Loctite PL Premium-Hardware Store solutions

The wicked peanut butter

As you can tell from my previous articles about UHU Por, I like most RC pilots have my favorite adhesives.  Por works great on EPP foam, but what about EPO foam?   Yes, it does work on EPO foam as well, but so a lot of other less expensive solutions.  The most obvious choice for EPO foam is epoxy because it's effective and dirt cheap.  But epoxy isn't always fun to use. You have to measure it, mix it well, and apply it in a somewhat liquid state. When applied, it tends to run out of the joints when first mixed, so you have to let it harden a bit more. But if you wait too long it clumps up and is ineffective.

New solutions for old problems

I am interested in trying out new adhesives because you never know what you may find.  Today's solution can be found at the Home Depot.  I know this article gets read from people around the world.   Home Depot is a huge hardware store that seems to be in every community in the United States.  Americans over age 30 who own a home know their way around the Home Depot.





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a polyurethane construction adhesive.  It's not really designed for foam planes, but more of general construction projects.   If, for example, you wanted to glue a mirror onto drywall you would get the larger version of this product in a caulk gun and set it up, let it dry, and you're done.
But the stuff makes a very strong bond.  I mean, surprisingly strong.


Application

The best way to describe how it comes out of the tube is a blend between toothpaste and peanut butter. It does run out of the joints when your back is turned. And you don't need to babysit it like contact adhesives I was joining multiple small parts together on a build and this stuff worked perfectly.  It allowed me to build my plane in one sitting.

Curing
Give it a full day to cure before putting your planes in the air.  This is not fast acting at all.  But, when it bonds, it's a very strong bond.  I am very skeptical about allowing planes in the air that still have wet glue holding them together.

The Bond

My plane after a messy application, before cleanup

So, my rule of thumb for adhesives is I'll buy anything once. When I was running out I went and bought more. Yes, it's that good!  It's the bond that I like. For example, I had to bond wood and foam together for a motor mount.  I don't want to keep coming back to it to fix it from time to time.   After one application I don't have to think about it anymore.    This is a great glue for all your difficult bonding jobs.    It's not a light adhesive so the more you put on the heavier your plane gets.  Also you'll need to clean it off as soon as you apply it, Get ride of the excess because it's difficult to clean up afterward. 




Overall evaluation

A little personal history about me. Many years ago I was working as a Mill Representative for a packaging tape company  One of the guys I met who was a salesman at a packaging distributor built radio controlled airplanes at night.  He built the balsa wood planes and rebuilt them as they got damaged.  He made friends with the guys at Zagi and helped them make them work on their concept of making the first foamies out of packaging material.  Styrofoam and packaging tape was what the Zagis were made out of.

When you look at what foamies have evolved into, it's stunning and beautiful.  But, at their core they evolved from packaging material. With that in mind, finding solutions to adhesive problems at the local hardware store seems to fit into the spirit of the foamy concept. 

Like with any adhesive, test before you glue.  This is a great bonding adhesive.  Buy a tube and give it a try.