Tips: Un-blocking plastic cement aka glue needles

[flundstrom2]

A couple of days ago, I realized the metallic needle of my Revell Contacta Professional tube had clogged and cured, making it impossible to extract any glue. I had nothing thin enough to fit in the super-thin needle. The cement itself is great to work with, especially thanks to the needle which is much thinner than a sewing needle or a toothpick.

My local hobby-store suggested that I should heat the needle using a cigarette lighter.

Anyway, I lit a tea-candle, removed the needle from the tube and held it just above the flame with a pair of tweezers. Smoke, a few drops and a small flame came out of the needle, indicating the glue was melting inside.

However, it didn't melt the blob completely, so I held it inside the flame for a while.
Eureka! The blob dissolved completely!

The needle of course became full of soot on the outside. I was a little concerned soot inside would discolor the cement, but no, it did not, and the soot was easy to wipe away. Now the needle is as good as new!

Obviously, this doesn't work for glues with a plastic tip.

[schweinhund227]

Get yourself some Tamiya Thin cement you won't look back Ever again at that bottle !
guarantied success ! and less risk of setting your bench on fire.

[Stokesy44]

Get yourself some Tamiya Thin cement you won't look back Ever again at that bottle !
guarantied success ! and less risk of setting your bench on fire.

Too right mate!

[Augustus]

Flundstom I do that I hold it over a flame but keep the tiniest bit of the needle inside the plastic and keep prair pressure up which seems to help blow out the offending blob.

I use TET too but, like most things, it's not great at everything. The Contacta needle can reach places rpt he TET brush can't and sometimes TET dries too fast.

[SteveW]

I too use the contacts glue as mentioned TET isn't great for everything and that needle can be great when you need to get in to small spaces. I have found when the needle gets blocked that just pulling it out and turning it around has always done the trick. just give it a few seconds to 'melt' and it is usually good to go.

[cptgandy]

I use a very small drill bit to poke down the needle and clear it that way, I use my contacta for large area's so it tends to be blocked most of the time as i hardly use it

[ForbesHutton]

The wire in the center of the garbage twist ties is thin enough to fit down the tube once you remove the paper or plastic from the twist tie.

[SteveW]

The wire in the center of the garbage twist ties is thin enough to fit down the tube once you remove the paper or plastic from the twist tie.

Good tip. Going to trawl the kitchen now and see if we have any. Whats the bet we haven't?