Foxfan Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Hi, I have decided to finally get into model flying as my nearest club has moved literally down the road from me. I have a couple of trainers which I will "modernise" with small brushless motors, etc., but I couldn't resist a 4 foot span foam glider from The Range foe just under £8. Unfortunately when we got it, it was broken across the fuselage. The Range didn't want to know, so I am going to repair it, but in the absence of either of my hot glue guns, what kind of glue suits the globular, moulded kind of polystyrene foam? I have a tube of UHU Por if that suits? Many thanks. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Collinson Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Foxfan, One can only assume that all the usual suspects are out flying or in mancaves charging LiPos. From my limited experience, and I've no idea what precise foam it is, Por, Foam Tac or polyurethane (Gorilla glue, use white if you can find it) seem to be the regular choices. Will you try a bit on an underside first? BTC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted May 31, 2019 Author Share Posted May 31, 2019 Hello Bruce, thanks for your response. I haven't any spare to try on the underside, but I did look a while back and realised there was a sticky covering the subject that I hadn't noticed and they recommend UHU Por. I have had no luck with PVA at all, either on wood or particularly non absorbent surfaces. So I got some bamboo barbie sticks while shopping just now and will attempt a repair with Por and the sticks for strength. Then I can start converting the thing to a powered trainer. Cheers, Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 I have found that " sticks like sh1t " from the builders merchant is great for foames. Edited By J D 8 on 31/05/2019 16:57:32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Collinson Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Martin, PVA won't stick foam but odd that you have had indifferent results on timber, it's made for it. Aliphatic may be better for modelling. Do you know that you can often remove some of the distortion in foam with steam or hot water? Makes it easier to reassemble straighter. BTC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Globular foam sounds like polystyrene foam rather than the more resilient EPO type, if so UHU-Por or foam-safe cyano would do the job. Note - ordinary cyano will disolve polystyrene, it must be foam-safe! As for PVA not sticking wood - there's something wrong there! I've been using PVA to build wood models for more decades than I care to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted May 31, 2019 Author Share Posted May 31, 2019 Bruce, this was a very clean break, so I used Por in the end, leaving it for 15 minutes, then strengthening with Bamboo skewers in 4 places, snipping off, drum sanding down and wiping a little lightweight filler over it. As to PVA, well yes it works after a fashion, but never goes really hard. I much prefer aliphatic for model woods. I am no great fan of balsa. most of my modelmaking has been with hard woods like steamed pear, apple and lime, none of which like PVA. It's convenient and OK for jobs like carrying cases (with screws). I'll bear the "Foam safe" tag in mind, Bob, thanks. I've already cut out a hatch from the top and hollowed a cavity for R/C gear.I've tried sealing the openness of the foam with thinned down PVA.. Cheers, Martin JD8 reckons Stiks like Shit, yet I found that to be a form of PVA drenched Polyfilla and could not get o0n with it, but then again I wasn't trying to stick foam. Thanks for all your responses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Collinson Posted June 1, 2019 Share Posted June 1, 2019 Martin, Do your model aeroplanes made of apple, pear and hazelnut come out a tad heavy? Sounds like a job for epoxy. Bet they’re fast! BTC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted June 1, 2019 Author Share Posted June 1, 2019 I never said I made model aeroplanes from those woods, just a lot of model boats, static mainly, but some working. Steamed pear makes superb scale mahogany. Aircraft will be foam with the occasional use of balsa where necessary like trailing edge/control surfaces and some hardwood strip for reinforcements. I used aliphatic and epoxy for the static models and epoxy for the working ones. I am currently using epoxy soaked J-cloth for making a lightweight power pod for my Range (Walmart) foam glider conversion. It's a method I proved on a model yacht to cover a mahogany hull. I'm hoping the foam innards will dig/melt out and leave a lightweight shell for a brushless motor installation. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted June 2, 2019 Author Share Posted June 2, 2019 Yes, Percy, I'm a tight-a***! I got a huge bundle of pristine J-Cloths from Poundland for...a pound! I had a large model yacht to cover, having made the hull of mahogany strips and didn't fancy waiting for glass to turn up on mail order, or the cost . J-Cloth turned out to be just as good and much easier to cut. OK the overlap areas were a little harder work to sand down, but no big thing. The power pod has this morning turned out fine. Needs a little sanding and lightweight filling, but I did rush it a bit. Cheers, Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 safe cyno and kicker...try on a spare bit first. Any bent bits come good if you put them in a container with boiling water a few times...I read that when the foam is crashed/compresed the air in side is trapped, and the boiling water forces it to expand and go back to its original shape, I've tried it and it worked... ken anderson...ne....1...bent foam dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted June 2, 2019 Author Share Posted June 2, 2019 Ken, thanks for the tips on crushed foam. My glider was completely broken in half, so had to be rebuilt, effectively. There were a couple of small dents, but I filled those with lightweight filler and the stickers have covered those. I can't use cyano accelerator. Makes me wheeze like an asthmatic and cyano fumes make my eyes stream, so I avoid it where possible. I found that UHU Por, used exactly as the pack demands worked well, with the extra strength of four bamboo skewers pushed through the joint and snipped off with side cutters and drum sanded back flush. Cheers, Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Nicol Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 Posted by Foxfan on 31/05/2019 12:55:02: Hi, I have decided to finally get into model flying as my nearest club has moved literally down the road from me. I have a couple of trainers which I will "modernise" with small brushless motors, etc., but I couldn't resist a 4 foot span foam glider from The Range foe just under £8. Unfortunately when we got it, it was broken across the fuselage. The Range didn't want to know, so I am going to repair it, but in the absence of either of my hot glue guns, what kind of glue suits the globular, moulded kind of polystyrene foam? I have a tube of UHU Por if that suits? Many thanks. Martin what is the name of the cheap glider, I ask because if it is the "sky rider" type I have in the past used them as donor wings , they make very decent pusher models and I have been looking for one for ages anyone interested , google polly pusher, or wally wing , from acesim.com very old , and used a 380 brushed motor I still have a wing and booms from about 20 years ago... the wing section , with a balsa leading edge, and trailing edge is very similar to a 12% S 3021 section the plane flew well Edited By Gordon Nicol on 02/06/2019 20:53:48 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Nicol Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 http://www.acesim.com/rc/polly/polly18.jpg will get you a photo of the section Edited By Gordon Nicol on 02/06/2019 20:59:33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxfan Posted June 2, 2019 Author Share Posted June 2, 2019 Mine is called the Surge Air Rider, but I do think they're the same as what you refer to. It is the same as the Walmart one that Flite Test bought several of on their videos and they flew beautifully. I am not above taking advantage of these cheap but good offers and getting my bits on the cheap too, plus HK's discount points! Mine came from The Range, but came broken after we got a mysterious e-mail from the Range warning us to inspect the bag before opening it so we could blame the carriers. Sure enough it was broken clean in half and The Range didn't want to know, putting me on the worst musical hold I have ever had to endure until I hung up. So, if possible, get yours from someone else and the Hell with The Range and good luck. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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