| Cyanoacrylates (CA’s) |
The THIN glue (Blue label) is water-thin that flows into joints and cures in seconds. Surfaces must be tight fitting and held together while you apply the glue. Thin CA can also be used to make balsa stronger by letting it soak into grain. | |
INSTA-CURE+™ is a higher viscosity CA for loose fitting joints in which the adhesive must bridge gaps. Normally, the thicker CA is applied to one surface and then the parts are held tightly together for about 5 to 15 seconds. For large surface areas, including those with close fitting joints such as laminations, INSTA-CURE+™ should also be used. To prevent premature curing, don’t spread the glue into a thin film. Lay down a serpentine bead with about 1" separations on one surface, then assemble the parts, letting the pressure spread the CA out.
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MAXI-CURE™ extra thick CA is the best CA for most plastics, including GE’s Lexan MAXI-CURE™ is the best choice for plastic model assembly. When used with INSTA-SET™, it works better than any putty for modifying or filling voids. It can be carved with a knife or razor blade and sanded and feathered to form a finish indistinguishable from plastic.
MAXI-CURE™ bonds fiberglass, hardwood, metal and rubber better than any other hobby adhesive. For gluing to the inside, cloth-textured surface of fiberglass, scrape the area to be bonded with a razor blade or coarse sandpaper before using MAXI-CURE™ or any other adhesive. It also is best for bonding the tires for R/C cars.
IC-2000™ is a rubber-toughened cyanoacrylate that forms superior shock resistant bonds on non-porous surfaces. The black colored CA has added flexibility for the bonding of metals, fiberglass, rubber, carbon-fiber and other advanced materials. For model use, IC-2000™ is ideal for the bonding of bulkheads, formers and servo rails to the inside of fiberglass hulls and fuselages. Setup time is 20-40 seconds, which can be accelerated with INSTA-SET™. When cured, IC-2000™ is pliable enough to be carved with a hobby knife. IC-2000™ is the best adhesive for R/C car tires.
INSTA-FLEX™ flexible thin CA is ideal for many applications, including the installation of CA hinges. When cured, INSTA-FLEX™ does not turn brittle and remains clear, even if accelerated with INSTA-SET™. It has superior shock resistance. Although not as thin in consistency as INSTA-CURE™, INSTA-FLEX™ still has good penetrating qualities and its application can be easier to control. For CA hinges, we recommend drilling a 1/16" hole in the center of the hinge slots to insure the complete saturation of the hinge when INSTA-FLEX™ is applied. INSTA-FLEX™ has a different, less irritating odor compared to regular CA’s, but still can not be used on white foam. INSTA-FLEX™ has also proven to be superior when bonding anodized aluminum.
INSTA-FLEX™ clear rubber toughened has similar qualities to our black IC-2000™ but can be used in applications where you do not want the adhesive to be seen. The carbon component of IC-2000™ that gives the CA its black color also contributes to its unsurpassed strength. Since INSTA-FLEX+™ has this carbon removed, its strength is a little less than IC-2000™ but still superior to standard CA’s. When esthetics are important and a flexible bond is required, INSTA-FLEX+™ is your best choice. It forms superior bonds to soft urethane and vinyl plastics. Both INSTA-FLEX™ and INSTA-FLEX+™ work well when bonding R/C car tires. When a joint has a larger than normal gap, flexible CA’s provide superior shock resistent bonds.
SUPER-GOLD™ &
SUPER-GOLD+™ are our odorless INSTA-CURE CA’s They are non-frosting and take only 2 or 3 seconds longer to bond. There are no fumes that irritate the nose and eyes. The SUPER-GOLD™ ’s do not attack white foam; therefore, they can be used in the building of foam core wings and the assembly and repair of plastic and foam ARF’s. They will not fog clear plastic. SUPER-GOLD+™ is ideal for attaching clear canopies in plastic model kits; however, MAXI-CURE™ is still recommended for assembling the rest of plastic kits. Wood can be bonded to white foam with SUPER-GOLD +™ in less than fifteen seconds. For bonding foam to foam, spray a very light fog of INSTA-SET™ to one piece and apply SUPER-GOLD+™ to the other before joining. Excess INSTA-SET™ may create too much heat, which can melt the foam. Both SUPER-GOLD™ ’s cure to a more flexible consistency for better shock absorbtion. Whenever a large amount of CA is to be used in such applications as saturating fiberglass or Kevlar, SUPER-GOLD™ eliminates the irritating fumes from the evaporating monomer that make repeated use of CA unpleasant at times.
UN-CURE™ debonder will soften cured CA. If parts are bonded incorrectly or your fingers are stuck together, a few drops of UN-CURE™ will dissolve the CA in about a minute. Apply on bonded skin and roll apart fingers. Once stuck, use acetone to clean off softened CA, then wash off with soap and water.
INSTA-SET™ is a catalyst which acts as an accelerator that allows CA’s to quickly cure in thick layers by enhancing the alkaline conditions during polymerization. INSTA-SET™ in a spray bottle is normally used to cure the CA that flows from joints when parts are pressed together. Applying an additional bead of thick CA along a seam and then curing it with INSTA-SET™ significantly enhances a joint’s strength. For difficult to bond materials, INSTA-SET™ can be applied to one surface and CA to the opposite surface. When brought together, they will bond instantly. INSTA-SET™ is formulated with a strawberry scent and activates CA in 6 to 8 seconds without any degrading of the CA’s strength, which can occur with many other accelerators. It is compatible with all surfaces, even clear plastic and white foam.
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| Epoxy |
QUIK-CURE™ 5 min. epoxy cures to a slightly flexible consistency. This lack of brittleness allows it to form a lasting bond in areas subjected to high vibration or stress. QUIK-CURE™ shouldn’t be used in areas that are subject to long-term immersion in water; however, it works fine for the internal structure of wood framed boats. QUIKCURE™ is our only epoxy on which you can apply polyester resins. It can be mixed with microballoons to form a quick setting putty. Items bonded with QUIK-CURE™ can be handled after 15 minutes. Full strength is reached in 1 hour.
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MID-CURE™ 15 min. epoxy is used in larger areas where more working time is needed. It is more water resistant and can be used as a substitute for QUIK-CURE™ in most applications. MID-CURE™ is our most flexible epoxy and is ideal for gluing to fiberglass surfaces. Allow 45 minutes before handling parts and 2 hours for full strength.
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SLOW-CURE™30 min. epoxy works best for forming reinforcing fillets on joints. It has the highest strength of our epoxies. It is waterproof and more heat resistant. SLOW-CURE™ can be used for bonding if you’re willing to wait overnight. Fillers such as microballoons can be mixed with SLOW-CURE™ and FINISH-CURE™ to form a putty-like consistency. Such fillers will usually decrease the working time by about 25%. Bonded objects can be handled after 8 hours and the cured epoxy reaches full strength within 24 hours.
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