Glue

I hate to say it, Marc, but a trip to the hobby store eventually might be worthwhile. I use canopy cement and it works great. Just a minute amount is all that is needed. Hope you find what you need.

Roy

White glue might work also.

White glue might work also.

Windows

I've used this with great success

Thanks for the input

Thanks for the input people.

Rich, your link is wrong, sends me to another, unrelated, post.

So far I have been using liquid plastic cement for windows, just wondering if there was something better and less risky at marring the film or the plastic.

Marc Fournier, Quebec

Modge-Podge

Marc, do you have any Modege-Podge. It might work as it dries clear.

Roy

++

heard of it before and think I saw it a Walmart in the craft section.  Another option. Thanks

Marc Fournier, Quebec

Window glue

Marc,

I've used clear silicone cauking with success.  It doesn't "wick" or fog the clear plastic.

Rick

2 choices you'll be happy with

Canopy Cement is the best choice and Clear Silicone caulk comes in a close second. If your careful which I believe you are the silicone may prove easiest and you can get in in a small tube rather than in a caulk gun tube from most paint stores or hardware stores.

Canopy Cement: apply with a sewing needle around the window edges and apply the plastic.

Silicone Caulk: Apply with a tooth pick and it doesn't take much, just enough to coat the edges with a micro thin layer.keep a few tooth picks on hand to remove excess silicone. With your modeling skills I think the easiest way is the Silicone.

I bought a small suction cup from Micro-Mark a couple years back made for applying small windows on models. Before I got the little suction cup I used an eye dropper to suction up the center of each window glass and place them in it's position.

With the eye dropper keep a 1/4 inch puddle of water on a clean saucer and dab the end of the dropper on the water drop to help hold the suction to the glass don't soak the tip so that it's dripping wet just slightly damp. If you have tested the window material with 90% Isopropyl alcohol and it doesn't effect the plastic use the Isopropyl alcohol instead of water it will disappear once dry and holds the glass better while using the eye dropper.

Besides Model Railroads I build Military Planes and armored tanks and trucks, on most of them I use silicone to attack the window glass.When used in small amounts I've had a lot of good luck with it. I've used the Canopy Cement and it also works great except it dries a little too fast at times and the silicone takes a couple hours to cure and over night to cure completely. Both will hold the glass or plastic windows for years.

Don't use super glue it smokes up the plastic and white glue just looks like crap and I wouldn't recommended these last two for any use on clear windows.

one last thing Modege-Podge is thick and designed for deco-podge work for layering paper to give a 3-D effect. I tends to turn yellow after a year or so.

Dan

Vacume pickup tools

Marc,

Dan has an excellent suggestion about using a vacume pickup tool.  I bought this one from MicroMark:

You can also get ones with more tips of different angles like this one I saw on ebay:

In any event before I purchased my vacume tool I was using a small piece of styrene with tacky glue on the end.  It was "iffy" and sometimes left some glue on the windows.  I can't believe how much easier it is to install windows with a vacume holding tool.  They aren't cheap, but for me they are worth the money.

Rick

Doh!

Sorry Mark.  Here is what I was after (it should take you to crystal cement on the Micro Mark Site)

RC-56 is what I use. I think

RC-56 is what I use. I think it is marketed as a canopy glue. Looks a lot like white glue, but seems to work some better.

+ +

Thanks people.

The suction tool I discovered and ordered 2 weeks ago after researching  the different canopy glues. I found GS Hypo cement on Ebay and ordered that since I had the white glue variants. Silicone in small tube is another good idea never thought of that as all I have here is the medium size tube of the stuff. not really pratical for small 1/87 work.

Marc Fournier, Quebec  

I bought a tube of G S Hypo

I bought a tube of G S Hypo cement about a year ago and used it for the first time a few days ago. It was thick and very stringy.  I was disappointed. Would I be correct in saying that the glue should be thinner? Time for another tube?

Thanks guys

sounds to me that your GS

sounds to me that your GS Hypo glue is old and drying out. when new NO STRINGS.

Dan

Mod Podge

I second the Mod Podge suggestion. Also used clear acrylic gloss varnish, about a dollar at the craft store.  Both dry clear & dries at least as strong as white glue.

plain white glue.

I was just reading a mid 90s article about this very thing and it was also suggested to use plain white glue as well. Since it dries clear.

Hi Marc Micro Mark sells

Hi Marc,

  A lot of good advice on different products has been given to help figure out what you need to accomplish installing window glass or something similar that is clear and won't fog up.  

I had a similar problem with a brass caboose not being able to get the main body off of the frame without destroying detail.  I found the following product at Micromark and it worked great.  http://www.micromark.com/Micro-Glaze-15-oz,7585.html.

I think this might be very similar to the Modge-Podge solution that Geared mentioned.  I do know that it dried clear and looks good.

I have used clear styrene as you mentioned using. Take a hat pin or needle and apply glue to the four corners then carefully put it in place without pushing down.

Greg

Glue for clear windows

Marc       The best glue out there that I have been using for quite a long time is Aleenes Original Tacky Glue

               It comes in 4 different types- Original, Clear Gel,Quick dry and Fast Grab. I make alot of Model

               cars and use it on all the window glazing IT is very tacky, if you get some on the clear plastic you can

               just wipe it off with out any damage at all. Some of my models are 10 years old and the glue is still

               very effective.                     ron netti

+ +

Many thanks to all who replied. Recommendations noted.

Marc

Bump

I started a new thread on this very subject and then found this one, so deleted the other.

Does anyone have anything to add to the discussion of what glue is best for window panes?

Best glue?  Tips?  Techniques?

If not, here's another look at what was said back when.

Thanks.

Attaching window glazing using double stick tape

Kevin,

After trying a number of adhesives only to have them ooz out between the structure wall onto the window material (ruining it) I switched from adhesives to double sided stick tape.  I really like “Terrifically Tacky Tape” available at Michael’s Crafts and a number of online stores.  Here’s Michael’s link:

http://www.michaels.com/Terrifically-Tacky-Tape/gc0393,default,pd.html?cgid=products-generalcrafts-glueandadhesives&start=2

I cut pieces of the tape and place them around the opening for the window.  If there are a number of windows close together than I use one sheet of window material (clear styrene) and still put enough pieces of tape to make sure the window material fits snugly against the wall.  If possible I try to put the window glazing in before I assemble the windows together.  Here's a picture of the tape:

Once the tape is in place I remove the protective liner and if I'm putting in individual small pieces I use a suction tool from MicroMark (a MRH sponsor) to hold the pieces.  Here's the link to the tool:

http://www.micromark.com/hobby-pal-vacuum-pickup-tool,7954.html

The tool may seem pricey, but once you use one you will wonder how you ever got along without it.  I place the window glazing on the windows and then burnish it down.  I've never had one come loose using this method and there isn't a problem with ooz!.  Here's a picture of the tool:

Rick

Avoid the Sticky Mess with Sticky Tape!

Rick,

The tape seems like a really good option.  I might like it better than glue.

Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a try.

I also like that grabber tool.  I could have used it already on this building I'm sure.

Pledge with Future

I'm surprised not to find mention of "Pledge with Future" (acrylic floor finish) here, because I thought an MRH forum was where I learned of it.  Anyway, I've had pretty good experience using this stuff, bought at the local supermarket.  It doesn't craze clear styrene, but seems to adhere to wood or plastic.  I'm not sure that it would work on metal though.  The smallest bottle - several hundred ml - costs a few buck and contains enough to last a large club a long time.  Has anyone had any experience with PWF on metal?

David

Double sided tape saves the day....and the windows.

Rick, thanks so much for sharing this technique. I used it on a 6 story building last night. I didn't have any of your recommended tape (but plan to get it) so just used some Scotch 3M that I had on hand. It isn't a quick process but allows you the flexibility to reposition the windows as needed with zero worries unlike glue. I installed a total of 41 individual window treatments (signs, blinds and shades) over a several hour period. I am more than pleased with the results. And yes, don't tell my wife but I just ordered the pickup tool as well.