IMC 1/32 Bell 206 Jet Ranger

[LyleW]

Okay, this is not going to be the easy-peasy build I was hoping for.

After a couple of hours, the glue joints where the exhausts attached to the manifold are still moveabe. This IMC plastic feels very strange..I think someone here called it soapy when described ina similar situation. Not sure what glue to use. I have good old Testors red tube, some Tenax, and Tamiya Extra Thin. Oh, and CA.

I’ll post a pic or two of the instructions tomorrow. They are a hoot. Nothing has a part number on the spruce. Nada. It really doesn’t matter, though. Every step has a diagram and every part is labeled, starting at one...every step is described this way. I believe it is manageable once I realized what was going on.

The good thing is I have to study the pages (no groves, pins...nothing very significant) to see what is coming up and test fitting everything. Going to be some fun.

[LyleW]

Well the glue set over night. Yee haw. Here are a couple of pics of the instructions.

Not all bad, even starting over at part #1 on each step. At least the numbers are the order of assembly!

[Stikpusher]

Progress photos please...

[speedgraflex]

Lyle, regarding the glue, I have built IMC plastic kits before of a certain age (early 1970s) and suggest you cut some sprue sections to do a test of glue properties pronto. I found I could use thin CA (3M kind) as a smoothing filler-sealer on top of the plastic.

[LyleW]

Progress photos please...

As you have requested.....Not much happening really. At this point, I'm still trying to figure out the plastic. It does not like paint, either. In the picture, there is a small bulkhead in the upper/rear of the picture. that was not primed on purpose to see what happens. I have spent a fair amount of time moving and hooking up printers and a 2 terabyte hard drive that I have had for a while and haven't really used.

[LyleW]

Lyle, regarding the glue, I have built IMC plastic kits before of a certain age (early 1970s) and suggest you cut some sprue sections to do a test of glue properties pronto. I found I could use thin CA (3M kind) as a smoothing filler-sealer on top of the plastic.

That is a good idea. Something I never think of. I have plenty of sprue from this kit!

[speedgraflex]

The other tests for the sprue are primer-paint tests. You are gonna need primer with some bite to it, and be conscious of handling oils on plastic. I usually forget to wipe down plastic prior to painting. What I did do with the older smooth-hard plastic was test how best to clean it which was for me toothpaste mixed with water—just enough to make the paste less sticky. That cleaned ye olde plastic beautifully. I did that first before assembling just to remove years of dirt. That’s what I would diagnose is happening here! Ya gotta remove the dirt.

[LyleW]

That makes sense (scares me). Since we, in Kentucky, have so few teeth, toothpaste is not generally available.... I will, at times, wipe things down with 91% ISA or Windex. All I have available down in the basement area at the moment is a small vanity sink to wash things.

sprue glued up.

[LyleW]

Oh and the primer I've been using is Rust-oleum gray. Label claims it bonds to plastic. Seems to work pretty well.

[speedgraflex]

I am from Pennsylvania so it’s pretty much the same regarding the dental work. Glue tests are looking good, Lyle! I pretty much always use toothpaste that has been reduced with water—but it does stick inside nooks and crannies so be wary of that too—if you do go that route.