Will vinyl and styrene glue together??

[aussie cylon]

Hi guys, I'm about to chop off the head of a vinyl figure and stick it onto a styrene body. I've never done this before, so my question is, which glue do I use? And how strong will the bond be?

[SpaceRanger1]

I know of nothing that will permanently bond vinyl to styrene. Contact cement, epoxy, and white glue (PVA) might temporarily bond them, but the bond will be very weak. You could try splicing the two together by means of a wood dowel, then camouflaging the joint somehow. Silicone adhesive might work, or even plumber's cement, but nothing much bonds to vinyl.

[TazMan2000]

Loctite Vinyl, Fabric and Plastic Adhesive might work, but I've never tried it myself. I'm not sure you would be able to sand the seam, so perhaps you can cover it up.

TazMan2000

[Richard Baker]

Gorilla Glue may work but be wary- it is water activated and expands a bit when cured

[Lt. Z0mBe]

Here's how I would handle this:

1.) Sink a dowel in some Aves in the body.

2.) Trim the excess from around the neck and allow it to cure. The figure should look like a dowelhead at this point

3.) Ever-so-lightly sand the soon to be seams on the base of the head and the top of the body. This will be useful for feathering in a bit.

4.) Place more Aves in head - almost too much - and place the head on the body. The dowel should force some of the excess Aves out around the seam between the base of the skull/neck and the body.

5.) Sculpt and smooth your neck-to-body joint while the Aves is still wet. Some safety solvent or water will do nicely and get you a feathered joint that may not even need sanding after it's cured. Aves will feather into the vinyl and styrene like they're old friends.

I hope this helps.

Kenny

[DaveVan]

Gorilla Glue may work but be wary- it is water activated and expands a bit when cured

2X nhere on Gorilla.....I've used it to attach many dis-similar materials. Worked so far. (CA type with the blue cap)

[aussie cylon]

Thanks for the tips guys. I like the aves idea, but that stuff is either not available, or very hard to find here in Australia. I think I saw it once in a haberdashery shop and it was pretty expensive, by memory.

Same for gorilla glue. I've heard of it on the forums, but once again, never seen it here in Australia. Is it a contact glue?

[DaveVan]

Gorilla is a CA 'instant' type glue. The blue cap version is just thick enough to stay where you put it and fill small voids. About $3 USD can you order it???

[aussie cylon]

Thanks for that. I'm pretty sure that we have a "Selleys" brand of thick gel type of CA glue here that I've seen at Bunnings. I'll have a look tonight.

[Liberator]

Gorilla glue is in Bunnings - red cap - I've bought it from there a while back. Not a bad glue but as noted - expands a little as it sets. Just checked the Bunnings web site - they still have it - bottles changed a bit though - I suppose the contents are the same. $10- for 59 ml - ouch!


"Gorilla Glue is the go-to product for bonding dissimilar surfaces, both indoors and out. Whether you are building, creating or repairing, Gorilla Glue is tough and strong and can help you get the job done right.

Gorilla Glue bonds materials other adhesives simply can't - metal, stone, wood, ceramics, foam, glass and much more! And it's still the best glue for anyone who wants the job done right.
•Versatile – ideal for most household fixes, building repairs and creative projects
•100% waterproof – does not break down when exposed to outdoor elements. Easily passes ANSI/HPVA HP-1-2000 Types 1 and 2
•Temperature resistant – once it’s dry Gorilla Glue is unaffected by extreme heat or cold
•Sandable, paintable, stainable – the invisible glue line makes finishing easy"
Recommended Surfaces metal, stone, wood, ceramics, foam, glass and much more!

[aussie cylon]

Thanks for that Liberator. I'll check it out tonight. I'm pretty sure I've seen a gel type super glue that is specifically used for dissimilar plastics at Bunnings.

[naoto]

I do find the commercials for Gorilla Glue rather amusing
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCopgH8 ... C3SiqNyZwQ

[Richard Baker]

I have an older car which has been parked for over a year with engine problems. THe constant sun caused the windshield rear view mirror shoe to come off the glass. I have tried gluing it on twice now with the super special stuff they sell at the auto parts store made specifically for this.
Next time I am going to use Gorilla Glue.

[naoto]

Gorilla Glue should not be confused with Gorilla Snot ( http://www.gorillasnot.us/ )

[Wug]

Is the vinyl really vinyl and not polyethylene? Don't let styrene and vinyl touch. The vinyl might soften. Create a barrier between the two materials. Put a thin layer of epoxy on one part. Let it set. Epoxy it to the other.

[aussie cylon]

I'm pretty sure it's vinyl. It's actually the Uncle Martin figure that comes with the "My Favorite Martian" kit by Pegasus. All the info on this kit point to it being a vinyl figure. I'm planning on chopping off his head, and glueing it to one of the Tamiya Rally Mechanics bodies. I've ordered the Tamiya product, now just waiting for it to arrive. I've also just bought the Gorilla glue, so I'll give it a try. I'm wanting to give Uncle Martin a more interesting pose, maybe seated in the ship or kneeling or bending over to inspect some damage, rather than just standing there with his arms folded across his chest.

[naoto]

Is the vinyl really vinyl and not polyethylene? Don't let styrene and vinyl touch. The vinyl might soften. Create a barrier between the two materials. Put a thin layer of epoxy on one part. Let it set. Epoxy it to the other.

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_su ... 99668.aspx
http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topi ... e-damages/

[aussie cylon]

Thanks for that Naoto, it's a real eye opener.

[TazMan2000]

You could make a RTV mould of the head and then have no issues with gluing the resin head to the body.

TazMan2000

[aussie cylon]

You beat me to it. I was about to edit my last post. I'm now thinking of using that "blue stuff" to make a mold of the head and as you just said, I wouldn't have any issues. That saves me from destroying my Uncle Martin and I can cast several heads to glue onto different bodies for several different poses.