General question: anyone using glues (eg, Gorilla Glue and such)

[byrocat]

Okay, this may not the the perfect place to ask this, but it certainly seems to be a perfect question to ask here.

Has anyone been gluing together Flite Test and DTF designs and using glues like Gorilla Glue rather than hot melt glue?

Personally, I suck at using hot melt glues as I tend to be heavy-handed on applying it or the other end of the spektrum. I've gone through close to a dozen designs (FT, depron and DTF) and it's frustrating.

Thanks in advance for cogent and thoughtful answers, while trolls should be receiving visits from the Great Bird of the Galaxy (showing my age and always wanted to use that line.

 

[CrshNBrn]

Okay, this may not the the perfect place to ask this, but it certainly seems to be a perfect question to ask here.

Has anyone been gluing together Flite Test and DTF designs and using glues like Gorilla Glue rather than hot melt glue?

Personally, I suck at using hot melt glues as I tend to be heavy-handed on applying it or the other end of the spektrum. I've gone through close to a dozen designs (FT, depron and DTF) and it's frustrating.

Thanks in advance for cogent and thoughtful answers, while trolls should be receiving visits from the Great Bird of the Galaxy (showing my age and always wanted to use that line.

There's lots of folks (and forum threads) devoted to other adhesives besides hot glue. Gorilla Glue (often abbreviated GG here) has a couple of different formulas for different purposes and is lightweight. Search around the Forum to learn (more than you probably care to know) about them.

I use a combination of hot glue on stuff that needs to set up quickly, like skins, and white GG on internals like formers and wing spars. The white stuff expands and can fill gaps and cracks, but is unsightly on the outside.

 

[Merv]

... I tend to be heavy-handed on applying it ....

I use GG in nearly every plane I build. I use GG in places where I need more working time or strength than hot glue can provide. I put a lot of stress on my planes with very high G maneuvers, like the square loop.

Your are on the right track, the amount of hot glue you use is critical. Hot glue is very heavy, most use way too much and pay a weight penalty. I try to use no more than one stick of glue per plane (full length stick). A small amount is all you need.

 

[Monte.C]

Okay, this may not the the perfect place to ask this, but it certainly seems to be a perfect question to ask here.

Has anyone been gluing together Flite Test and DTF designs and using glues like Gorilla Glue rather than hot melt glue?

Personally, I suck at using hot melt glues as I tend to be heavy-handed on applying it or the other end of the spektrum. I've gone through close to a dozen designs (FT, depron and DTF) and it's frustrating.

Thanks in advance for cogent and thoughtful answers, while trolls should be receiving visits from the Great Bird of the Galaxy (showing my age and always wanted to use that line.

I use mostly BSI Foam Cure, with a dab of Gorilla Glue Clear here & there if applicable and a drop of foam-safe CA in the odd spot where needed. The Foam Cure (comparable to Beacon Foam Tac but much cheaper) gives enough working time to get it right, and you learn to use just enough to not get it gooped all over the place. It grabs quick enough, and then a few minutes into the cure it reaches a sort of hard rubber stage where you can remove any extra. There's a minor learning curve.

 

[WillL84]

I try to use no more than one stick of glue per plane (full length stick). A small amount is all you need.

I went through more than one stick just gluing the wing of my Legacy V2 together lol

 

[Mr NCT]

I went through more than one stick just gluing the wing of my Legacy V2 together lol

I can flat go through hot glue but @Monte.C might be winning me over to lighter glues. I am addicted to fast builds though, so I might go through some withdrawal symptoms.

 

[Monte.C]

I can flat go through hot glue but @Monte.C might be winning me over to lighter glues. I am addicted to fast builds though, so I might go through some withdrawal symptoms.

I just like having complete control over the build.
But I build in little dribs & drabs. I glue something then go to the kitchen, then trim half of something then remember something else I wanted to do... I can hardly seem to sit still anymore.

 

[SSgt Duramax]

I use white gorilla glue and wood glue pretty exclusively. The foami g properties and strength of white gorilla glue make it perfect for things like wings where you dont see it, and maximum strength is needed. If you are patient you can use it anywhere. I use wood glue for basic stuff, like fuselage folds and the sort. The glue bonds are always stronger than the foam. In particular I have become quite fond of titebond quick and thick. It can fill gaps and has a short clamp time. It isnt as water resistant as normal wood glues, so if that is a quality you need then I would go with a traditional PVA wood glue.

I have started using beacon foam glue from the dollar tree to reinforce hinges.

You can use white gorilla glue externally, but you need to tape over it so it takes the shape you want it too, and it can be messy and there is always the risk of depapering the foam when you remove the tape. Although on a build where I will be sanding and filling, I consider that a non issue.

 

[Monte.C]

I use white gorilla glue and wood glue pretty exclusively. The foami g properties and strength of white gorilla glue make it perfect for things like wings where you dont see it, and maximum strength is needed. If you are patient you can use it anywhere. I use wood glue for basic stuff, like fuselage folds and the sort. The glue bonds are always stronger than the foam. In particular I have become quite fond of titebond quick and thick. It can fill gaps and has a short clamp time. It isnt as water resistant as normal wood glues, so if that is a quality you need then I would go with a traditional PVA wood glue.

I have started using beacon foam glue from the dollar tree to reinforce hinges.

You can use white gorilla glue externally, but you need to tape over it so it takes the shape you want it too, and it can be messy and there is always the risk of depapering the foam when you remove the tape. Although on a build where I will be sanding and filling, I consider that a non issue.

Once I tried GG clear I stopped using the white. If I have to wait for it to cure anyway, I prefer the controllability of the clear - the non-foaming one. Let's be honest, the white isn't any lighter than the clear - not unless you trim off all the excess foamed bits. The cure time is longer for the clear, but like I said, if I'm gonna wait anyway...

I'm only using GG within the folds of my wings, where I use Foam Cure to glue the skins to the formers. The Foam Cure sets quickly and I don't have to wait for the GG to do what it does, but I want that strong glue line down the length of my wings.

 

[SSgt Duramax]

Once I tried GG clear I stopped using the white. If I have to wait for it to cure anyway, I prefer the controllability of the clear - the non-foaming one. Let's be honest, the white isn't any lighter than the clear - not unless you trim off all the excess foamed bits. The cure time is longer for the clear, but like I said, if I'm gonna wait anyway...

I feel like the white cures faster than the clear. I can usually get back to working with the white in 15 minutes. Granted, if you don't have enough weight on it, the foaming action does present a problem as it can cause what you were trying to glue together to expand, which is annoying. I am sure if there is a weight difference, it is negligible at best and probably not worth discussion, but both are way lighter than hot glue, which I specifically despise making wings with. My wood glued wings do fine too. I may just go down to one type of glue, that being the titebond quick and thick, which really does all I need it to, is plenty strong, and dries clear. In all honesty, if I don't need foaming (usually to cover up a design or cutting flaw) wood glue is plenty.

I'll trade you what I have left of my clear GG for what you have left of the white. I am too cheap for the fancy pants foam tac you use.

 

[Monte.C]

I feel like the white cures faster than the clear. I can usually get back to working with the white in 15 minutes. Granted, if you don't have enough weight on it, the foaming action does present a problem as it can cause what you were trying to glue together to expand, which is annoying. I am sure if there is a weight difference, it is negligible at best and probably not worth discussion, but both are way lighter than hot glue, which I specifically despise making wings with. My wood glued wings do fine too. I may just go down to one type of glue, that being the titebond quick and thick, which really does all I need it to, is plenty strong, and dries clear. In all honesty, if I don't need foaming (usually to cover up a design or cutting flaw) wood glue is plenty.

I'll trade you what I have left of my clear GG for what you have left of the white. I am too cheap for the fancy pants foam tac you use.

Deal.

Yes the clear takes twice as long to cure. Like I said, if I have to wait anyway then it's going to be like that. Okee dokee.

 

[SSgt Duramax]

Deal.

Yes the clear takes twice as long to cure. Like I said, if I have to wait anyway then it's going to be like that. Okee dokee.

No, you have to do things my way, or I will throw a hissy fit on the internet. I've been spending time researching the best airfoil for a plank plane and slowly realizing the fact I won't be able to make it out of foam board anyways.

 

[Monte.C]

No, you have to do things my way, or I will throw a hissy fit on the internet.

Good! Assertiveness is a strong quality. Chicks dig that.

I won't be able to make it out of foam board anyways.

Because of the world foamboard shortage I've been reading about here on another thread?
But seriously, why not?

 

[Piotrsko]

No, you have to do things my way, or I will throw a hissy fit on the internet. I've been spending time researching the best airfoil for a plank plane and slowly realizing the fact I won't be able to make it out of foam board anyways.

That's ok, I have an ignore button. Hows them bananas?
Ummm it's a plank, so use either a flat sheet or a kfm

 

[Robert S]

I tried wood glue on my last build. You have to have a plan for clamping ( or have some heavy things you can set on top here and there) but it seems to be working well for me so far. I mean, nothing (glued) has fallen off in flight so far.