[Folgore]

Museum putty is roughly the consistency of Silly Putty, if you remember that toy. It's primarily used to hold down fragile items (vases, etc.) so they won't fall over in an earthquake (well, moderate earthquakes, at least). Because I live in Los Angeles -- earthquake country -- I've always got a packet of the stuff laying around. There are at least a couple of different brands, all about the same, as far as I can tell. The brand I have now is Quake Hold Museum Putty. A quick Google search reveals that it is available online, but it may be available at a hardware store near you.

A caveat: It doesn't hold things in place as well as glue -- but it is easier to remove, and I've found it works well for fiddly bits and undercarriages that just need a little help. You just need to get good at rolling reeeeaaally tiny bits of the stuff.

Now, if anyone else in earthquake country can give me some tips on how they've secured their collection against the inevitable Big One, I'd be much obliged... I don't museum putty my planes to the shelf because then I can't pick 'em up for strafing runs on the cat. The next time there's a magnitude 5.5+, I'm sure half my collection will be toast.

[Shamrock]

In the last few years especially with Dragon models I've used chewing gum! After masticating (that's chewing to you Skunky) for a few minutes it becomes pliable enough to hold most small items in place. Bombs, rockets , fuel tanks, aerials, and undercarriages have all stayed in place. You can make it as small as you like and it is easily removeable.

[SKUNKY]

Mine becomes pliable after masticating just a few seconds...

[STARMAN 352ND]

Originally Posted by Folgore

Now, if anyone else in earthquake country can give me some tips on how they've secured their collection against the inevitable Big One, I'd be much obliged... I don't museum putty my planes to the shelf because then I can't pick 'em up for strafing runs on the cat. The next time there's a magnitude 5.5+, I'm sure half my collection will be toast.

I have the same fear about my collection going up in flames or Earthquakes knocking them over.
Insurance is the only way to go ....But some items are priceless to you.
I have used gum before it works but dries up and lose it's stick after a while.
JP

[SkyBuffalo]

I've never seen museum putty like Folgore, but there's something similiar, at least for your folks in the States. It's a block of sticky putty stuff kind of like silly putty. The old block that I have is made by Super Glue corporation, and is used especially to put up posters, etc. The package is half gone, and I don't have an official name for it, but a line on the directions refer to it as "HANDI-TAK". I think it's found in the school supply / office supply aisles in the grocery store / Wal-Mart / office supply type places. Maybe even in the hobby stores like Hobby Lobby.

I generally use it to stick on the closed wheel undercarraiges onto the planes. I display the majority of my planes on the stand, wheels up, but I might someday want to switch to wheels down. So this stuff comes off real easy and you can easily clean it off.

And SKUNKY . . . don't masticate too fast, or you might eruct (that's burping).

[jim]

I am still trying to find Elmers white stuff.

Originally Posted by Shamrock

In the last few years especially with Dragon models I've used chewing gum! After masticating (that's chewing to you Skunky) for a few minutes it becomes pliable enough to hold most small items in place. Bombs, rockets , fuel tanks, aerials, and undercarriages have all stayed in place. You can make it as small as you like and it is easily removeable.

[SKUNKY]

You are a sicko, jim!...SICK SICK SICK!....

(hint: try using a blacklight)

[jim]

Erm I mean Elmers white glue you all talk about. I have searched all over the place and i cannot get a tube anywhere! I need it because mi twiddly bits keep falling off mi dragins!

Originally Posted by SKUNKY

You are a sicko, jim!...SICK SICK SICK!....

(hint: try using a blacklight)

[Folgore]

Hey, I remember Handi-Tak! I put up many airplane and Led Zeppelin posters in college with that stuff. For our purposes -- sticking bits onto diecast airplanes -- I think it would be equivalent to museum putty in terms of usability.

[Folgore]

Originally Posted by jim

Erm I mean Elmers white glue you all talk about. I have searched all over the place and i cannot get a tube anywhere! I need it because mi twiddly bits keep falling off mi dragins!

Say, Jim: Any kind of white craft glue should do the trick -- Elmer's just has a lock on U.S. market. We all grow up using Elmer's for our craft projects in school over here. I typed "white glue uk" into Google and, after a brief wave of nausea induced by the previous double-entendre posts, found something called Amos Craft Glue, which, if it isn't exactly the same as Elmer's, at least comes in a bottle that sure looks the same. I also found a thread suggesting that Elmer's may be equivalent to the PVA glue sold in the UK. Assuming, of course, that you are UK-based...