Seconded.

Vern

chiver · Post by **chiver** » Sat Feb 15, 2014 10:13 am

I mean securing the fibres to the edge of the model, in the holes for the windows

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Feb 15, 2014 11:02 pm

It just dawned on me that no one has gone into the whole mushrooming the head.

A lot of times you'll leave excess fiber hanging out of the model. This speeds paint as you aren't masking all those tiny fibers. Then trim somewhat close and take a gentle head source to flare the ends out a bit, not much but enough that they won't slide back through the hole. Then a dab of epoxy, or Gorilla rubber CA if you're me and hate epoxy, smush into place and let cure.