Which model glue
- Thread starter Tarps
- Start date
What can you get locally?
Also depends on how you like to apply it. I prefer Tamiyas brush applied glues, though still use the tooth paste tubed humbrol from time to time. (You can use a toothpick for precision application.)
I never got on with the Revell needle applicators, but I know some think they're the dogs danglies.
Whatever you get ensure it is for plastic, and use sparingly, they work by melting the plastic so use too much you eat away parts.
Now cue a lot of different answers.........
Also depends on how you like to apply it. I prefer Tamiyas brush applied glues, though still use the tooth paste tubed humbrol from time to time. (You can use a toothpick for precision application.)
I never got on with the Revell needle applicators, but I know some think they're the dogs danglies.
Whatever you get ensure it is for plastic, and use sparingly, they work by melting the plastic so use too much you eat away parts.
Now cue a lot of different answers.........
Have used Testors tube & liquid since forever. Have tried others, but remain unconvinced. PaulE
I really like the Tamiya extra thin, that small brush inside works great for me, the only problem for me is the smell, use it in a well ventilated area!
As a kid I used the Revell needle, the needle was always blocked when I needed to glue so pretty frustrating I remember. In that case you can detach the needle and burn out the glue in a flame.
Have fun!
Steven
As a kid I used the Revell needle, the needle was always blocked when I needed to glue so pretty frustrating I remember. In that case you can detach the needle and burn out the glue in a flame.
Have fun!
Steven
G
Like all things in model making there is never a definitive answer. All depends on circumstances. Actually they are not glues as is C/A. The cement acts as a weld only plastic to plastic.
I use for a greater percentage Mr Hobby Cement S It takes about 20secs for it to go into hold (not cure) I use it for tacking around the fuselage (also wings etc) at intervals holding each tack with fingers to get a very firm accurate joint. Being thin it can wick into a thin joint. Find it is OK as long as a really strong joint is not needed. It does not mark the plastic surface. The short hold time makes it perfect for tacking.
For stronger joints I use Tamiya Extra thin. This takes about 40 secs to go into hold. Good for joints which are a bit wider as it softens more than the Cement S which with pressure brings the joint together. It will pit the plastic if laid on more than is needed. Also perfect for taking finger prints.
For a really strong joint I use Tamiya Cement. I apply this to both surfaces before bringing together. Softens up the surfaces before bringing together. Not for wicking as it is too thick & will pit the surface making a real mess.
Tip to stop tipping over & a mess. I place a piece of hook Velcro on my worktop in a couple of places. Each cement bottle I place on the bottom loop Velcro.
Laurie
I use for a greater percentage Mr Hobby Cement S It takes about 20secs for it to go into hold (not cure) I use it for tacking around the fuselage (also wings etc) at intervals holding each tack with fingers to get a very firm accurate joint. Being thin it can wick into a thin joint. Find it is OK as long as a really strong joint is not needed. It does not mark the plastic surface. The short hold time makes it perfect for tacking.
For stronger joints I use Tamiya Extra thin. This takes about 40 secs to go into hold. Good for joints which are a bit wider as it softens more than the Cement S which with pressure brings the joint together. It will pit the plastic if laid on more than is needed. Also perfect for taking finger prints.
For a really strong joint I use Tamiya Cement. I apply this to both surfaces before bringing together. Softens up the surfaces before bringing together. Not for wicking as it is too thick & will pit the surface making a real mess.
Tip to stop tipping over & a mess. I place a piece of hook Velcro on my worktop in a couple of places. Each cement bottle I place on the bottom loop Velcro.
Laurie
Revell Contacta - for heavy duty joints - like turret halves - the needle applicator works for me, and Tamiya Extra Thin for everything else polystyrene. Add to that Loctite CA, and PVA white glue, and you've got all bases covered. ( Although I occasionally also use 5 min. epoxy )
Dave
Dave
G
Yeah....totally knew that.
Although I just tried it out and it still doesn't reach the bottom, so the old 'two pots' scenario will continue!
Basically I use the same methods as Dave.
I too use contacta most of the time these days. If you find the nozzle too uncontrollable, dispense some glue onto a scrap of card and use a pin to accurately place the glue. If you suffer from nozzle bloc, use a short piece of picture framing brass wire to clear the nozzle. Always put the cover back on if you are not dispensing the glue so you minimise drying in the nozzle.
I have both Tamiya glues, but have yet to open them
I use EVA occasionally as well, because it can be dispensed with a fine brush and will wick into a joint under capillary action. I used to use Mek Pak as my glue of choice for many years, but slaters changed the formula which made it less effective, and additionally it’s not easy to get now. There are others, such as Daywat Poly, that are much “hotter”, so can melt parts if you’re not careful. Useful occasionally though.
For other glues Cyanoacrylate is useful, but not a universal panacea. I find it’s shear strength is quite low so parts are fragile. Two part epoxy is unrivalled where strength is needed. Lastly, good PVA can also come in handy for attaching clear parts.
Over all though, I think in the end it comes down to what you get used to!
I too use contacta most of the time these days. If you find the nozzle too uncontrollable, dispense some glue onto a scrap of card and use a pin to accurately place the glue. If you suffer from nozzle bloc, use a short piece of picture framing brass wire to clear the nozzle. Always put the cover back on if you are not dispensing the glue so you minimise drying in the nozzle.
I have both Tamiya glues, but have yet to open them
I use EVA occasionally as well, because it can be dispensed with a fine brush and will wick into a joint under capillary action. I used to use Mek Pak as my glue of choice for many years, but slaters changed the formula which made it less effective, and additionally it’s not easy to get now. There are others, such as Daywat Poly, that are much “hotter”, so can melt parts if you’re not careful. Useful occasionally though.
For other glues Cyanoacrylate is useful, but not a universal panacea. I find it’s shear strength is quite low so parts are fragile. Two part epoxy is unrivalled where strength is needed. Lastly, good PVA can also come in handy for attaching clear parts.
Over all though, I think in the end it comes down to what you get used to!
G
I’ve mentioned it before, but I glue plastic kits with what amounts to an industrial solvent:
The Dutch and French translate as “degreaser, also thinner for Bison Kit” (which is a contact cement); in English it’s marketed as a stain remover. Its main constituents are naphtha, ethyl acetate and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), so it dissolves model kit plastic like liquid cement does, but it costs about as much for 250 ml as a single bottle of model cement does. I therefore just re-fill an empty bottle of that with it.
The Dutch and French translate as “degreaser, also thinner for Bison Kit” (which is a contact cement); in English it’s marketed as a stain remover. Its main constituents are naphtha, ethyl acetate and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), so it dissolves model kit plastic like liquid cement does, but it costs about as much for 250 ml as a single bottle of model cement does. I therefore just re-fill an empty bottle of that with it.
That looks very like Mek Pak Jakko . The Naptha content is probably why I can’t find it any more....I bet it smells like pear drops as well.....
i must be the odd one out then cos i use CA for almost everything........i buy the thick sort, use a tooth pick to apply
G
I must admit I have no idea what pear drops smell like, but it does have a very distinctive smell, yes. Not one I can describe, though
They were a popular sweet from my early youth. A bit like sweet cough medicine if I remember correctly...extremely distinctive. They were banned/modified to remove the ethyl acetate.....
It is very much 'horses for courses' and it is not just about a single glue/cement but different ones for different jobs. I use the following:
For well over 90% of plastic to plastic my preference is Mr Cement S. It is an extra thin type such as Tamiya Extra Thin but, in my experience, better than the Tamiya. It is applied to a 'dry' join so capillary action draws it into the join and meld the plastic together. It grips very fast. Another type of extra thin that I find excellent (using at the moment) is Ammo Mig's. This type of cement is ideal because it means that you can precisely position parts before applying cement meaning a cleaner joint and no risk of smudging, just dont use too much. With large pieces I use pieces of masking tape or clamps to hold the parts together in the right position and then apply small amounts of cement between the tape/clamps making sure that you keep the cement well away from these. After a minute or two I remove the tape/clamps and then run a brush of the cement along the join. It evaporates from the surface without damaging it.
Sometime you do need a slower drying cement, it is for those odd situations when you cannot apply cement to a join and need to apply it to a mating surface instead. Often this is for small parts that you are positioning in odd places. For this I use Mr Cement DeLux but another good one is the Mig Ammo slow drying cement.
For attaching clear parts and avoid fogging it is best to use a white glue such as Gator Grip (my preference). This is also useful for photo-etch flat panels. There are sutuations when I use Mr Cement S for transparencies, when there is a good 'frame' that will be painted but overall it is best to use white glue for this. Micro Krystal Klear is also good for transparencies.
For attaching resin and some p.e. then c.a. glues are useful. I use three types, thin, medium and thick. Each type has it uses.
There are two other types of glue that more rarely has uses. Two part epoxy and the new types that cure with a UV light. I have these but rarely use them but they are good to have in your armoury.
I would recommend using https://www.scalemodelshop.co.uk/
to source your glues/cements and a lot more. It is run by John who owns this site and he provides a first class service.
For well over 90% of plastic to plastic my preference is Mr Cement S. It is an extra thin type such as Tamiya Extra Thin but, in my experience, better than the Tamiya. It is applied to a 'dry' join so capillary action draws it into the join and meld the plastic together. It grips very fast. Another type of extra thin that I find excellent (using at the moment) is Ammo Mig's. This type of cement is ideal because it means that you can precisely position parts before applying cement meaning a cleaner joint and no risk of smudging, just dont use too much. With large pieces I use pieces of masking tape or clamps to hold the parts together in the right position and then apply small amounts of cement between the tape/clamps making sure that you keep the cement well away from these. After a minute or two I remove the tape/clamps and then run a brush of the cement along the join. It evaporates from the surface without damaging it.
Sometime you do need a slower drying cement, it is for those odd situations when you cannot apply cement to a join and need to apply it to a mating surface instead. Often this is for small parts that you are positioning in odd places. For this I use Mr Cement DeLux but another good one is the Mig Ammo slow drying cement.
For attaching clear parts and avoid fogging it is best to use a white glue such as Gator Grip (my preference). This is also useful for photo-etch flat panels. There are sutuations when I use Mr Cement S for transparencies, when there is a good 'frame' that will be painted but overall it is best to use white glue for this. Micro Krystal Klear is also good for transparencies.
For attaching resin and some p.e. then c.a. glues are useful. I use three types, thin, medium and thick. Each type has it uses.
There are two other types of glue that more rarely has uses. Two part epoxy and the new types that cure with a UV light. I have these but rarely use them but they are good to have in your armoury.
I would recommend using https://www.scalemodelshop.co.uk/
to source your glues/cements and a lot more. It is run by John who owns this site and he provides a first class service.
Tamiya Extra Thin for most plastic, though on the harder compositions like that I've come across in Zoukei Mura kits I use EMA Plastic Weld.
I use bog standard CA glues (superglue) both thin and the gel types from supermarkets or similar. Don't buy expensive model specific CA glue, it's a waste of money. All CA glue goes off once exposed to air (well, technically the water in the air) and few will ever use a full container before this starts to affect the glues performance. I've never done so even building resin kits.
You can extend the life of the glue by keeping it in the fridge, unfortunately the Fuhrerin vetoed this option in my case, despite my well argued and factual argument, based on my old chemistry degree. For some inexplicable reason she was totally unimpressed with my knowledge of the relationship between rate of reaction and temperature!
Some kind of white glue is a must, I often use it for P-E parts which require a bit of wiggle time. At the moment I've got some Gator's Grip 'Acrylic Hobby Glue' on the go, which is very good, but there are cheaper options.
I use G-S Hypo Cement for clear parts. It's an easily manageable gel with a fine applicator, allows some wiggle time and sets to a strong bond in about a quarter of an hour. I've been using the same tube for years, so if you look after it you won't be buying much of it.
Finally, I have a two part quick epoxy handy. I rarely use this on models, I think I may have used it on a dodgy undercarriage recently, but it's a useful thing to have. It is also useful if you drop your mug and break off the handle :rolling:
I use bog standard CA glues (superglue) both thin and the gel types from supermarkets or similar. Don't buy expensive model specific CA glue, it's a waste of money. All CA glue goes off once exposed to air (well, technically the water in the air) and few will ever use a full container before this starts to affect the glues performance. I've never done so even building resin kits.
You can extend the life of the glue by keeping it in the fridge, unfortunately the Fuhrerin vetoed this option in my case, despite my well argued and factual argument, based on my old chemistry degree. For some inexplicable reason she was totally unimpressed with my knowledge of the relationship between rate of reaction and temperature!
Some kind of white glue is a must, I often use it for P-E parts which require a bit of wiggle time. At the moment I've got some Gator's Grip 'Acrylic Hobby Glue' on the go, which is very good, but there are cheaper options.
I use G-S Hypo Cement for clear parts. It's an easily manageable gel with a fine applicator, allows some wiggle time and sets to a strong bond in about a quarter of an hour. I've been using the same tube for years, so if you look after it you won't be buying much of it.
Finally, I have a two part quick epoxy handy. I rarely use this on models, I think I may have used it on a dodgy undercarriage recently, but it's a useful thing to have. It is also useful if you drop your mug and break off the handle :rolling:
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