help needed attaching wingtip lights

[RKic]

Hi folks.

I've been experimenting with replacing solid wing lights with pieces of clear rod, superglued into place and then sanded and polished. The result is pretty good, but supergluing the part to plastic gives it a milky gray backing color. Is there a better way?

[gonzalo]

Dip the plastic rod in future then it will not fog up.Or brush future over it.

[Rex]

You could also attach it with Future. This is a very low stress area, so, you don't need a super bond.

[gonzalo]

You could also attach it with Future. This is a very low stress area, so, you don't need a super bond.

TRUE!! I forgot about that

[72linerlover]

Hi RKic.

I found very useful the epoxy 5 min.

It is clear and sticks almost all making a strong bond so you can sand and polish without fear.

More than this, it doesn't hurt plastic at all.

The tip lights of this 1/72 model are attached with epoxy. Not much visible in this old photo though.

Regards

Euge

[Helmsman]

Hi folks.

I've been experimenting with replacing solid wing lights with pieces of clear rod, superglued into place and then sanded and polished. The result is pretty good, but supergluing the part to plastic gives it a milky gray backing color. Is there a better way?

Testors clear parts cement:

[spejic]

I just use regular thin plastic cement. You don't care if you mar the outside because you are going to sand it anyway. Epoxy is good too.

You could also attach it with Future. This is a very low stress area, so, you don't need a super bond.

It gets stress during the sanding part. He's not inserting kit parts, but random bits of clear plastic only cut to match the interior shape, and then sanded to match the exterior shape after being glued in.

[cag_200]

What about Humbrol Clear Fix.

Anybody experience with this?

For small lights (and instruments) i use Microscale crystal clear.

A tip of tamiya clear & crystal on top (I should try mixing these 2).

Edited April 21, 2016 by cag_200

[72linerlover]

"Let's make it clear".

Our friend doesn't need to attach already shaped transparent bits or fill a hole in an instrument panel.

He needs to shape "on site" a glued solid piece of clear styrene.

Excluding cyanoacrylate with its cons, the options are styrene cement or epoxy.

Otherwise he runs the risk to detach the part at the first sanding stroke.

Clear Fix is a good stuff as Crystal Clear. It takes a little longer to set and shrinks a little more.

Regards

Euge

Edited April 21, 2016 by 72linerlover

[RKic]

That is correct, Euge and Spejc.

The part will undergo a good deal of stress.

As for the cloudiness. it is the cloudiness on the back part that concerns me. Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way, but I assumed the lights are clear covers over a color bulb. So what I've been doing is drilling a little hole into the back corner of the clear part. Filling with clear red or blue or green) and then gluing to the bare plastic of the wing. But should the interior of the lamp, not have a silver, reflective backing?

I tried to paint the plastic of the wing silver and then gluing the clear parts to that. But that makes for a weak joint. Not to mention that the cloudiness caused by the glue in back, rendered the silver background gray. So it looked no different than if I had just glued it to bare gray plastic.

Euge, I like the effect on your Macchi. Did you use a colored clear plastic?

Edited April 27, 2016 by RKic

[72linerlover]

I tried to paint the plastic of the wing silver and then gluing the clear parts to that. But that makes for a weak joint. Not to mention that the cloudiness caused by the glue in back, rendered the silver background gray. So it looked no different than if I had just glued it to bare gray plastic.

Euge, I like the effect on your Macchi. Did you use a colored clear plastic?

I did exactly the way you plan to go with. So I painted the hole inside clear plastic.

As for the metal walls, you shan't need to paint them. If you'll use epoxy you have to more options:

1. use a special one often called "plastic metal" that has a metallic color like this.

2. add some drops of silver enamel (not acrylic nor lacquer) to a clear epoxy.

Regards

Euge

[mossieramm]

I've been experimenting with replacing solid wing lights with pieces of clear rod, superglued into place and then sanded and polished.

On occasion I've done this as well, but instead of using superglue, I use white glue. When dry, it's clear, and gives a fairly good bond. Better than Future in my experience.

David.