Are branded glues worth it?

[Andy C]

Am full speed ahead with my slow poke kit but need to order some more glue, specifically thin CA and Aliphatic. For my previous build I used Zap thin CA and Deluxe Aliphatic Resin as provided by my LFS. However, the LFS is no longer there, and so buying on-line is providing way more options to me. Because of that though I now not sure what to go for as it seems the glues I have been using are "higher end" on the price scale. Should I continue with those or are people happy with the cheaper stuff?

Thanks

Andy

Edited By Andy C on 25/09/2018 19:55:00

[Don Fry]

Aliphatics I don't know about, I seem to end up with branded, because the bottle it comes in suits.

But I have never noticed any difference between high end cyano, builders merchant cyano, or the cheap stuff from Hobby King.

[Geoff S]

I don't use an awful lot of cyano but I find the stuff from our local poundshop perfectly serviceable. I keep the extra containers in the fridge until I'm ready to use it, that way it doesn't go off.

For other adhesives I buy (supposedly) good quality one ie epoxy (I bought some 60 minute DeLuxe Materials at the Nats and used it tonight for the first time) and I use Titebond aliphatic. I don't think it's worth economising on glues holding critical components.

I know I'm economising with cyano but the poundshop is adjacent to the bus stop home (I usually walk the 2.5 miles in and catch the bus home - one of the few joys of being old) and it's so easy to pick up when I need it

Geoff

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

I have to say I'm thoroughly impressed with the new "Stick-it" thin cyano from Poundland - comes in a 3 bottle pack and seems at least as good as fast Zap at a fraction of the price. It even has 3 thin applicators bundled in.

[Stuphedd]

Aliphatic glue Titebond from Ebay choose your size ! lots of choice, works for me !!

[Cuban8]

For thin cyano , Wilkinson's Basics Superglue for a quid is as good as any of the dearer hobby brands. For medium and thick I get all I need from Ebay, half price of branded equivalent. Cheap PVA is to be avoided though. Hobby king epoxies are fine (Bob Smith brand from USA) are also good.

[Callsign Tarnish]

Yes.

[Richard Harris]

Ive used the 'no nonsense super glue' from screwfix for many years, 50g bottle last a while too if kept in the fridge.

 

Super Glue

 

Rich

 

Just noticed its on offer at the moment, will stock up tomorrow.

 

 

Edited By Richard Harris on 25/09/2018 22:47:39

[Nigel R]

Must admit I use own brand glue from toolstation or screwfix. Not had any problems with any of it. Pva, cyano, epoxy and contact adhesive. All of it seems stronger than the wood it is joining.

[onetenor]

I've been using an unbranded Depron glue from Ebay?Amazon. Comes in a plain white tube and cheap as chips. Seems equally as good as Uhu etc Takes a bit of patience to search for it . Give it a go it's worth it.

[ken anderson.]

another thumbs up for Wilco...they also have a selection of other glues....ideal for us hobby lads..

ken anderson...ne...1..sticky dept.

[Stuphedd]

Yep

Wilko for cyno , but be carefull on depron/foamies , it attacks some of them ??!!

[kc]

I bought some cheap PVA glue in a green bottle from a well known big supermarket which I assumed might be just the same as well known branded glue.  I did a simple test for strength compared to Evostik Wood Glue (Resin W) Two pieces of softwood lapped, glued and clamped for 24 hours. Tested by forcing apart.

Result the cheap glue came apart. while the Evostik Resin W glue didn't fail but the wood fibres came apart first. So Evostik Resin W is stronger than the wood but the cheap stuff was not.

Easy to test for yourself on some scrap wood. You might also test after 6 hours, 12 hours etc to learn more about drying time. Better than finding out later when you have spent much time building a model!

Edited By kc on 26/09/2018 10:46:07

[MaL]

Posted by onetenor on 26/09/2018 04:35:39:

I've been using an unbranded Depron glue from Ebay?Amazon. Comes in a plain white tube and cheap as chips. Seems equally as good as Uhu etc Takes a bit of patience to search for it . Give it a go it's worth it.

This it?

**LINK**,

It seems to work well.

[The Wright Stuff]

To answer the OP's question more generally, I would say there is no universal answer. It depends on the glues you are comparing, what you are gluing, and how much of a budget you have to work with.

As kc says, you could do a test. But the whole point of a forum discussion is to learn from other people's experiences. Standing on the shoulders of giants, so to speak.

Sometimes the cheap glue will be better than the branded stuff. Sometimes it will be less good. If it is less good but still sufficiently strong for the job, and cheaper, then it may still be 'worth it'.

Here's my personal view. If I pay extra for (say) Araldite, then I don't necessarily expect it to be always better than the unbranded two-part epoxies in tubes. But I do expect it to be more consistent. Red Araldite bought in 2018 will be much the same as Red Araldite bought in 2012. Red Araldite bought in Bangor will be the same stuff as Red Araldite bought in Brighton or Bowness. You pay for consistency, quality control, and peace of mind.

Is the Poundshop stuff I bought in London in 2015 the same as the tubes I bought in the Poundshop in Manchester in 2017. No idea. I would be well advised to test it all over again...

Edited By The Wright Stuff on 26/09/2018 12:57:13

[Don Fry]

bFriend of mine is a chemist, poor lady. She works in glues. (In the field of, that is) One glue type is made in three grades.

Aircraft certified stuff. Quality control, and a piece of paper with its tested performance standards. She does the testing.

Small user grade, that's the likes of us basically, often packed to suit specific user types.

Bucket pots for industry.

The difference, none she says, we haven't time to mess about, one glue, different packages. Different prices however.

But KC is right, glues are complex to make, need proper staff to do the quality control. A name on the tub at least says you are willing to admit you made it.

[Bruce Collinson]

I have a minor interest in knife making and found an apparently well-researched paper from North America which analysed many different adhesives, many epoxies and some polyurethanes IIRC, concluding that there are significant differences between them and differing characteristics which might make some more suitable in specific applications.

The main application is attaching the scales or handles to the blank to back up the rivets which are usually used and to keep water etc (hunting knives ... etc ... ) out of the joint (blood is very corrosive). I generally relied on 30 min Z-Poxy but also used standard Araldite.

It opened my eyes.

If I have time to look for it, I'll try to post it.

Isn't glue generally cheap enough in the overall scheme of things (my tutor has just worked out that his recently acquired Yamada costs c. £5 per flight in fuel alone) not to use unknown provenance in critical areas?

[Don Fry]

Cheapskate is good. Sheep flock, wolves do it alone.

[Bob Cotsford]

I found the same as kc, a DIY own brand white glue wasn't a patch on Evostick Resin W. As for poundshop white glues, they are only fit for brown paper covering, even there they are only marginally better than Polycell.

Poundshop CA - I've found the stuff packaged in 3 or 4 small bottles for a pound to be excellent but the metal tubes @ 5 for a pound contain glue that is too thin and there's next to nothing of it.

[Nigel R]

"my tutor has just worked out that his recently acquired Yamada costs c. £5 per flight in fuel alone"

Hmm.

160 fl oz in a gallon.

Average glow gallon, £20?

That's either using up 40 fl oz per flight, or some maths has gone wrong!

Most 40 size use about £1 a flight (8 fl oz... or less).

[Dai Fledermaus]

Archiving Lightness, in the Special Issue of RCM&E by Richard Crapp has an interesting comment on the subject of glue on page 71. A very interesting article all round I think.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Posted by Nigel R on 26/09/2018 15:40:03:

"my tutor has just worked out that his recently acquired Yamada costs c. £5 per flight in fuel alone"

 

Hmm.

160 fl oz in a gallon.

Average glow gallon, £20?

That's either using up 40 fl oz per flight, or some maths has gone wrong!

Most 40 size use about £1 a flight (8 fl oz... or less).

Could be right...

YS engines can be very thirsty - and 30% nitro, which many users prefer is around £50 per gallon so at 16 oz per flight, that's only 10 flights per gallon...plus the cost of an explosives precursor licence!

Hopefully, someone will be selling 29%...

Looking around, it seems that even 20% is selling at around £40 - makes me glad I am still getting 10% at £13 a gallon from club stocks!

Edited By Martin Harris on 26/09/2018 16:40:10

[Ronaldo]

This is my choice of thick cyano these days, 100g for £5.30 and free post !

Works well and a bargain !

**LINK**

Edited By Ronaldo on 26/09/2018 17:51:54

[Nigel R]

You may well be right martin. For some reason I read yamamoto not yamada and was thinking cooking two stroke trainer...

[Martin McIntosh]

I generally prefer Zap but the price has gone through the roof. Some time ago I bought a 2oz bottle of thin from my LMS but it was brownish in colour and would not stick anything. I took it back (50 mile round trip) but they only believed me when I poured some on my fingers which came out unscathed.

Bought a bottle of obviously re branded HK stuff at the Nats this year and it takes ages to set (super thin) although I have previously used a lot of the HK product and found it to be very good.

Will have a look at the suggestions above since I am now about out of c.a.