# Tenax 7R ?



## dale r (Aug 30, 2007)

Last weekend I ran out of tenax 7R glue, so I went to my local hobby store
to buy some (no luck) I then drove 20 miles to a larger hobby store (still no luck) I then drove home to check on line and found that it was discontinued because of some EPA rule. Does anybody know if tenax 7R has a chance or coming back on the market?


----------



## chasd25 (Feb 14, 2002)

dale r said:


> Last weekend I ran out of tenax 7R glue, so I went to my local hobby store
> to buy some (no luck) I then drove 20 miles to a larger hobby store (still no luck) I then drove home to check on line and found that it was discontinued because of some EPA rule. Does anybody know if tenax 7R has a chance or coming back on the market?


Urban legend....I just bought 2 bottles last week, and the shop had tons of it. The manufacturer ran into a bottling issue, so the supply chain was disrupted for awhile.


----------



## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

dale,

I found this on the Swanny's Models forum:

​ *Re: Not looking good for Tenax 7R*
*Reply #36 - *08/27/09 at 21:52:55 
So here is the skinny on the whole Tenax situation. I just spoke to Bob Hebner who is the guy who invented this stuff. He sold the business five years ago to another guy who is currently having a problem getting the glass bottles for the product. Seems the US cost of glass bottles sky rocketed and he has been sourcing new bottles. The product is very much alive. Now, just within the last couple days he has received a shipment of new bottles but now the product has to be packaged and shipped to distributors and then to hobby shops and it takes a little while to work down the pipeline. Bottom line is Tenax is still with us and will be back on shelf soon.
Now for the trivia stuff, what does Tenax 7R mean?
Ten = Tenacious
ax = action
7 = seven letters in the word 'plastic'
R = rapid
And now you know the rest of the story.


----------



## skinnyonce (Dec 17, 2009)

dale r said:


> Last weekend I ran out of tenax 7R glue, so I went to my local hobby store
> to buy some (no luck) I then drove 20 miles to a larger hobby store (still no luck) I then drove home to check on line and found that it was discontinued because of some EPA rule. Does anybody know if tenax 7R has a chance or coming back on the market?


found on ebay at 9pm est 3-15-10


http://cgi.ebay.com/TENAX-7R-SPACE-...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item19ba95c4ad


----------



## bigdaddydaveh (Jul 20, 2007)

I switched to MEK last year and found it to work just as well as Tenax 7R and Ambroid Pro-Weld on most plastics. It's only about $8 for a quart can at my local hardware store and they always have it in the paint solvent isle. A friend of mine just introduced me to Methyl Ethyl Chloride which works just as well without the nasty odor. Either one is a far less expensive than over the counter hobby solvents.


----------



## the Dabbler (Feb 17, 2005)

Mark McGovern said:


> dale,
> 
> I found this on the Swanny's Models forum:
> 
> ...


WOW, you're smart McGee ! When I grow up I want to be just like you.


----------



## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

the Dabbler said:


> WOW, you're smart McGee ! When I grow up I want to be just like you.


If that's the case you gotta raise the bar, boy. :freak:


----------



## starmanmm (Mar 19, 2000)

bigdaddydaveh, how do you apply it? With a throw away brush?


----------



## Scott Hasty (Jul 10, 2003)

starmanmm said:


> bigdaddydaveh, how do you apply it? With a throw away brush?


Not to answer bigdaddy, but I use the cheepo Testors nylon brushes.


----------



## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

I have a question. I have used Tenax in the past but can't remember where I bought it. I don't have any any longer. Today I stopped in the biggest hobby shop in Orlando, Colonial Photo and Hobby, and they didn't have it. What I did pickup was the Plastruct weld. Is it much different than the Tenax? Should I try to get the Tenax if I find it somewhere? The Plastruct glue seems to work quite well on styrene.


----------



## Roland (Feb 4, 1999)

dale r said:


> Last weekend I ran out of tenax 7R glue, so I went to my local hobby store
> to buy some (no luck) I then drove 20 miles to a larger hobby store (still no luck) I then drove home to check on line and found that it was discontinued because of some EPA rule. Does anybody know if tenax 7R has a chance or coming back on the market?


I just use regular Testors model glue for polystyrene. I built some models and showed others how to use Tenax at Wonderfest back in the 90's, but, I seem to have reverted to standard Testors again.


----------



## Scott Hasty (Jul 10, 2003)

rkoenn said:


> I have a question. I have used Tenax in the past but can't remember where I bought it. I don't have any any longer. Today I stopped in the biggest hobby shop in Orlando, Colonial Photo and Hobby, and they didn't have it. What I did pickup was the Plastruct weld. Is it much different than the Tenax? Should I try to get the Tenax if I find it somewhere? The Plastruct glue seems to work quite well on styrene.


If it ain't broke, don't fix it!


----------



## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

starmanmm said:


> ...how do you apply it?...


I like a pointed brush, because it allows for more precise application. The guys in my IPMS chapter, who build more aircraft and armor, favor those thin tube applicators. I clean Plastruct Plastic Weld and Tenax 7R out of the brush with lacquer thinner.



rkoenn said:


> ...The Plastruct glue seems to work quite well on styrene.


If there's an operational difference between this stuff and Tenax, it's never been apparent to me.



Roland said:


> I just use regular Testors model glue for polystyrene.


If you're talking about Testors' tube glue or the thicker liquid cement that comes in the square plastic bottle with the long neck, they're fine for styrene kits as you say, Roland. Testors also makes a very thin liquid cement that seems to be similar to the Tenax and Plastruct cements. The advantage of these products is that they'll bond plastics other than styrene - especially ABS, from which some early Polar Lights model kits were made. I've never used the thin Testors liquid cement, so I can't comment on how well it performs with these types of kits.


----------



## bert model maker (Feb 19, 2002)

What if any is the difference between the testors tube glue & the testors glue in the square plastic bottle ? is it the exact same stuff or are there differences ?


----------



## the Dabbler (Feb 17, 2005)

Mark McGovern said:


> If that's the case you gotta raise the bar, boy. :freak:


Crap, I've probably razed more bars than I can count. I have 3 bartenders suing me for nonsupport since I quit. :drunk:


----------



## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

the Dabbler said:


> Crap, I've probably razed more bars than I can count. I have 3 bartenders suing me for nonsupport since I quit. :drunk:


:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
CLASSIC!!

Chris.


----------



## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

bert model maker said:


> What if any is the difference between the testors tube glue & the testors glue in the square plastic bottle ?...


Testors' square bottle liquid cement appears to me to be a less viscous formulation of their tube glue. Their glass-bottled liquid cement is thin like Tenax 7R and Plastruct Plastic Weld, so I preume it's similar to those products.



the Dabbler said:


> Crap, I've probably razed more bars than I can count...


Oh, ah. Well, today bein' me birthday, I'll see ya yer t'ree bars an' raze ya two more. :drunk::drunk::drunk::drunk::drunk:


----------



## Kitzillastein58 (Jan 27, 2009)

Mark McGovern said:


> Oh, ah. Well, today bein' me birthday, I'll see ya yer t'ree bars an' raze ya two more. :drunk::drunk::drunk::drunk::drunk:


Happy Birthday Mark, and I wish you many more! 

Kitz' :wave:


----------



## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Thanks, kitz. I'm hittin' the double nickel today, so I've got or two builds left in me. Please don't go by my example - celebrate me barfday responsibly. :freak:


----------



## starmanmm (Mar 19, 2000)

Just wanted to say great info and this is a pretty good thread on this subject!


----------



## bert model maker (Feb 19, 2002)

Mark McGovern said:


> Testors' square bottle liquid cement appears to me to be a less viscous formulation of their tube glue. Their glass-bottled liquid cement is thin like Tenax 7R and Plastruct Plastic Weld, so I preume it's similar to those products.
> 
> Oh, ah. Well, today bein' me birthday, I'll see ya yer t'ree bars an' raze ya two more. :drunk::drunk::drunk::drunk::drunk:


Happy Birthday Mark ! I bought 2 revelle vanishing point challengers metal body kits at a grocery outlet for $5.00 a year ago and have them in my stash. They came with a "tube" of testors cement so i was wondering how the tube cement compared to the plastic bottle. I just bought a plastic bottle a couple of months ago & keep it clean and capped but it still clogs miserably . Maybe it is the plastic tip which is junk in my opinion. I had to buy a new model master plastic bottle of cement because it has a metal needle tip. Is testors & model master the same stuff ?


----------



## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Yes, bert, Model Master is a Testors brand. Since I was a little builder, I have always stuck a straight pin in my tube of glue, and later, the square bottle liquid cement (which, frankly, I rarely use) to keep the glue from clogging the hole. And thanks for the B. D. wish.


----------



## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Testors sells several plastic cements. The old fashioned tube stuff, liquid cement, and then a semi liquid stuff in an applicator bottle.

I use the tube glue now and then. It has its uses for certain parts. If you use it right, its very strong. Mostly I would use the tube glue on something large like big halves of a ship hull. Apply a little glue to both sides, let dry a couple minutes, and press together. After a couple days drying time, its not coming apart.

The liquid cement in the BOTTLE is quite good and is useful for most model projects. It is thin, and flows along joints so you can actually hold the parts together and touch a seam with the brush. Capillary action will carry the glue down the joint neatly. I prefer Tamiya Extra Thin Cement, but the Testors stuff is good. They haven't made the square bottle for at least a decade... it comes in a tallish round bottle thats easier to tip over.

The semi-liquid stuff in the applicator tubes is, IMHO junk. If you want to use it, the Model Master stuff is the version to buy. It has a metal needle applicator. The plain "Testors" version has a plastic applicator that gets plugged. With the needle, just pass the metal tube over a flame quickly and it opens right back up (they actually recommended this on the package in ages past but now it comes with a wire probe to open it). But, the glue is slow drying and not very strong. Its still thick enough to ooze out of a joint line too and get on the outside of the model.


----------



## bert model maker (Feb 19, 2002)

djnick66 said:


> Testors sells several plastic cements. The old fashioned tube stuff, liquid cement, and then a semi liquid stuff in an applicator bottle.
> 
> I use the tube glue now and then. It has its uses for certain parts. If you use it right, its very strong. Mostly I would use the tube glue on something large like big halves of a ship hull. Apply a little glue to both sides, let dry a couple minutes, and press together. After a couple days drying time, its not coming apart.
> 
> ...


The testors with the plastic tip is new and cloggs everytime, and the caps on tight. I think the flame will melt that one lol. I have a very small tip cut off so maybe a little more needs to come off. I just bought the model master with the metal tip so i hope that is better. You said the tube glue is stronger than the square bottle stuff ? or is it junk ? it is the orange tube glue that came with the vanishing point challengers. I thought all testors glues were the same.


----------



## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

bert model maker said:


> ... I thought all testors glues were the same.


No, dj just explained the differences very well. Read his response again. I did. :freak:


----------



## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

A belated happy birthday to you Mark:hat::wave:. I hope you had a good one!!
Pidg, please wish Patty a happy birthday too.:hat::wave:

Chris.:hat:


----------



## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

What makes the tube glue useful for SOME applications is that its very tacky and you can "dry glue" large parts. If you are gluing a 3' long, two-piece battleship hull, the thin liquid glue doesn't have a lot of up front grab and hold capacity. The big parts will just flop around. But if you apply a little tube glue to each half, let it dry a few seconds, then press the halves together... they are STUCK. By and large the liquid glue in a bottle with brush is a better glue or most uses.

"strong" is relative... all of the Testors solvent glues have more or less the same ingredients and work by melting the plastic together. The thicker glues tend to glob out of the joints and seams, and get on the outside of the model much more easily than the liquid types. They also dry very much slower (days or a week verus minutes or hours with the liquid stuff).

The red/orange tube glue is just their standard plastic cement, which has been on the market for ages. Avoid the blue "non toxic" stuff... its a total waste of time. I don't sell it in my store and can't recommend it. In fact, if I have parents who want to try that with their kits, I recommend they use regular glue and just sit with the kid and teach him how to use the good/real stuff rather than sit him down with junk glue that is just going to be frustrating.


----------



## bert model maker (Feb 19, 2002)

Thank you ! I understand better now. The thin liquid glue is the one in the square plastic bottle and the tube glue is the thick stuff. The tube thick stuff is best for large part halves such as the HUGE moebius seaview where the large front & aft sections are joined. So the red/orange tube glue will bond the seaview much better then.


----------



## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

The thin liquid glue comes in a jar and you apply it with a brush. Its very good for general model building, although I prefer Tamiya Extra Thin Cement.

Testors has some semi liquid glues (about like the consistency of honey) in black applicator bottles with metal or plastic spouts. I find this to be slow drying and weak.

The tube glue works well for larger parts. I built my Seaview with it. It takes a bit to dry thoroughly but is very strong.


----------



## bert model maker (Feb 19, 2002)

Then that is what i will use for the heavy large parts, the tube glue. I never knew that before, i haven't used the tube glue since the 70's. glad i have 2 tubes that came with the dodge challenger model kits. I also have some ambroid pro-weld that i haven't opened or used yet, i bought it for an kit that has different plastics.


----------



## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

I use tube glue a lot, though the liquid cements have become my adhesive of choice for most applications. In my experience, Ambroid has worked about as well as Plastruct or Tenax.


----------



## Jafo (Apr 22, 2005)

Ive used all the liquids out there and by far the best IMHO is the Ambroids pro weld. From what Ive read, its Tenax with a "wetting" agent. stronger, faster, and cheaper.


----------



## bert model maker (Feb 19, 2002)

Thanks guys !


----------

