IAN GARNHAM looks at this useful adhesive from Deluxe Materials.
How many of us, when we buy a new locomotive, look at the detail pack that comes with it and are filled with dread? We attempt to glue on the various extras, be it vacuum pipes, brake rodding or steps and then just leave them in the box because previous attempts have been unsuccessful.
Deluxe Materials DLAC-17 Tricky Stick (50ml)
A lot of these accessories are made from a shiny plastic which is difficult to get normal plastic glue to bond. This usually ends up with you searching round the layout for that step or brake pipe which has fallen off round the back of the layout or has disappeared, never to be seen again.
Even good old cyano won’t hold the pieces for long, as the glue just sits on the surface and doesn’t bond the two shiny surfaces together. What is required is a product that can prepare the surfaces and improve adhesion by acting as a surface primer by taking the shine off the plastic.
Our good friends at Deluxe Materials have come up again with a product which is indeed fit for purpose: DLAC-17 Tricky Stick.
Tricky Stick is a quick drying clear liquid which is applied either to one or both surfaces before you attempt to locate and fix the parts.
How Tricky Stick Works
Apply Tricky Stick to both parts to be bonded
Wait briefly for Tricky Stick to dry – a few seconds – and then apply a small amount of cyano glue like DLAD-44 Rocket Rapid.
Now you can apply the detail parts knowing that within a few minutes they will still be firmly in place where they should be and not have fallen off somewhere.
This doesn’t apply just to plastic locomotive detailing parts but also to difficult plastics, rubber and foam, nylon, vinyl, and silicon rubber which can be a real problem to glue.
The example shows vinyl tank track parts which when assembled can be under a lot of stress but with the nature of the material are very difficult to permanently bond
As before brush Tricky Stick to the connecting tracks. Wait for it to dry and apply a glue of your choice
Different CA (cyanoacrylate) glues have varying viscosities and drying times. The thicker the glue, the longer the drying time. Depending on your dexterity and access to the joint could decide which glue to use. When gluing the non-porous items shown here, you may want to use a slower and thicker glue as you have more control.
In seconds, this results in an incredibly tough join
Here is a handy listing of the Roket CA glues that are produced by Deluxe Materials.
Whilst talking about cyano glues, Deluxe Materials have just released DLAD-85, an odourless Roket Glue that dries in around 10-20 seconds. It is in a small 3 gram tube, which is great to have in your toolbox for emergencies.
Deluxe Materials DLAD-85 Roket Odourless (3g)