What glue to use?

[ewetwo]

I read it once here but can not find the answer to this question. I just bought a Revell 1958 1/32 Mercury. I read somewhere that certain glues do not work well with the plastic used in these kits. Can someone tell me what to use? Thank you.

[Mark]

The Revell Mercury is either a '55 or (most likely) '56.  If it is the 1958 issue, it is a non-stock '56.

That said, the 1/32 scale car kits were always molded in styrene, same as modern car kits.  Any adhesives you use with other car kits will work just fine with the Mercury kit.

[johnyrotten]

13 minutes ago, Mark said:

The Revell Mercury is either a '55 or (most likely) '56.  If it is the 1958 issue, it is a non-stock '56.

That said, the 1/32 scale car kits were always molded in styrene, same as modern car kits.  Any adhesives you use with other car kits will work just fine with the Mercury kit.

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/231517-older-monogram-revell-kit-glue-problems/

[johnyrotten]

Just now, johnyrotten said:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/231517-older-monogram-revell-kit-glue-problems/

Would this apply,  or does the age of the kits rule this out?

[Mark]

The only Revell kits I have found to be more brittle than average are some mid-Seventies kits.  And even then, it has only involved certain colors, particularly the metallic bronze and green.

[Mark]

If you are still apprehensive, try gluing together pieces of the kit's parts trees with the adhesive that you would prefer to use.

[ewetwo]

Thank you all for the advice. It’s greatly appreciated. And the seller advertised it as a 1958. But looking at the photos it doesn't have a year on the box. 

Edited October 14, 2024 by ewetwo

[Mark]

There's probably a 1958 copyright date on the box and/or instruction sheet.

[ewetwo]

4 hours ago, Mark said:

There's probably a 1958 copyright date on the box and/or instruction sheet.

I'll check when it arrives. But it says it will arrive by Friday. But I do notice it says clear windshield which the originals didn't have. At least the ones I have don't.

Edited October 14, 2024 by ewetwo

[Mothersworry]

Epoxy.

This kit is circa 1954, while building it I found both Tenax and Tamiya liquid cement were, for lack of a better description, too aggressive. Even when used sparingly the plastic softened more than modern styrene and seemed to shrink somewhat when dry. 

Additionally the joints created using the modern cement seemed quite weak and prone to cracking, suggesting that the plastic itself had been changed in someway where the liquid cement was applied.

Fortunately I discovered the problems with the modern cement before the build had progressed very far and finished the build using epoxy. 

Fer what it's worth...

 

[peteski]

If the plastic is too fragile to use typical polystyrene solvent cements, then I would use CA glue and accelerator.  Specifically, the BSI brand accelerator as it does not attack plastic. Epoxy is fine, but to me it takes too long to set, plus it has to be mixed.  I do use epoxy in some specific applications, but otherwise I like my glue joints to be instant.

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

CA gloo will pretty much stick anything together, especially your fingers.... -RRR