ETHEL stands for Electric Train Heating Ex Locomotive and was the designation given to three class 25 diesel...
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Why super glue sticks everything apart from what it's supposed to!
Any modeller who claims they have never accidentally stuck their fingers together should hang their head in shame and promise to stop telling fibs. But why do fingers stick so easily and some model parts don't?
It may be the case that the model's parts simply aren't suitable for a cyanoacrylate (super glue), the product is good, not magic. So do a little research to see if cyanoacrylate is the best adhesive for the materials being used. However, most of the time cyanoacrylate doesn't measure up is for one of two reasons, either it is a cheap version, or it's being used incorrectly.
The former is a big grumble for many modellers. The £1 price tag may seem attractive when you're in the discount store, but it's really only ever meant to sit in the drawer at home for the occasional broken TV remote or picture frame, modelling is definitely not its forte and should be avoided. There are many cyanoacrylates available for specific modelling jobs that will make your life far less frustrating, just take a look at Deluxe Materials' substantial range and you'll soon get the idea.
The second reason for cyanoacrylate failure is how the adhesive works. It requires moisture to activate, and that's why it never sets in the bottle, however, the skin of your fingers is excellent at facilitating the instant setting of the glue (and the instant panic of said modeller!).
If you are having trouble getting your model's parts to stick together, check if the joining surfaces are smooth and tesselate well. If they are not, air will get in and the glue will struggle to set.
With the right cyanoacrylate for the right job and an airtight connection between surfaces to be glued, your project will definitely get stuck, but in a good way!
Posted in: Assembling and gluing
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