Acetate film question

[Lancman]

Hi guys what is the best way of fixing the acetate film between the plastic and photo etched part on instrument panels I normally use decals but I thought I would give this method a go I was thinking of either using varnish (humbrol matt or clear) or Kristal Klear any suggestions.

 

Cheers

 

Graham.

[oletcherfred]

Graham, I have been doing stuff like this - tryin to fasten dissimilar materials - for years.

 

My favorite is a product called Walthers Goo, marketed by Hobsco. It is rather like rubber cement but not as stringy and not quite clear, but very manageable.

 

Pricey, too but it goes along wway. One advantage of it is that it never really gets "hardened up" so it will give with expansion and contraction due to temperature and humidity fluctuations. I have things(model parts included) that I stuck together with it over 40 years ago, still holding just fine through several moves and such. oh, yeah - good shelf life too - my original one from about 1962 is still good, or was last time I saw it in 1996.(can't find it now! lol)

 

A good hobby store should carry it or you might find it on line somewhere.

 

You might try 3M Spray glue #777 as a substitute but its...a spray! Very good adhesive, tho - if you could get some on a pin or small stick it should work out OK for you.

 

Fred Hultberg(the ol' ethcer from Fotocut)

[smithery]

Since the IP is not normally under any sort of tension, I normally just use Future to bond the acetate film to the back of the PE.

 

Just brush on a liberal coat of Future onto the back of the PE, and place the acetate film on top of it. As the Future dries, it forms a pretty good bond.

[t.valdez]

Down here in Texas we use a product called RC-56. It looks like white glue, smells like white glue and can be used like white glue, but it isn't white glue. It's actually PVA which dries clear when used and is easy to apply to the back of the instrument panel with a toothpick or the small applicator of your choice. It holds fast and won't mess up your acetate even if you aren't as steady of hand any more. I apply it and let it dry to just tacky, then breathe on it to restore the tack and apply the acetate. This product was originally designated for holding dissimilar plastics like clear R/C canopies to Mylar or Smoothkote or balsa.

[LSP_Ray]

It doesn't really take much as there is not much weight or stress.

 

For my Cougar instrument panel, I used tiny drops of white glue to let me position the instrument film exactly, then went around the edges with watch crystal cement (kind of like superglue but clearer and no fumes). I then added more of the same to the back of the film and attached it to the cowling.

 

I will add pics tonight of that part of my work on the "In The Works" forum.