Vac-Formed Clear Plastic To Resin Crazing Help

[Griffworks]

Looked thru here but didn't see anything w/a subject line related to this topic, soooo....

I'm working on a scratchbuild of an agroship inspired from "Battlestar Galactica" - both The Original Series (TOS) and The New Series (TNS). You can see pics here - BSG Inspired Agroship. Page Three has the best pics of the agropods I'm currently working on. I've got the agropods painted how I want and have started gluing the little "trees" in to a few of them. Before I got too far along, tho, I decided to go ahead and glue the dome on top of one of the agropods. The pod base is made of resin so I figured I'd use CA - forgetting what I'd read from others about it's use on clear plastic!

The stuff crazed the inside - i.e. there are now white blotches in several different places, most of which are far away from the edge glued to the resin.

So, I'm forgetting what I've read over the years about how to fix something like this. I was thinking I might try some Elmer's Wood Glue used, but figured I'd prolly best ask the question here, first.

Also, is there anything in particular to use on the interior of the clear vac piece to get it cleaned up?

[Blappy]

White glue works great for gluing clear pieces. You should also use it to glue the little trees in too. Its the vapour from the CA glue that is sticking to fingerprints or other imperfections on the inside of the clear parts.

You will have to polish the blemishes out of the inside of the part. The best polishing kit on the universe (and the best sandpaper too!) in located at microMark here .

These polishing clothes can be used dry or wet (wet is better) and they last for ages. The set is a must have for any modeler who wants to take it to the "next level"

[Griffworks]

Thanks for the input, Dave. I appreciate it!

I also got some advice via email - as I'd solicted a few folks - w/a couple of different suggestions. First I got from (JohnP, TER-OR and April Welles) was to dip all the clear parts in Future floor wax as this helps to minimize the crazing of the plastic. I'd heard that before, but forgot all about it! I even have some bu tit's in storage so I'll have to go get it.

For possibly cleaning out the part that's already crazed, the suggestion of using Windex w/Ammonia or using toothpaste and a bit of old linen (from TER-OR!) for trying to polish it out came up. The latter is something else I'd heard before from the Car and Airplane folks, but had forgotten. I've even used it once before on an old MPC X-Wing I used to own and it worked wonderfully.

And finally, for attaching the domes to the pod base, either Elmers White Glue - thinned a bit with water if necessary - and you can even use this for potential gap filling, as required. Good thing about the Elmer's is that it cleans up with water and a Q-Tip if necessary. Another suggestion was to use epoxy putty - but I dont' think I'll go that route as I've had bad luck w/the stuff being too syruping and making a mess whenever I've tried using it. Testors glue for clear plastic parts was also suggested, as was MicroScale Krystal Klear.

April Welles made a suggestion I'd already been considering, too. IT involves hiding the seam lines with some of strip styrene. I've got various thicknesses and widths of Evergreen stock, so will probably go that route.

I'll definitely dip the parts in Future floor wax, regardless. I'm also seriously considering trying the MicroScale Krystal Klear or whatever glue the local hobby shop might have for me to purchase.

Thanks for the input everybody. I definitely appreciate it. Hope to complete this model over the long weekend I've got coming up. Laundry and other household chores call for now, tho....

[Blappy]

Thanks for the input, Dave. I appreciate it!

I still recommend getting the Micro Mesh polishing kit. Just for regular building of models its an indispensable tool. Its one of those (OMGWTF!!! Why Wasn't I using thise stuff all along) type of tools. It will be almost the best $20.00 you ever spent. I guess I would describe the product as a Hobby Altering tool in the most positive sense.

[TER-OR]

First, I'd try Windex with ammonia and a cotton swab, then alcohol. That's gonna be the least aggressive.
If that doesn't work, then you need to buff the plastic with your plastic polishing gear. If you don't have much plastic polishing exeprience, toothpaste and a bit of old linen is a good way to go. The fine abrasive should be good. Linen is soft, and the fine weave makes a good scrubber for the abrasive.

With clear plastic, always dip the bits in Future- this will help them resist crazing. Then you can use CA but it's still risky. I prefer epoxy for big or difficult parts - it can be sanded and polished easily. Good old Elmers Whte glue is the best. You can dilute it a bit if you want. If you get a little outside the gap, it can be removed later with a Q-tip and water (not so with any other glues). It can also be used to fill small gaps when you build it up over time - don't try to add too much at once or it may not dry correctly.

If the cleat bits fit well, white glue is the way to go.
If they don't fit well, or you need to twist them a bit, either build the area up with epoxy putty or use clear epoxy cement to fit the clear bits - though this takes finesse.

The Krystal Klear and Testors are both thick PVA adhesives - same as Elmers, but thicker. Much of the time I will thin down Elmers for canopy work. I do build limited-run aircraft kits and have my share of vac canopy experience! Often I'll "tack" down a couple key edges with epoxy and fill the rest using a paintbrush and Elmer's glue. If the fit is perfect, a very thin bead of Elmers will be sufficient.

[big-dog]

I was wondering about Weld Bond, the manufacturers claim it isn't PVA, don't what it is though, hell, it tastes the same. Guess it would also work. As for the clear domes, it seems CA causes a fogging rather than crazing, I've had it really foul up pristine paint jobs too. I was overjoyed to learn Tenax and Ambroid work on acrylic. Too hot hot vacformed I'd think, pity.

[ferrw]

You can also try "odorless" super glue. I had to assemble 160 clear acrylic boxes for a client and not a single one fogged up. I have also used it on canopies with no problems. The stuff I use is from Bob Smith Industries (Super Gold) although many hobby shops relable it as their "house" brand. It has the black cap. The only thing I don't like about it is that it seems to thicken up alot faster than the nomal super glue.


Bill

[Griffworks]

That's a new one to me - "odorless" CA, huh? Kewel! I'll also consider that, too! A couple of these agrodomes are going to be upside down so I want to make sure I don't have to worry about them falling off.

[big-dog]

VERY carefully applied epoxy should work, hold anything pretty much forever, and doesn't fog. My personlly feeling on CA: use it only when absolutely necessary.

[Stingray]

VERY carefully applied epoxy should work, hold anything pretty much forever, and doesn't fog.

That's what I use on clear parts. I mix a little on a scrap of styrene and then use a toothpick to apply a drop where needed, which will really help you control where it goes.

-S

[Woody]

Try G-S Hypo Cement.
It's watch crystal cement. It won't fog your clear parts and it's much stronger than Elmers.
It also comes in a tube with a pinpoint applicator.

[Zen-Builder]

I would use a "CA Debonder" to get rid of the CA residue.
As another poster mentioned there ARE odor-less and non-fogging CA glues.

Personally, I try to use as little CA as possibe on my kits, CA tends to try harder than the surrounding material which makes it hard to cleanup.

For clear parts I use either white glue or clear epoxy glue(slow setting time).