I have an HO Atlas GP-40 that has a set of those soft handrails -- they
feel like vinyl or something...not sure. The handrails are broken in a
couple of places. Can someone suggest the best method or adhesive to
repair?
Thanx,
Vince
mindesign - 25 Sep 2005 07:46 GMT
if it is the stuff I am thinking of, I don't believe you can as the material
doesn't take with glues, though I am uncertain - if others can confirm this,
perhaps think about replacing them.
I have a Stephenson's Rocket loco from the 60's that had a broken
"soft-black-plastic" bit on it and I couldn't get it to bond.
Steve
>I have an HO Atlas GP-40 that has a set of those soft handrails -- they
> feel like vinyl or something...not sure. The handrails are broken in a
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Vince
Les Pickstock - 25 Sep 2005 09:07 GMT
>I have an HO Atlas GP-40 that has a set of those soft handrails -- they
> feel like vinyl or something...not sure. The handrails are broken in a
> couple of places. Can someone suggest the best method or adhesive to
> repair?
Super Glue does stick vinyl but not very well. You may be better looking
for an aftermarket replacement set.
Geezer - 25 Sep 2005 11:32 GMT
> I have an HO Atlas GP-40 that has a set of those soft handrails -- they
> feel like vinyl or something...not sure. The handrails are broken in a
> couple of places. Can someone suggest the best method or adhesive to
> repair?
> Thanx,
> Vince
Try using the Cyanopoxy made by Cool Chem (see http://www.coolchem.com/ )
that was written up in Mainline Modeler a couple years ago. The very
flexible or slippery plastics like vinyl or Delrin requires use of an extra
Cool Chem "Poly Treatment" on the surfaces to be joined before using the
basic two-part Cool Chem "Integrator" bonding system. Some useful tips are
at http://www.mrhobby.com/Cyantips.html Geezer.
Digital Railroader - 25 Sep 2005 15:22 GMT
>I have an HO Atlas GP-40 that has a set of those soft handrails -- they
> feel like vinyl or something...not sure. The handrails are broken in a
> couple of places. Can someone suggest the best method or adhesive to
> repair?
POLY ZAP Is a specialty CA adhesive developed for use on today's newer
plastics. Lexan is one of the more difficult plastics to bond, and POLY ZAP
was developed to solve that problem. POLY ZAP also works with delron,
polycarbonate, ABS, styrene, nylon, and most acrylics. It works on many
types of films and painted surfaces. Its perfect for today's ARF type
models. ABS cowls, canopies, lexan car bodies, fiberglass repair, model boat
parts, and automotive trim are just a few of the many applications for POLY
ZAP.

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Newyorkcentralfan@bigfoot.com - 25 Sep 2005 18:08 GMT
Determine if it is a new Atlas locomotive [chinese built] or an old
Atlas locomotive [Roco Austrian built].
If it's a Roco go to the con-cor website. They have trim pieces in
their sale section.
http://www.all-railroads.com/yardsale/bodyshel.htm
If it's chinese built go to Atlas website. hit the 'shop online' button
at the top of the page. Then hit the 'HO locomotive spare parts' button
on the left hand side in the categories list. then "H0 Gp-40 Locomotive
Spare Parts"
The handrails are four pages into it.
www.Atlasrr.com
Buy new handrails.
Eric
Bob May - 26 Sep 2005 18:59 GMT
Best way that I know of is to get rid of the rod sections and replace with a
single piece of 0.013" (HO scale 1" diameter) diameter piano wire
Cut the handrail off at each of the supports and drill a #80 hole through
each of them and thread the piano wire through them and reapply to the loco.
This will work a lot better than trying to reglue the handrasils as they
will just rebreak with any handling. If you insist on regluing the plastic,
there are vinyl glues that are available but they aren't available commonly
buy you will probably find one at a place that sells plastics in quantity -
you'll probably be buying a quart of the stuff.
--
Why do penguins walk so far to get to their nesting grounds?
User - 28 Sep 2005 00:56 GMT
> Best way that I know of is to get rid of the rod sections and replace with a
> single piece of 0.013" (HO scale 1" diameter) diameter piano wire
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> --
> Why do penguins walk so far to get to their nesting grounds?
You can usually find vinyl cement in pool or water bed repair kits.

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The goal when driving is to miss the maximum number of objects.
Newyorkcentralfan@bigfoot.com - 29 Sep 2005 02:07 GMT
Bob wrote:
"Best way that I know of is to get rid of the rod sections and replace
with a single piece of 0.013" (HO scale 1" diameter) diameter piano
wire "
My calculator says that a 1" ho scale handrail would be slightly
smaller than 0.012. 0.013 would be 1-1/8"
"If you insist on regluing the plastic, there are vinyl glues that are
available but they aren't available commonly
buy you will probably find one at a place that sells plastics in
quantity - you'll probably be buying a quart of the stuff."
This is going to be a very expensive bottle of adhesive as I don't
believe that the handrails are vinyl. Nothing is more expensive that
you bought and found out it won't work.
The handrails are delrin or some other type of engineering plastic.
"Why do penguins walk so far to get to their nesting grounds?"
Because they can't fly there. ;-)
Eric
David P Harris - 29 Sep 2005 03:44 GMT
I agree -- most likely Delrin -- very tough to glue....
But, here is a tip from Phill Derry on the nscale group:
"Here is mine:
Ever tried gluing delrin?? Well here's a sure fire way to get the parts
to attach themselves permanently together. Use Loctite 770 primer on
both surfaces then apply a small amount of Loctite 406, hold both parts
together for about 30sec then leave for 24hrs to gain full strength. I
used this method on a broken Atlas truck a couple of days ago with
excellent results."
and another from Bob Emmett:
"A true story....
Found a "pierced" ear ring my wife bought the day before at a
jewelry shop that makes some of it's own stuff. Only thing is I
found it in the rug were I stepped on it and bent the thin, but
stiff stainless wire at about a 45 degree angle.
Couldn't see how the wire was attached, was afraid if I put a needle
nose to it that it would probably separate from and possibly damage
the smooth stainless back.
We returned to the store and said could you fix this? The jeweler
found a needle nose and immediately bent it back!
Standing in amazement, I asked, "how is the wire attached? I don't
see any soldier." He said, "I glue them. Use this all the time."
Devcon 5 minute epoxy
Devcon
30 Endicott Street
Daners, MA 01923
978-777-1100
http://www.devcon.com"
Hope this helps, I have not used them.
David
> Bob wrote:
>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> Eric
Steve Caple - 29 Sep 2005 07:56 GMT
> Standing in amazement, I asked, "how is the wire attached? I don't
> see any soldier." He said, "I glue them. Use this all the time."
>
> Devcon 5 minute epoxy
I have a German-made small kitchen scale: a simple flat plastic brick until
you pull up and fold over the platform, and swing out the little (1.75
inch) flat piece pivoted on the bottom that makes (with little ridges on
the bottom corners of the brick) a third leg to support it. We'd had it
just a few weeks when the leg got broken, about 1/2 inch from the pivot
screw.
The swing out leg was just a thin piece of plastic (about 1.5 mm thick)
with a very small (< 1 mm) central ridge as a sort of stiffener. Obviously
not a good candidate for a butt joint. But <g> I applied 4 short and
narrow strips cut from filament tape to hold it together, on either side of
the small ridge on the top and the bottom. Over that I applied a liberal
(love that word!) layer of Devcon "gap filler" epoxy, and let it dry
overnight under a warm lamp. The result was a translucent white smear wth
the strands of glass in the filament tape vaguely showing through. That
was 20 years ago, and we're still using it.
Of course the 2-phase material nature of the repair may be as much or more
responsible as the brand of epoxy,

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