Glue options for foam repair

[messyhead]

Hi folks. I tore a retract off of my Eflite Corsair yesterday. It's quite a clean break, and the retract fitting goes back on ok.

But I was looking for advice on glue options.

I have Gorilla wood glue, and the brown foaming Gorilla glue. I'm not keen on using the foaming one, as I think it would push the retract housing out of place.

Would the wood glue be ok?

I was also considering UHU glue.

My other consideration, is that I suppose these shouldn't be glued in too securely, so that they come out on hard impact rather than tear the wing.

When I look at the glue residue on the housing, it seems to be thin glue in spots, I expect for this reason.

 

[luvmy40]

I would use a few drops of foam safe CA with the activator/accelerator or whatever it's called these days.

 

[Tench745]

I haven't used it myself, but I believe UHU is very similar to what would have been used to mount the retract originally.
I generally don't like CA glues, especially on foam; they make everything hard/brittle and you have to be careful that both the glue and accelerator are foam safe.
Typical PVA type wood glues (Titebond, Elmers, etc.) are air-drying and most foams don't let enough air in for the glue to dry all the way through. Wood glue also doesn't stick well to plastics, so I would avoid this one.
The foaming Gorilla Glue could work well but spread it very thin and clamp well.
Epoxy can also work well for foam. When I do use epoxy on foam, I like to use a flexible epoxy like G-flex if available. If it's not, any 5-30 minute epoxy will work.

 

[bisco]

foam tac

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HPQRI88/?tag=lstir-20

 

[messyhead]

I went with UHU POR. I tested it on some spare styrofoam first. It gives a good hold, but if strained, the glue flex’s and tears rather than destroy the foam.

 

[skymaster]

Hi folks. I tore a retract off of my Eflite Corsair yesterday. It's quite a clean break, and the retract fitting goes back on ok.

But I was looking for advice on glue options.

I have Gorilla wood glue, and the brown foaming Gorilla glue. I'm not keen on using the foaming one, as I think it would push the retract housing out of place.

Would the wood glue be ok?

I was also considering UHU glue.

My other consideration, is that I suppose these shouldn't be glued in too securely, so that they come out on hard impact rather than tear the wing.

When I look at the glue residue on the housing, it seems to be thin glue in spots, I expect for this reason.

View attachment 228817 View attachment 228816 View attachment 228815 View attachment 228814

when the wheels retract does the retract stay exposed or does it get cover by a plate,

 

[messyhead]

when the wheels retract does the retract stay exposed or does it get cover by a plate,

It stays exposed. It's the older version of the Eflite 1.2m Corsair.

 

[skymaster]

It stays exposed. It's the older version of the Eflite 1.2m Corsair.

So then any kind of glue will do even hot glue but don't apply it to the foam put it on the retract part , but before you do this i see that maybe it had some screws if not would not be a bad idea put some pre drilled anchors with a little bit of glue and screw the piece in. hope this helps

 

[messyhead]

So then any kind of glue will do even hot glue but don't apply it to the foam put it on the retract part , but before you do this i see that maybe it had some screws if not would not be a bad idea put some pre drilled anchors with a little bit of glue and screw the piece in. hope this helps

The screws hold the electric retract unit into the housing. So it’s really the housing that needed glued in.

I ruled out CA, as it becomes brittle, and not many are foam safe. And hot glue would melt the foam, and I didn’t want anything to deform. So the UHU was the best option.