First Let me give all the credit for this Information to The Model Railroad Craftsman Magazine Sept 2008.
This was in a Special Supplement in the center section of the Sept. 2008 Edition called The Laser Guide - in the tool box Quick Tips section and it's a shortened version and isn't copied word for word Just the main differences in glues as they described them.
#1. White Glue- easy to use, clean up with soap and water,They have long term Flexibility and Dry Clear have limited strength and limited resistance to moisture & are Slow Drying. there are two Commonly available in this family.
a.- Caseinate Glues: Derived from Milk with the most common brand Elmer's White Glue they have a long "Grab, Set & Drying time of 8 hrs should be clamped in place doesn't work well on non-porous and dissimilar materials easily thinned and works well on scenery and ballast when thinned.
b.- PVA Glues: a white glue that has a thicker consistency than Caseinate glue and a faster grab, it will glue dissimilar materials where there is limited stress very good for laminating items and attaching clear glazing in windows. recommended by RMC as the best type for Model RR use is Aleene's Tacky Glue since it secures pieces quickly.
#2. Aliphatic Resin Glues: Know as wood working or carpenters Glue. The only minor drawback is they don't dry clear and excess should be wiped clean of visible surfaces. Aliphatic resin glue is a key adhesive for building laser-cut kits but must be carefully applied and all excesses removed. Franklin's Titebond and Elmer's Carpenter's glue are the most common.
a.- a new formulation designed for Model use is becoming available from Great Britain. It is Marketed by Deluxe Materials, Super 'Phatic glue & is designed specifically for the model builder & possesses all the virtues of Franklin's and Elmer's with their faster grab but with a thinner Body.
#3. Alpha Cyanoacrylates: Commonly Named Super Glue & revolutionized Model building.
a.- CA glues Grab quickly, cure clear and are great for bonding dissimilar materials and come in a number of Viscosity's from water thin to a thick gel and the Thick Gels work best on wood and card stock.
b. - Down side of CA is it should never be used to affix clear plastics or glazing used for windows or cock pits on Model Aircraft as it has a tendency to fog the plastic so always make sure all the CA has cured completely on any model before applying the windows in structures and never store uncured freshly assembled models in a sealed container as the fumes will cause finger prints to raise on the surface as well as fogging all the windows.
#4. Solvent Based Glue: Old school Glues such as Ambroid, Duco and other similar.
a.- They grab quickly and still allow time for alignment and usually set without the need for clamping.
b. - They are Moisture resistant but may become brittle over time (measured in Decades.
#5. Gorilla Glue: It uses the ambient moisture of the bonded materials to cure. It is Exceptionally strong, Moisture resistant.
a.- Not recommended for model building since it foams and pushes the bonded pieces away from each other if not clamped with extreme pressure. It's Great for Bench work but avoid trying to build models with it.
#6. Model Master Clear Parts Cement & Window Maker. Designed by Testers for attaching clear canopies to model airplanes. It dries clear and has more moisture resistance than standard PVA glues.
That's all the info they had and I thought it is something all Model Railroaders should Know so I hope I'm not stepping on Carstens great Railroad Model Craftsman Magazine Toes as a subscriber since 1960 and have purchased almost all their back issues to 1933 and consider them one of my best references for model railroading.
Dan
