Re: The AW52 Arundel PR2

[PR19_Kit]

I tried a check fit of the outer wings with the centre section, using my intended 'peg and tube' system, but it didn't work worth a light.

The position of the pegs in the outer wings is crucial to success of course, and I measured the position of the tube I'd glued into the centre section very carefully, and then transferred that position to a matching place on the outer wing. Then I drilled a hole and glued the brass peg in place. It slid into the tube OK once the glue had dried, but the outer wing doesn't match the cross-section of the centre section unless you move it rearward a mm or so, and that's impossible with the pegs in place. 

It's back to basics really, I'll just have to glue the partss together, strapping them with tape, so the leading and trailing edges match as well as they can and then PSR the hell out of the joint. I can't think of another method, and I just hope it will be strong enough. The wing thickness is quite considerable so there should be enough glue area there.

Fingers crossed.

[NARSES2]

Part of me says "give it folding wings" ?

To be honest I think the resin one I built was, at the end of the day, an easier build  I admire your perseverance Kit 

[Pellson]

..The wing thickness is quite considerable so there should be enough glue area there.

Maybe a rookie method, but I have had plenty of success in using epoxy glue in similar applications. Te trick is to avoid getting the glue anywhere it isn't supposed to go and then to firmly hold the joint in place until it hardens, but once that's ashore, the wing will sit as if welded on.

[loupgarou]

Excuse me, but I cannot understand the logic of using superglue or epoxi  in a polystyrene model. The usual plastic cement melts the plastic together, and it's a CHEMICAL  bond. Other glues give a PHYSICAL bond, that depends from surface state and other variables.
Only reason I'd use another glue would be, as in Kit's small helicopter rotor head, to AVOID melting a very small part.
I have models I have bult more then 50 years ago, and are still intact, without deformations, separations or anything.

[Pellson]

No offence taken. 

Have found that an uneven or imperfect melting glue joint will be less strong than a fully filling epoxy bond, in particular when the joint is rough or lack in fit. Also, if the plastic is a bit thin at the joining surfaces, sometimes it seems as the change in chemical structure weakens the styrene, also making an epoxy bond a stronger option, as the epoxy itself will be stronger than the styrene.

However, all above said, I think that I have used epoxy thrice over some forty years of modelling, so really nothing I'd like to defend in depth.

[chrisonord]

I have some plastic weld made by a firm called the blog. It isn't anything like the plastic weld that uses capillary action to weld the styrene, as it is quite thick and a similar viscosity to liquid poly. Only downside with it I suppose it that you need to hold the parts together with some pressure for 5 or more minutes. I bought it specifically for the wing extensions on the Kittleton. The bottle says it will work on ABS, styrene Perspex and Acrylic. I did try in on one of my resin builds but it wasn't for having it, but it has stuck the wings ok.
Chris

[PR19_Kit]

I'll be using my usual Revell Contacta plus Liquid Poly to re-energise it after assembly. Plus a few miles of tape to hold the wing halves together for a while.

The first attempt may be tomorrow, or maybe not............

[loupgarou]

No offence taken. 

Have found that an uneven or imperfect melting glue joint will be less strong than a fully filling epoxy bond, in particular when the joint is rough or lack in fit. Also, if the plastic is a bit thin at the joining surfaces, sometimes it seems as the change in chemical structure weakens the styrene, also making an epoxy bond a stronger option, as the epoxy itself will be stronger than the styrene.

However, all above said, I think that I have used epoxy thrice over some forty years of modelling, so really nothing I'd like to defend in depth.

Yes, of course it's necessary a contact surface in order for the parts to melt together. I suppose that in Kit's kit the surface is more than enough.
You're right, if the parts are irregular and an adequate contact is missing, epoxi would fill and insert in cavities etc, "hooking" the parts together.

[zenrat]

Be aware that some epoxies cure with an exothermic reaction and if applied in large volumes can generate enough heat to soften styrene.
Don't ask me how I know this.

[PR19_Kit]

Yes, the AW52's laminar wing has 2.5" chord and is 7/16" thick in 1/72 scale. That's a LOT of gluing area. 

[The Rat]

And I've just figured out a way to extend the span with the bits I've actually already got. 

Extending the span? Unusual, are you sure you're up to it? (calls ambulance to extract tongue from cheek...) 

[PR19_Kit]

And I've just figured out a way to extend the span with the bits I've actually already got. 

Extending the span? Unusual, are you sure you're up to it? (calls ambulance to extract tongue from cheek...) 

It's an effort, yes, but I can just about manage it. 

[Gondor]

And I've just figured out a way to extend the span with the bits I've actually already got. 

Extending the span? Unusual, are you sure you're up to it? (calls ambulance to extract tongue from cheek...) 

It's an effort, yes, but I can just about manage it. 

You have to make up for not extending the wings on your Air Ambulance as well

Gondor

[PR19_Kit]

The port wing's now firmly glued in place, and seems to be very secure with all that glue area. I aligned to upper surfaces pretty well and they'll only need a skim of PSR, but there's a hefty step at the leading edge of the underside and that'll need more serious treatment.

It's going to be some size when it's done, over 20" span, which is quite pleasing. 

[Tophe]

Nice, like perfect, as if it were easy...