Best adhesive for foam RC planes

An experiment for finding the best glue for repairing my foam RC planes made of EPO foam. I try 8 common glues for this test. This isn't a scientific study on adhesives. It's an opinion based ranking on what I observed. glueing Foam/Foam, Foam/Wood, Foam/Plastic.
00:00 Introduction
01:33 Foam to Foam testing 1st run
05:48 Foam to Foam and Foam to Plastic
10:06 Foam to Wood
12:53 30min field test
15:05 Summary

[@TheWingnut58]

Hot glue is my go to, the trick to plastic is prep.....the plastic has to be scuffed with sandpaper, or scratched up a bit with a sharp object, to give the hot glue something to grab onto. I picked up a small 150w inverter to run a hot glue gun at the field. And if/when you have squeeze out, give it 10-15 seconds to start cooling and it'll roll off without leaving a trace.

[@SteffenRC]

Those are some great tips for Hot Glue. I'll try out that "roll off" technique. Hot glue makes a super strong bond and no clamping required. So, its got a spot in my tool box for sure... Thanks Will

[@44Mag]

Hot glue works great for me. It can also release with rubbing alcohol if you ever need to re-do things. You have to use good sticks (the clearer they are, the better) - Also, you can't put it on too hot or it melts the foam. I found squirting it out on a plate, then smearing it on the foam with a plastic knife works very well.

[@SteffenRC]

Sounds like a solid solution. I've used a mess of Hot glue when I was building those Flitetest Foamboard planes. Great glue for sure. Like all adhesives, they have their pros and cons.. Good to have a handful of options in the shop for different applications. Thanks for sharing.. - Will

[@coloradofotomatt]

Excellent. My hot glue gun is just about heated up. Just the info I needed! Thanks.

[@SteffenRC]

Ha.. Love it.. I realized after the test that there are so many options for us for Quality adhesives.. From hot glue to CA and everything in between.. I think an assortment of tools (glues) in the shop is very handy...

[@nirlachman007]

Great test! Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻

[@SteffenRC]

Thanks for watching! Appreciate the comments. - Will

[@davecharos9304]

Thanks for the video. Very helpful and appreciated.

[@SteffenRC]

Glad you liked it. It was a pretty enlightening test for me. Was surprised that Foamtac didn't do nearly as well as the E6000.. That said, there are reasons to use many of these glues... Thanks, Will

[@RickyD1968]

Awesome test video !!!

[@SteffenRC]

Thanks Ricky. Appreciate the comments. It was a fun project to see which was the best for what application.. Its really helped me on builds since that project... Will

[@Antoniotomei1]

Great test! Thanks SteffenRC! I have used 5 minutes Epoxi and have had excellent results. But I was impressed with the good result of the E600. I'll use it next time.

[@SteffenRC]

It’s a great glue. Give it a try. A little goes a long way.

[@Bill14886]

Awesome comparison. Well. Done

[@SteffenRC]

Appreciate the comment. Thanks.

[@RC_Over_Dover]

What a great test and so many good comments added by users. THANKS everone ! On my channel I will be flying Over Dover ! Next few weeks I will be building the BAE Hawk minimum RC. Happy flying, building and repairing! 🛫🛩✈🛬

[@SteffenRC]

Thanks. Appreciate the comments... Look forward to your BAE build.

[@ltfadl1]

Awesome test, so glade you dud this. I've been using E6000 for a long time and foam tac almost got talked into swit hing to gorilla but use it sometimes but not for big repairs.

[@SteffenRC]

Funny, I use 4-5 different glues, depending on the application. Its always good to know how and why to use each of them.. I was always wondering, so I did the test.. Thanks for commenting.

[@stevendegiorgio3143]

Great information.I like E6000.I used it to hold my radar detector bracket on the windshield of my car.I never thought of using it on my Foam Flight V900.I generally use zap 5 minute epoxy and medium CA.

[@SteffenRC]

I like the contact cements (e6000, Foamtac, Uhu) since they are a little flexible. CA is great, but a bit brittle. Thanks for watching and commenting. - Will

[@johnbaker2057]

Another great video!! E6000 is order and on it's way.

[@SteffenRC]

Appreciate the support. E6000 is my go to for all things foam, except EPS (UMX planes...). It will eat EPS like Alien blood on a space ship.. :-)

[@user-cc3cq7xi6p]

One thing I noticed with foam tac, is it gets really solid and strong after a week or two. Globs almost feel like plastic. Try letting it set up for much longer, and see what you think. Hot glue is my go to for major repairs.

[@SteffenRC]

I agree with FoamTac.. I've used hot glue too. I really like it for that quick repair that I can't find a way to clamp it.. I've also used it for a tack when using E6000. I'll hot glue a few small spots to hold it while the E6000 does its job.. So many glues, so few crashed planes..😬

[@leerenslear1064]

E6000...will use on next model..foam tac always been a favorite..it can be sliced with blade for removal of parts for repairing ..hot glue,,hahaha ,,will be using !!! thanks for video !

[@SteffenRC]

I'll still use the foamtac for a minor repair at the field. It sets up fast enough.. The E6000 really surprised me at the performance. Hot glue too.. But I need to figure out how to use it without is oozing out everywhere. Thanks for watching and commenting. - Will

[@jollyroger2226]

Hi Will. Thought I would give you a note about one of my experiences. I was getting ready to repair one of my planes with E 6000 for the first time. I noticed online that people were saying that E 6000 tended to dissolve foam. Hmmm. So to be a bit safer, I grabbed a surplus piece of foam and ran a test with it. After it set up I tried to pull my test piece apart. Seemed OK at first but then came apart. Ooops. The surfaces where I had smeared some glue were cratered significantly. And there were little ridge like areas between the craters. And it seems that only these areas of the ridges were still touching the other side. So this ended up having very little surface area holding the two parts together. When I applied the glue, I tried to smear it fairly light. But there were a few more wet areas. So, it seems I used a bit too much. But still . . . I really don't think I had a great deal of glue in there. Any less glue, and I would not feel like I really used enough to do the job. I think there must be different types of foam. And it seems the ex - P 51 parts that you tested with are better able to work with E 6000. So, . . . I am sorry that this worked out this way. Guess I will need to try something else. Maybe I will just try more foam tac. Thanks.

[@SteffenRC]

I found out the hard way on my UMX Timber. It’s EPS foam. Not EPO. E6000 will eat EPS foam like crazy. I think I’m gonna make a video with that warning…. I found that Foamtac works great for EPS foam.

[@ArceezRC]

Great test. One thing you could do to addend this video is cost per oz or unit. I switched from FoamTac to E6000 a year back because E6000 is readily available at Walmart or Home Depot whereas FoamTac is specialty glue found only at hobby stores PLUS E6000 is soooo much cheaper.

[@SteffenRC]

I could add that in my notes for sure.

[@cooltube]

Great test. I would like to see foam to foam against e6000 and fms glue mentioned in here. So long as you give it the time needed to cure, e6000 is a winner. It’s very strong but tends to melt/soften the epo a little whilst curing 🇬🇧👍🏻

[@SteffenRC]

I agree. I think that melting creates that strong bond, once fully solidified. But it’s not quick. I found Foam2Foam on Amazon and it’s real pricey.

[@jeffreynolds2190]

great test... !

[@SteffenRC]

Thanks. I sure learned a lot by doing this.

[@AerialRCFun]

E6000 is my favorite and also favorite overall for multiple RC hobby uses. I use it for holding receivers in place (just a small pea sized dab works). It has a good bit of self leveling character, if you take an old gift card or similar you can lay on a very thin skimm coat over foam and it adds abrasion resistance. Great for gluing down shelf liner for battery anti-slide. Some people even ust it by itself to stop battery slippage, just lay some strips down where battery will rest and it will prevent slipppage as good or better than shelf liner, though I prefer using it with shelf liner as it looks nicer. If using it for this then be sure to let it cure for at least 72 hours. It also works similar to foam-tac where if you can get a really thin layer down in a cracked foam hinge seam it will act has a flexible hinge, just has to be as thin a coat as possible so be cautios doing this, maybe practice on test piece first. I posted video feww weeks ago ov initial repair to nose using E6000. Still need to post follow-ups of completed repair. Thanks and remember to "Never stop theRC". (thanks, Discover RC Channel.)

[@SteffenRC]

Great tips.. Appreciate it.. I just did a skim coat on some ply before installing a AR631 RX to make sure it will stay in place.. Who knew E6000 has so many uses.. :-)

[@AerialRCFun]

@@SteffenRC Like the other comment said one thing is to be aware if you use it to glue on foam if the foam is thin like maybe

[@RadianXL2023]

What about 5 min epoxy glue

[@bigrickRC1144]

Thanks for doing this comparison. I didn’t see you try any Foam to Foam.. I assume Foam Tac would about the closest. e6000 surprised me on its overall versatility. Gonna order me some now to have on hand.

[@SteffenRC]

I got a feeling I’ll be doing a Part 2 series. Thanks Will

[@theoztreecrasher2647]

An interesting video for model plane fliers/crashers. Probably should have made more mention of the different types of foam (EPS, EPO, EPP) and the differences in the glues that can be used with them. For the flexible EPP the contact cement glues like E6000 are good as they can flex with the foam. Hard brittle glues like Superglue and Epoxy negate the survivability of the flexible foam. Hot glue is also good as it tends to burn through the mould-release compound that is often left on EPP. As you mention it does tend to set too fast and squish out where it's not wanted but for parts that can be quickly and cleanly repositioned you can wipe off the excess with scrap or tape the join on 1 side to limit egress. It adds weight but, if you go easy, probably less than you might think. For the EPO used on many bigger planes, you've got to be careful with contact cements as, depending on the proportions of the different polymers in the mix, there will be at least some softening of the foam whilst the Toluene etc solvents are evaporating off. For the brittle beer-cooler foam EPS used on E-flite's small planes, contact cements are a complete no-no unless you want a gooey mess! But, because it is fairly rigid, Superglue and Epoxy have a place. The snot-like glue that most Chinese makers use on their models might not be the best for every circumstance, but it generally sticks well enough plus can be sliced and peeled off when you need to separate the parts for maintenance.

[@SteffenRC]

Thanks for the comments. I did a follow-up "Part 2" video on this were a speak about the foams. One thing to note is FoamTac, Uhu Por, and Foam2Foam do a good job on EPS foam. They don't eat it like other adhesives. I tend to stay away from the brittle CA and Epoxy on foam, but its perfect for balsa.... Thanks again for watching and commenting - Will

[@idf6427]

Thank you very mutch good vid

[@SteffenRC]

You're welcome!

[@peterdellas3138]

I agree with your findings.

[@SteffenRC]

Thanks Peter.. I was really hoping that my "Go To" Foam Tac would've been top dog.. Also really surprised at the performance of the Hot Glue.. But, in the end.. E6000 will be my go to for now.. Who knows, maybe there is a glue out there I didnt test thats the cats meow.... Thanks for watching and commenting. Will

[@PatJones82]

This video and test are gold! Thank you for doing this! E6000 and hot glue for me! :)

[@SteffenRC]

Thanks Pat.. I just worked on an EPP plane for a friend and used 4 different adhesives. E6000 for most of the joints due to strength, Hot glue, due to strong and quick/no clamping bond. CA for wood to wood and some foamtac for quick tack down... Its great to have options...

[@PatJones82]

@@SteffenRC Nice! That’s awesome. I am old and all my previous RC models were all balsa. This whole foam thing is new to me. At first glance it seems to me like it’s hard to even find balsa models.

[@Theintruder100]

how long does the e6000 to cure cheers

[@gobarbless3871]

Very good testing!! I am also a long-time Foam-tac user. I may have to take a closer look at E6000.

[@SteffenRC]

Thanks, appreciate the kudos... Foam-tac still has a place in my shop for sure. It works on EPS foam and it tacks up quick.. Great stuff.. The E6000 is my go to on EPO and EPP foam that I need a little extra strength and longer setup times. Its has some down sides, but if used sparingly, its wonderful stuff.. Cheap too... BTW, I did Part 2 to this test with a few other glues that I wanted to compare with E6000 and Foam-tac..

[@gobarbless3871]

I have two other glue needs that you may be able to share some insight on, if you don't mind. 1. I use silicone adhesive to attach replacement RX boards and motors in my UMX airplanes, like the Sports Cub S. It works OK but I am wondering if there is something available more like the beige colored adhesive used by the HobbyZone/Eflite factories? Any suggestions? 2. I am tired of closing my UMX fuselages with scotch tape after an internal repair. I am looking for a light duty adhesive that would be easily slit or removed for access to the inside of the fuselage but will be invisible from the outside of the airplane. Any thoughts on this?

[@SteffenRC]

@@gobarbless3871 sure. Always willing to help..

[@SteffenRC]

@@gobarbless3871 I really don’t have a great answer on your 1st question. Sorry. I’ll do a little research though. On question 2. I use Foamtac on those EPS fuselage. I only cut the tape on the starboard side, then apply a few (4-5) small dots from the back to the front of the fuse and that seems to hold things together and I can use a razor blade to separate the seem. I thought about applying a small sharpie dot where I applied the Foamtac to assist in the process. But haven’t had to crack open a UMX lately. Good luck.

[@RubyS.1]

There's a glue that fms sells it's for epo. It's kinda neat smells like e6000 but it's a bit runnier and it kinda foams up. I forgot I'd bought it and tried it shortly after you posted this video. Doesn't seem to melt the foam like e6000 does sometimes either

[@SteffenRC]

I have a feeling a Part 2 test is coming 😀

[@jollyroger2226]

Very good study! Sorry to see that your P 51 had to buy the farm. Maybe repairing it to flying status would have been a good test. ?

[@SteffenRC]

Funny you say that. I have a friends L-39 that’s gonna be my next video. Thanks for the comments. - Will

[@JohnSmith-sq7cv]

You can’t use E6000 for Z foam. It dissolves the foam. Hot glue is the strongest and fastest fix. 👍 Happy flying.

[@SteffenRC]

Yep, E6000 isn't for everything.. Hot glue is good too. I will use several adhesives for some of my repairs.. So, many good options... Thanks for commenting - Will

[@dylanforney780]

Thanks for doing this. Would you build a twisted hobbies plane with the E6000 or do you think it would add too much weight?

[@SteffenRC]

Good point about the weight, but a sparing amount wouldn’t effect those planes too much. That said, I used Foamtac for my Crack Yak and she’s been banged around a fair bit.

[@chksix]

Use caution with the E6000, it will definitely soften the foam and make a mess of things if you use too much.

[@SteffenRC]

100%... I've created my process with E6000 to apply sparingly and use a brush if possible to spread a thin coat, but don't spread it to the outside edge since it will melt the foam a bit and leave a visible scar. The melting makes for a great bond, but as you said, It can melt the heck out of it if you use too much. Appreciate the comments... - Will

[@ChainsawFPV]

I use FoamTac on all my foam hinges. Works great for that. For everything else, it's Gorilla hot glue. Stuff is super strong and bites in the foam great.

[@SteffenRC]

We are lucky, we have so many options for adhesives.. I recently posted a Part 2 of this video and tested Welders and Foam2Foam. I've been playing with the welders lately and kinda like it for foam hinges.. It's easier to apply than Foamtac.. But, they are work pretty well...

[@ChainsawFPV]

@@SteffenRC I have not tried the Welders yet. I will give it a shot.

[@SteffenRC]

@@ChainsawFPV it’s good stuff. But will melt EPS foam. That’s where Foam2Foam and Foamtac are the best.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Very thorough test Will! I need some E6000. Very informative, thanks for taking the time to do this. Quite a great service to the RC community my friend!

[@SteffenRC]

Well. Let’s be honest. It’s all about me and my quest for quality adhesives. 😀. Thanks Adam..

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

@@SteffenRC Lol

[@CasualGamerCC]

Awesome, I use E6000 for all sorts of stuff and I also have hot glue. Glad I don't need to use CA. I actually don't like it because I find it messier than the other two options.

[@SteffenRC]

Thanks.. I'll use CA or hotglue on certain projects. But not often.. E6000 of one of my favorites for sure.

[@arlemooldijk1595]

Instead of 15 min epoxy, try with 30 min epoxy. According to the description of the BSI-Inc epoxy the 30 min version is the best epoxy for white foam (maybe slower will even be better, but I like the processing time with 30 min epoxy).

[@SteffenRC]

I'll try that out. I'm always looking for different ways to fix planes. Last rebuild I used 4 different glues for different applications. 30min is on the list of play with. Thanks, Will

[@pguillory1]

One downside I noticed with E6000 is it can really eat through a lot of foam if you use too much. Found it too easy to accidentally damage the model when using it. Uhu Por's behavior depends a lot on how you apply it. If you do the whole thing where you stick the parts together, pull them apart, wait a few minutes, then stick them together again, it creates a strong bond in a few minutes to an hour. (Depends a lot on how long you waited between the first and last steps.) Whereas if you just put on a glob and stick them together, it can take several days to fully solidify. Curious what was the procedure you used in these tests?

[@SteffenRC]

I agree, E6000 should be lightly brushed on the surface.. Not globbed all over. I also stay away from the outside edges due to that area getting real soft as the glue melts the foam together. In the test with Uhu Por I followed the directions and let the two pieces sit for 10min after mating them for a second or two. I'm sure its a quality adhesive and will use it for some applications. But was surprised that it was still tacky after 48 hours.

[@pguillory1]

@@SteffenRC Hm... that's good to know then, thanks.

[@AerialRCFun]

This is true and will act similar to foam tac you have to be careful about using it on thin foam like say you were gluing a piece with perhaps less than about 5 mm thicknessyou can get a bit of alligator effect as the solvents or whatever can bleed through but simple enough to avoid.

[@didiermeister98]

In the uk. I use welder. Softens epo just like e6000. Is it the same?

[@SteffenRC]

Never tried Welder.. I assume a bunch of these contact cements like Foam Tac, UHU Por, Welder and E6000 are very similar.. I'm going to extend my tests and do another summary video of a few other glues compared to E6000. I'm always looking for the best. Thanks, Will

[@AngelLopez-xg7wt]

Gorilla hot glue and done , Walmart 1.18 cents for a pack of 10 , glued right there in the field and when back flying after a quick bake and at home carbon fiber spars or Thoth pick

[@SteffenRC]

Yep, there are so many great options depending on what you are trying to do.. I'd like to get a field glue gun that runs on a 4-6s battery.... Thanks Will

[@AngelLopez-xg7wt]

@@SteffenRC you can always plug it to your car wall plug if you have one, if not amazon sell one you connect on car lighter and you have a 120

[@mikemckinnis3877]

Have any of you guys tried B7000? I have several small tubes but don't want to use it on foam until im sure.

[@SteffenRC]

Nope. Haven’t tried it.

[@Mr.Laidukas]

Try to use Titebond Polyurethane Glue, perfect fot this foam.

[@SteffenRC]

I've done 3 glue videos in the last year. Testing all types of glues for our repairs.. The last test, I tried the Gorilla Glue White, which is a Polyurethane glue. It really performed well and the foaming action could be helpful to fill the gaps of missing foam... Thanks for commenting. Will

[@difand1]

Guys, please be careful with E6000. It dissolves at least some foams. I was replasing servo in my A-10 30mm from E-flghht, it got almost through hole in the fuselage with E6000. So, i had some fun fixing the servo set place after that.

[@SteffenRC]

Yes. Those UMX planes are EPS. E6000 Will destroy them. Foamtac or Foam 2Foam are the best for that. E6000 works great on EPO and EPP.

[@difand1]

@@SteffenRC Thanks for your advice, I didn't know that!

[@SteffenRC]

@@difand1 I made a few comments on my community posts and also made a Part 2 of the glue tests, and mention it there. I learned the hard way too. My UMX Timber got a little melted with E6000. 😬

[@schalkvs]

Because on eflite website it says that both the turbo timber and a-10 30mm are epo

[@sladelefty]

which hot glue did you use?

[@SteffenRC]

To be honest, I couldn’t tell you. Probably some generic stuff from Amazon. I’ve used hot glue on foam board for a few years with different sticks. Didn’t seem to matter

[@earlpoe7570]

E6000, here I come.

[@SteffenRC]

Get while is last. My “viral” video is gonna cause a run on it. 😀

[@crashalexander7232]

5 MIN EPOXY USED IT MANY TIMES

[@SteffenRC]

I’ve used about every type of adhesive. On my last repair. I used 4 different glues for slightly different applications.

[@chuckmaddison2924]

I recommend don't buy a foam plane. Think I spend an hour repairing for every 30 minutes. Today,...... broke the motor mount and cracked mid fuselage The other cheap plane started making a whistling noise as the gearbox fell apart . The third plane ok, it flew until flat. Model railroad is starting look a cheaper good idea.

[@SteffenRC]

Well Chuck, Learning to fly these planes takes some work to get over the rough part you appear to be in.. We've all been in your shoes.. Check-out my beginner series on the SteffenRC Channel. Keep heart and keep practicing.. - Will