Dollar Tree has plastic cutting boards

[david bailey]

I was in Dollar Tree the other day and they had plastic cutting boards,there cheap and made of plastic like material.They can be used in modeling,there thin and very slick.I thought i pass it on. Can be used for cutting model parts on,or can be used as plastic for scratch building.Be warned this stuff is hard to glue because its made so stuff don't stick to it.On the plus side its easy to cut with cutting dykes.It can be glued with super glue or other glues.

[Ziz]

Kitchen cutting boards like that are made of HDPE - high density polyethylene - which is that shiny kind of plastic that some kids toys are made out of. As such, it has a heavier "oil" element to it that doesn't play well with glues, not even CA. You need to treat it with a cleaner of some kind to "wring" the oil out before you can glue anything to it.

[Kylwell]

They typically fall into the category of "low energy plastics" meaning they're a pain in the butt to glue to.

[david bailey]

I have done some exiprenting with some different glues,and have found E-6000 glue, Weld On glue, and Decon Expoxy useful for gluing hard to glue plastics.Many materials are made from new plastics that are hard to glue.I know there is other glues out there that might work better but i thought i would pass on the information.

[Kylwell]

The next problem then is paint. Typically primers will simply lay on the surface and will peel up with out much hesitation.

[david bailey]

I usuall don"t have a problem painting.Heres what i do,i clean my parts with dish soap followed by cleaning with Simple Green.I then scuff the parts with a scuff pad from the paint store.I then follow up with a light sanding with fine grit sand paper.I then prime with automotive primer,usually with three coats followed by my paint of choice which varies, I generally use enamel or model paints.I generally use automotive primer for my primeing needs,it covers good and thick,for my other needs i use krylon paint,I don"t use cheap paints every for my scratch building or model needs,I like to have a good foundation for the paint to bite.