Elastic Launched Glider B

[jander14indoor]

I suspect Acetone is more generally available than dope, since safety issues are very similar, that choice makes sense. Just observe proper safety practices.

Oh, and neither of us have mentioned flammability. Acetone tends to be heavier than air, so its fumes run along the floor, stories exist about it being triggered by pilot lights in gas water heaters and similar appliances surprisingly far from where its being used. So besides the straight health issues from breathing/skin contact (heaven forbid drinking) the fire risk requires proper ventilation practices.
In general, try to keep the amounts out of the container small. Don't leave container open so it can spill, etc.
Example. For this purpose. Do this outside. Have the container (probably a pint or quart) in a stable location. Have an eye dropper ready and the glue bottle open and also in a stable condition. Open container, take out an eye dropper full, close container, transfer eye dropper to glue bottle. Repeat as needed.

Jeff Anderson
Livonia, MI

[Nathanfrommars]

Jeff,

Thanks for the instructions. I will be careful. I never use Duco before. Is it strong enough? Do I need to enforce the joint with other glue after final adjustment?

Thanks,

Nathan

[builderguy135]

Jeff,

Thanks for the instructions. I will be careful. I never use Duco before. Is it strong enough? Do I need to enforce the joint with other glue after final adjustment?

Thanks,

Nathan

Duco should be strong enough. Superglue should work fine though, it's just harder to remove if you want to replace a part.

[bjt4888]

Nathan,

Duco is about 10x lighter than medium CA as a lot of what you apply will evaporate during drying. So, when applying, you can use a decent 1/16” wide and tall “bead” of glue for attaching parts like the stabilizer to the fuselage. Duco is not instant bonding like CA, so when attaching the stabilizer, the glider would be fully assembled (wing attached), with supports like wood blocks under the wing dihedral, and small supports under the stab tips to keep it level (or tilted a couple of degrees if the glider design indicates), run your bead of glue onto the fuselage attach point and press the stabilizer nice and straight onto the fuselage. Then don’t touch the glider for at least an hour. Duco joints connecting light parts are strong enough to handle in less than an hour, but the glue cure time is more like overnight.

Another Duco trick when extra strength is needed (like when bonding carbon to the fuselage) is to precoat each surface with glue (unlike CA, dry duco bonds well to dry Duco with more Duco added) then wipe most of the precoat off right away, and after allowing the precoat couple of minutes to dry, place a bead of glue along the full length of one of the surfaces to be joined and press the parts together quickly before the bead of Duco starts to dry. A 1/16” wide .005” carbon strip (sanded for a few minutes on each side with 150 grit and cleaned with a rag and rubbing alcohol) applied in this manner only weighs 0.01 grams per inch and adds enormous stiffness to light balsa.

Brian T

[Nathanfrommars]

I thinned the duco (1/3 duco and add acetone) and made a small bottle ready to use. It is very watery. Is it like that? I feel the parts need to put somewhere to support well and the glue will take long to dry.

Nathan

[bjt4888]

Nathan,

The thinnest I use is 50/50 for very light models. For SO gliders, I would thin 70% Duco 30% acetone.

Let what you have already thinned sit for a couple of days in the bottle (if you can) and it will thicken.

Brian T

[DemonicPillows]

Hello everyone,

My partner and I were trying to build the Super Protege without the kit (using the blueprints) and it involves a material called Vector Board Foam. We wonder if there are any alternatives for this material. Thank you.

[coachchuckaahs]

Hello everyone,

My partner and I were trying to build the Super Protege without the kit (using the blueprints) and it involves a material called Vector Board Foam. We wonder if there are any alternatives for this material. Thank you.

Looks like Josh at J&H is selling sheets of it now. Only source I know of in the US.

Vectorboard is more durable than other foams such as Rhoacell, and perhaps more flexible. Nothing else quite like it.

Coach Chuck

[NewSciolyer]

I need some advice on glue types and usages.

1) What type of glue is best for balsa to balsa that forms a strong bond and also has minimum weight?

2) What type of glue is best for balsa to carbon fiber?

3) What type of glue is best for balsa to foam?

Thanks, I'm kind of new to this so I don't know these baisic stuffs.

[bjt4888]

New,

See my reply to Nathan regarding glue about 12 posts back in this thread.

Brian T