Author Topic: Ambroid cement (Read 7195 times)

Chuck Feldman · « **on:** August 11, 2011, 09:10:57 AM »

Very shortly I will be planking the wing of the Super Chief I am building. My question is this. Is it still a good cement? Seems to me the cement I have is much thinner than it was back in the day? Any advice here will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Chuck

john e. holliday · « **Reply #1 on:** August 11, 2011, 10:23:03 AM »

Amboid sets up to fast for planking when I tried it. Depending on sheeting thickness I would go with the Elmers White Glue or Glue All. If an area does not set good the old Monokote iron set on high will bond the joint. I know it is unbeleivable, but it works. I have done it on leading edge sheeting as well as on the full sheeted wings. Doesn't work on foam wings for me tho. The other alternative is a slow cure epoxy with lots of weights on the surface.

W.D. Roland · « **Reply #2 on:** August 11, 2011, 11:04:39 AM »

Or...

Titebond...or other aliphatic resin
Mark location of ribs/spars/so forth on sheeting. coat marked area with titebond or other aliphatic(Elmers carpenter glue).
Also coat ribs and spars, so forth.
Let dry over night

Tape sheeting in place. Iron set on high, Iron over glue areas on top of sheeting. It is now bonded.

Light weight as well

White glue might work if humidity don't get to it!

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #3 on:** August 11, 2011, 11:13:21 AM »

My Friend Zuriel uses titebond watered down.

Jerry Leuty · « **Reply #4 on:** August 11, 2011, 11:14:52 AM »

Chuck I have found that Gorilla white wood glue from Home Depot is better than any of the other white glues. No foaming or running and it sets quicker and stronger.

Brett Buck · « **Reply #5 on:** August 11, 2011, 11:41:56 AM »

Quote from: Chuck Feldman on August 11, 2011, 09:10:57 AM

Very shortly I will be planking the wing of the Super Chief I am building. My question is this. Is it still a good cement? Seems to me the cement I have is much thinner than it was back in the day? Any advice here will be appreciated.

It will work (I did a bunch of airplanes that way) but it's not ideal - sets too fast, and will shrink and pull the sheeting down along the ribs. White glue, Titebond, or slow hot stuff will work a lot better. Depending on how the wing is jigged, you can use thin hot stuff by pressing it in place and wicking it along on the inside.

Brett

Neville Legg · « **Reply #6 on:** August 11, 2011, 12:39:13 PM »

There is an article in Building Techniques called "Wing Sheeting"

Cheers

Tom Rounds · « **Reply #7 on:** August 11, 2011, 01:19:23 PM »

Amen on the Gorilla WHITE glue. It is great stuff. Don't get this mixed up with the poly-type of Grilla glue.

kenneth cook · « **Reply #8 on:** August 11, 2011, 01:57:28 PM »

Chuck, I agree with you about the viscosity of the Ambroid glue. I have opinions on several of the glues mentioned, but I prefer good old Ambroid. Some think I'm crazy but that's what I used since I started. I find that Ca doesn't give enough workability for myself. I also find that it doesn't sand easily. I find that white glue swells the wood but I do find that yellow works better for me and sands better. I only use enough to cover the edge and assemble. I find it works like contact cement at times when you use just enough. I double glue all edges when using Ambroid. After I fit the sheeting I glue all the ribs that it makes contact with and place the sheeting directly into place. This places the glue directly on the back of the sheeting which makes the sheeting curl while it starts to dry. This curling is in favor of the rib contour. White glue and yellow glue make the sheet curl the opposite direction. I prefer the regular Titebond over other yellow glues as I find it doesn't warp the pieces as badly and sets quicker for me. I generally place tape on one side of the sheeting butt joints which holds them tightly together and prevent squeezing out. I fold it open put a little glue on and weigh it down. Ken

Douglas Ames · « **Reply #9 on:** August 11, 2011, 04:44:56 PM »

Hot Iron - That's exactly how a Luthier disassembles a Guitar for repair.

Jim Kraft · « **Reply #10 on:** August 11, 2011, 07:25:52 PM »

I use Titebond or white glue to glue sheeting to ribs, but where ever sheeting is glued together, or is going to show on the outside of the airframe, I use Sig Sigment. It works about like Ambroid, but does not bleed through orange like Ambroid can. It is also super easy to sand without making ridges. I also use Sigment for cap strips and trailing edges.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #11 on:** August 11, 2011, 07:28:48 PM »

I have on or next to my bench:

CA thin.
CA thick.
CA foam-safe.
Ambroid.
Sig-Bond.
"Formula 56"
30-minute epoxy.
5-minute epoxy.

I use each, as appropriate. My indoor rubber flying model friends haven't quite rotted my brain to the point where I have thinned Duco cement -- but I'm afraid that the day will come.

I mostly use the Ambroid for joints that are going to need to be sanded.

Randy Cuberly · « **Reply #12 on:** August 11, 2011, 07:59:02 PM »

Quote from: Tim Wescott on August 11, 2011, 07:28:48 PM

I have on or next to my bench:

CA thin.
CA thick.
CA foam-safe.
Ambroid.
Sig-Bond.
"Formula 56"
30-minute epoxy.
5-minute epoxy.

I use each, as appropriate. My indoor rubber flying model friends haven't quite rotted my brain to the point where I have thinned Duco cement -- but I'm afraid that the day will come.

I mostly use the Ambroid for joints that are going to need to be sanded.

Tim is absolutely correct. There is no one glue right for everything and I also use all listed by him.
I do however recommend either Ambroid or Sig Bond for sheeting because it's easy to work with, strong enough for the job, and it sands and finishes easier than most of the rest listed. That's important for sheeting.

Randy Cuberly

Larry Cunningham · « **Reply #13 on:** August 11, 2011, 09:41:49 PM »

Ambroid chews best. ;->

L.

"If the facts do not conform to the theory, they must be disposed of." -Maier's Law

Howard Rush · « **Reply #14 on:** August 11, 2011, 10:31:22 PM »

Bob Hunt likes UHU Hart, but it's hard to find.

Brett Buck · « **Reply #15 on:** August 11, 2011, 11:43:24 PM »

Quote from: Larry Cunningham on August 11, 2011, 09:41:49 PM

Ambroid chews best.

Yeah, for whatever reason it's about the hardest to chew off your fingers. Hot Stuff and the like is pretty easy, not so chewy, and doesn't taste all that good.

Brett

Neville Legg · « **Reply #16 on:** August 12, 2011, 12:43:21 AM »

I use UHU Hart balsa cement, as its very thin (runny) and readily available here in England.

Cheers

George · « **Reply #17 on:** August 12, 2011, 08:55:06 AM »

I used UHU Hart in the late fifties (year, not age

). Didn't know they still made it.

George

larry borden · « **Reply #18 on:** August 12, 2011, 10:09:14 AM »

Love the smell of Ambroid in the morning!

Balsa Butcher · « **Reply #19 on:** August 12, 2011, 01:19:57 PM »

As has been noted, Ambroid is still a good choice for sheeting. Sig-ment is a fall back. Duco makes a glue that can be used in a pinch and is available at Home Depot, ACE hardware stores and the like. It is similar Sigment but thicker. If using any of the above, double-gluing is mandatory if you want a good bond.

Speaking of bond...Titebond ORIGINAL is an excellent alphitic resin glue. Sig-bond is pretty much the same thing. Titebond II doesn't sand as well, not recommended. I have found the Elmer's white all purpose glue is OK for gluing but gets gummy when sanded.

Jim Kraft · « **Reply #20 on:** August 12, 2011, 06:52:33 PM »

And to think. Back in the 60's we use to build the complete plane with Ambroid. When I am building a plane now I wonder how we did that. Must have been my trusty Austin glue gun.

Chuck Feldman · « **Reply #21 on:** August 13, 2011, 08:50:10 AM »

Glue gun (Austin Craft) back in the day I had three of them. Two spares. I got hold of one about a year ago in an assortment purchased on Ebay. I cleaned it and it works good. However the glue is thinner today and I am going to fill the tip with some epoxy and after it is set drill it out to a better size hole.

What am I going to do with the wing leading edge sheeting? I have several of Tom Morris little plastic bottles the come with nozzles that I can reach into tight places. So I am going with Titebond. I am going to use Titebond. Thank you all for your answers

Chuck

EddyR · « **Reply #22 on:** August 17, 2011, 12:28:24 PM »

At this price I will take 100 tubes please.

Bill Little · « **Reply #23 on:** August 17, 2011, 01:22:31 PM »

I still have an Ambroid pint can but everything evaporated from it.............

I use my diabetes syringes sometimes to put on glue. Elmer's GluAll is my favorite for gluing sheeting, and I *pre-mold* the sheeting before gluing it.

I have wicked thin CA using the Teflon tube stuck into the end of the bottle.

Big Bear

Author Topic: Ambroid cement (Read 7195 times)

larry borden