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Re-Gluing windows in Passenger Cars

Started by RkyGriz, February 08, 2016, 03:01:47 PM

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RkyGriz

Hi fellas! I once again must call on your knowledge of all things Bachmann G Scale trains and ask a question! I recently obtained a brand new Bachmann Combine shell on Ebay. It was originally a part of the White Christmas Express and I'm currently turning it into a Denver & Rio Grande Combine. I had a difficult time removing the windows for painting as they were glued in quite well, to put it mildly. In order to remove the original Christmas-themed windows for the conversion and painting,I was forced to sink a heated Exacto blade into them,break them, pry them out, and then chisel/cut the original glue and remaining window fragments out of the car.  Quite the operation! I do have a Dremel tool with a cutting blade, but I was afraid that it might damage the car itself if I went too far while cutting the windows! Fortunately, I don't need the original windows as I have the set of windows that came in my original Denver & Rio Grande Combine (the #122 from the Gold Rush set)along with the D&RG roof, trucks, floor, both doors,and underframe from the #122( which was an older model and the glue holding the windows in it was very weak!).
Now we come to my question:
I would like to know what type of glue to use to re-glue the windows back into the repainted car. I tried using hot glue and even my wife's nail glue (super glue) to re-glue them back into the #122 before it died due to rotted/cracked  plastic and neither did a very good job as they fell out again! I was thinking about trying Gorilla Glue Epoxy on them this time.
What do you guys think?
Thanks!
Andrew

on30gn15

Quote from: RkyGriz on February 08, 2016, 03:01:47 PMI do have a Dremel tool with a cutting blade, but I was afraid that it might damage the car itself if I went too far while cutting the windows!
There is a wooden boat builder's adage to the effect that the great advantage of power tools is they save lots of time, you can screw up so much bigger so much faster than with old hand tools.

Hmm, looking at the cars I'm working on repainting, oh so slooooowly, enough of the original retaining pins along their top remain that I haven't glued them. The pins and then the lower part being held in place by the seats is enough.

But if the situation was such that they had to be glued, what would I do?
First, get paint out of the way between windows and car side plastic.
Second, try to find an adhesive with some little amount of flexibility because of how large the car is, and that it might flex minutely in use. Epoxy is not flexible.

Wonder what a thin smear of some kind of silicone adhesive would do?
When all esle fials, go run trains
Screw the Rivets, I'm building for Atmosphere!
later, Forrest

JerryB

I've used this stuff for years. Expensive, but does what it says, and since it comes in two separate tubes, it has a very long shelf life. See:

http://www.micromark.com/watch-crystal-cement-two-1and3-oz-tubes,7468.html

Hope this helps,

Jerry
Sequoia Pacific RR in 1:20 / 70.6mm
Boonville Light & Power Co. in 1:20 / 45mm
Navarro Engineering & Construction Co. in 1:20 / 32mm
NMRA Life Member #3370
Member: Bay Area Electric Railway Association
Member: Society for the Preservation of Carter Railroad Resources

RkyGriz

#3
Thanks for the tip Jerry. I found it on Ebay for under $6.00 with shipping(single tube). I also build model airplanes and this stuff sounds like just the ticket to help prevent those nasty glue smears on the clear plastic canopies. I usually use white glue for the canopies, but that is weak and the canopies often have to be re-glued back into place. This stuff definitely seems like its' worth trying.
Thanks again!

RkyGriz

Hi,On30. I temporarily put the car back together and yes, the seats do hold the bottoms of the windows in place-albeit a little loosely. I'm going to try Jerry's suggestion and try the Watch Crystal cement . I have other uses for it, so it will not go to waste if it doesn't work for this application. The description states that it doesn't attack/mar clear plastic so it looks good.
I'll keep you posted as to my progress and I'll try your clear silicone rtv sealant suggestion if it doesn't work.
Thanks for your help!
Andrew

on30gn15

Makes sense. keep in mind that I haven't glued windows in that way - yet.
What I have done with the stuff is glue can motors in to several HO locos in the mid to late 1980s - and the motors still refuse efforts at removal - the one glued with GE's silver caulk and sealant, I think for mobile home roofs, doesn't appear to recognize that I even exist, let alone recognize my efforts to break the motor loose to use in a newer project.
When all esle fials, go run trains
Screw the Rivets, I'm building for Atmosphere!
later, Forrest

Kevin Strong

You might try 2-sided tape. I use the "Recollections" (?) brand from Michael's. It comes in a roll in various widths. You'll know it by its reddish-orange color on the roll, which is the plastic separator between layers. I use this stuff when laminating veneers such as scribed siding or an embossed sheet for a tender side or the like. Once in place in an environment like that, it's pretty permanent. I use it for windows as well, but usually just a thin strip along the edge. It's strong enough to hold things in place, but if something happens that I need to repaint, I can apply a little "friendly persuasion" and the window comes out.

Later,

K

RkyGriz

#7
Hey, Kevin. That's an interesting idea. I forgot about double sided tape. That would make the windows easy to remove in the event of a repaint somewhere down the line.
As Artie Johnson used to say  "Veddy interesting!".
Thanks!
Andrew

RkyGriz

Hey guys. I did something different with the windows. It's been 3 days since I ordered the watch crystal glue from the Ebay seller and the tracking information isn't even showing that it's been sent out-just the tracking number. I'm sort of impatient when it comes to my projects. I was looking in one of my desk drawers for a part to my project 4-6-0 standard locomotive  earlier this evening and lo and behold I found the tube of clear Shoe Goo that I bought last year to fix the soles on a pair of sandals that were coming apart. I threw the tube of Shoe Goo in the drawer and forgot about it. Until today. I can now happily report that the windows are now firmly glued in place and I will be saving the watch crystal glue for other future projects.
So fun! Next , it's track powered LED lights for this baby!
Thanks for your ideas/suggestions!
Later,
Andrew

on30gn15

went and looked up Shoe Goo on manufacturer's website, it didn't say to not use on Styrene plastic,so, hey, what works, works!
When all esle fials, go run trains
Screw the Rivets, I'm building for Atmosphere!
later, Forrest

RkyGriz

Yes sir! And the best part was that I didn't even have to sand the over spray paint off the interior. Less work and it looks great. Now, I'm trying to decide which LED's to order on Ebay. I'm torn between a choice of 20 warm white 5 mm flat top pre-wired bulbs for $3.49 with shipping or 100 5 mm warm white diffused light LED's that include the resistors, but have to be wired. A little more money for 5 times the LED's but a lot more work. I have a couple of train items for sale on Ebay (a new roof from my White Christmas Express combine,  and 2 new and 3 used light fixtures ) to help finance the new project. The successful sale of these items will help me determine how much money I have to spend on the project as I divert all train sale funds gleaned from Ebay back into the hobby.
Such fun!
Later!
Andrew

on30gn15

To me, the soldering isn't that big a turnoff - but then again I'm also the kind of person who likes putting on model decals.  ;D

You'll have to wait a few seasons, but those spools of 220 or so LED Christmas lights for about $20 are what I've gotten. Depending on who carries which of the available options that year, warm white, cool white, round end, inverted cone end, 5mm, 3mm, and then color LED, are available.
Pretty sure I now have enough LED for life, even being used in both RR and space models; especially since my health is a mess and I'm very slow at things.

An outfit named Train Control Systems has bulk packs of resistors, 200 of a given rating, for around $9. Several guys at model RR club clued me in to that.
When all esle fials, go run trains
Screw the Rivets, I'm building for Atmosphere!
later, Forrest

RkyGriz

I bought 2 strings of 50 each LED Warm White Christmas lights at Walmart right after Christmas.  They only cost 50 cents each. A great buy. I took them home and soldered  resistors to to a couple of them but they still burned out-even with only a 9 volt battery. I wonder what I'm doing wrong?

on30gn15

Without seeing it in person, I have a hard time telling - and I'm no electronics whiz, only know what I've read in model train magazines.
Sometimes I've done similar by using too low a resistor.
Here while resting a moment right after getting in from grocery shopping, I think 470 ohm works for around 9 to 12 V power supply. Will have to go look at something to be sure.
LED typically are designed for 1.5V power supply, especially the LED we use in models.
When all esle fials, go run trains
Screw the Rivets, I'm building for Atmosphere!
later, Forrest

Loco Bill Canelos

I use 1000 Ohm resistors and  they work fine
Loco Bill,  Roundhouse Foreman
Colorado & Kansas Railway-Missouri Western Railway
Official Historian; Bachmann Large Scale
Colorado RR Museum-Brakeman-Engineer-Motorman-Trainman
There are no dumb or stupid questions, just questions!