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I need to repair a cracked wall section in an interesting old building I picked up many years ago when a friend was leaving O scale for HO.IMG_2845

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 The building is heavy and the wall section collapsed when I was moving its new location on the layout.  It is around 40 years old and appears to have been assembled using Walthers Goo (still somewhat pliable).  I believe the brick wall sections are cast hydrocal. Fortunately the breaks are extremely clean  and the  pieces will fit tightly back together.    To address handling issues, I plan to glue the structure to a new Masonite base ( includes sidewalks).  I'm thinking about gluing the three pieces that broke free of the structure to one another on a backer (wood or poster board).  Then I would reattach that assembly to building.  I'd appreciate your suggestions on the repair approach and adhesive recommendations.  (I was leaning to a gap filling ACC super glue).   Without a nearby shop that carries Goo, are there other brands of adhesive with similar properties? 

 

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Last edited by Keystoned Ed
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Ditto MWB...

Gap-filling CA a second choice.

But Walthers' Goo??......   Reason: Too thick for a clean, tight-fitting joint between the wall pieces.  

And, if you would insist on applying a backer board to the repaired wall, I'd continue to use MWB's suggestion, applying very light, evenly distributed pressure (e.g., Zip-loc bag filled with sand) between the board and wall while the adhesive cures.  You don't want to further stress the distressed wall with excessive, spot pressure.....ending up with even more cracks.

And, be gentle in gluing/assembling the hydrocal pieces back together.  It doesn't take much abrasion of the joint to create enough ceramic dust to interfere with a tight fit.  And if this occurs after application of the glue, you're essentially up-the-creek-without-a-paddle to remove the gooey debris.

Been there, done that.

Good luck.

BTW.....GORGEOUS building set!!.......you lucky, lucky guy!!!

KD

Thanks all - yellow carpenter's glue it will be.  One interesting thing about the cast wall sections is that they are totally flat.  That is why i considered using sheet material as a backing vice strip wood braces.  Where possible l'll use 1/4" strip wood around the inside edges of the existing structure to provide strength and gluing surface. 

Last edited by Keystoned Ed

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