Applicators for solvent cements?

[bh1701]

I use Plastruct's Plastic Weld Solvent Cement. Can I get some recommendations on applicators (other than the brush in the cap) that can be used with this? If you can provide the manufacturers and any info on where to get these, that would be great! I think I'd be looking for something that has a fine tip that could dispense the solvent - both as a "stream" of solvent or as individual "drops". I've seen various tools online, but want to know what everyone uses and prefers.

Thanks,

Bart

[Straightliner59]

I always use the brush in the cap! ? I also have a Touch N Flow applicator that works pretty nicely, too. There are a couple of guys here who swear by them.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I love the Touch-n-Flow for the precision, but it can be finicky and a little prone to clogging.

https://www.flex-i-file.com/touch-n-flow-system.php

I have a friend who's diabetic and gives me an endless supply of needles, and those work exceptionally well and are free.

[Bugatti Fan]

I have been using Plastruct's Weld Liquid Cement for many years not only because it is good in itself, but works on other plastics like acrylic and ABS as well as polystyrene. My preference is to use a small selection of paint brushes, sizes dictated by the coverage required. I keep my Plastruct bottle in a shallow glass  jar with just enough clearance around the bottle to store the brushes bristles upwards alongside it inside the jar. The applicator brush set into the screw top I found to be a nuisance as it gets a curve set into it where it bottoms in the bottle and this makes it awkward to use as you have to keep turning the brush when removing it when going to use it. That is why I use separate brushes.

The other cement I regularly use is Revell Contacts from its precision applicator needle set in its container.

There are others of course, but these two generally work well for me.

Edited June 17, 2020 by Bugatti Fan

[gman]

5 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

I always use the brush in the cap! ? I also have a Touch N Flow applicator that works pretty nicely, too. There are a couple of guys here who swear by them.

I love my Touch N Flow applicator.

[gman]

5 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

I love the Touch-n-Flow for the precision, but it can be finicky and a little prone to clogging.

https://www.flex-i-file.com/touch-n-flow-system.php

I have a friend who's diabetic and gives me an endless supply of needles, and those work exceptionally well and are free.

It can be- if you store it capped in the tube it ships in, it has a fighting chance. If you allow styrene dust to get into the large end of the applicator (and that stuff can travel), no bueno. If you allow styrene residue to linger on the tip to the point it hardens, also no bueno.

My bought my first Touch N Flow maybe 30 years ago, and it lasted many years. I eventually lost the cap for its tube, and it got clogged up with sanding dust solidifying inside the tube. The liquid glue dissolved these particles, partially clogging it inside the tube. It took some doing to get it to flow again. I bought a second one, saving it for when my first applicator no longer works. I find that flowing any residual cement out, back into the bottle, or onto a piece of card stock and then wiping the tip down will keep it working properly for a long time. If you are unlucky enough to have the tip plug, standing it in an open bottle of liquid cement for an extended period may get it working again.

 

[bh1701]

8 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

I have been using Plastruct's Weld Liquid Cement for many years not only because it is good in itself, but works on other plastics like acrylic and ABS as well as polystyrene. My preference is to use a small selection of paint brushes, sizes dictated by the coverage required. I keep my Plastruct bottle in a shallow glass  jar with just enough clearance around the bottle to store the brushes bristles upwards alongside it inside the jar. 

Do you need to clean the brushes after use? If so, what do you use?

Bart

[afx]

Flex-I-File offers a squeeze bottle to help fill, empty and clear the Touch-N-Flow applicators - works great.  I will never be without a Touch-N-Flow applicator.

 

Edited June 16, 2020 by afx

[Ace-Garageguy]

9 hours ago, gman said:

It can be- if you store it capped in the tube it ships in, it has a fighting chance. If you allow styrene dust to get into the large end of the applicator (and that stuff can travel), no bueno. If you allow styrene residue to linger on the tip to the point it hardens, also no bueno...

...If you are unlucky enough to have the tip plug, standing it in an open bottle of liquid cement for an extended period may get it working again.

 

Yes sir, your experience has been pretty much identical to mine.

I found that after an extended build session, it seemed to be beneficial to swish the thing out with clean MEK, using the fill bottle to suck-n-squirt several times, and then blowing air through it to get any residual solvent out prior to storage. No problems since, but I keep a virgin in stock just in case.

I did have one that no amount of soaking would clear. I scored the needle with a diamond file about 1/4 inch from the tip and snapped it off. Still working years later, just a little shorter.

 

[Pete J.]

Ditto on the touch and flow!  Been using them for too many years to count.  Been doing the same thing as Bill and never had any issues.  Only problem I have is that I seem to bend the needle, but that has never been a problem.  Helps with getting into tight places. 

On occasion I have had a clog but managed to clear it with a piece of .010 stainless wire.  I keep a piece around for just that reason. 

Edited June 16, 2020 by Pete J.

[gman]

My original applicator had a bend incident as well, but :knocks on wood: it still works fine. In spite of the issues mentioned in this thread, I love it, and found it to come in really handy. When just a few drops of strategically applied liquid cement is called for, or you need to apply a thin bead along a seam, it is hard to beat the Touch N Flow. I have some syringes in the tool kit as well, but have yet to need to break them out. 

Would it be bad form to put in a plug for Tenax 7R in this thread? A great liquid cement that happens to work extremely well with the Touch N Flow applicator ;). Tenax 7R was hard to find locally up here in the frozen north for some time, but a nearby hobby shop is importing it again.

[Bugatti Fan]

Bart, the paint brushes I use are just normal but good art/hobby paint brushes about 3 in all. A small, medium and large.    I do not use sable brushes for liquid cement, only for painting as they are very expensive. The sort of brushes to aim for have synthetic bristles. Do not buy dead cheap ones as they shed hairs. Most craft hobby stores stock good ranges of relatively inexpensive brushes that would be most suitable for this purpose. Humbrol's own brand or similar are just fine.

You do not need to clean the brushes after use, Just store them with the bristles facing upwards after use.  As soon as you dip them into the liquid cement again what has set on them will become flowing liquid again.

Looks like a number of you guys on here are extolling the virtues of the Flexifile Touch and Flow Applicator so I will be buying one based on the comments on this thread and see how it goes!

Edited June 17, 2020 by Bugatti Fan