Glues
Christian1971
07-06-2007, 09:58 PM
I know there are different glues out there that can do different things. But what brand of glue works best for plastic models?
freakray
07-06-2007, 10:06 PM
Not originally written by myself, but info which pretty much covers the basics:
PLASTIC CEMENT
Do not use the tube type of glue, as it is too messy, but the bottle based glue is superb. It comes with a small brush, and can only be used for basic assembly as it won’t work in the presence of paint, the glued surfaces must be bare plastic. It works by melting the two surfaces together. For initial building purposes, i.e. joining two engine halves together before painting.
SUPER GLUE
The best choice for suspension parts, especially joining the brake discs onto the hubs. Apply using a toothpick, and squeeze a drop onto the toothpick, never try to apply super glue straight from a tube onto the model!
Do not use on or near clear parts, as ‘fogging’ will ruin clear parts turning them white. It can also melt thin plastic, so use sparingly when mounting doors or other panels onto hinges.
‘KRYSTAL KLEAR’ or CLEAR GLUE
The ONLY choice for clear parts, and also non stressed parts, such as rear view mirrors, door mirrors, etc. Very weak until set, the parts often require tacking until the glue takes hold. Also water soluble, and a great way to glue light lenses is to use a few drops to place the part, and when dry, run a thin bead of clear glue round the lens. Then immediately wipe off the access with a wet cloth, leaving a thin bead which fills the gap and dries completely clear.
You will definitely find that as your skills develop and your enthusiasm and willingness to try new ideas and techniques grow, you'll find more glue variants finding their way to your workbench.
At this point, I have 3 different CA glues, 2 formulae of plastic cement and epoxy on my workbench which all come into action depending on the application.
A useful tip which I picked up from Bob Downie is using CA/super glue with a kicker as a filler too, so it doesn't only have to be used to glue parts together, you can use it for minor body work too :)
PLASTIC CEMENT
Do not use the tube type of glue, as it is too messy, but the bottle based glue is superb. It comes with a small brush, and can only be used for basic assembly as it won’t work in the presence of paint, the glued surfaces must be bare plastic. It works by melting the two surfaces together. For initial building purposes, i.e. joining two engine halves together before painting.
SUPER GLUE
The best choice for suspension parts, especially joining the brake discs onto the hubs. Apply using a toothpick, and squeeze a drop onto the toothpick, never try to apply super glue straight from a tube onto the model!
Do not use on or near clear parts, as ‘fogging’ will ruin clear parts turning them white. It can also melt thin plastic, so use sparingly when mounting doors or other panels onto hinges.
‘KRYSTAL KLEAR’ or CLEAR GLUE
The ONLY choice for clear parts, and also non stressed parts, such as rear view mirrors, door mirrors, etc. Very weak until set, the parts often require tacking until the glue takes hold. Also water soluble, and a great way to glue light lenses is to use a few drops to place the part, and when dry, run a thin bead of clear glue round the lens. Then immediately wipe off the access with a wet cloth, leaving a thin bead which fills the gap and dries completely clear.
You will definitely find that as your skills develop and your enthusiasm and willingness to try new ideas and techniques grow, you'll find more glue variants finding their way to your workbench.
At this point, I have 3 different CA glues, 2 formulae of plastic cement and epoxy on my workbench which all come into action depending on the application.
A useful tip which I picked up from Bob Downie is using CA/super glue with a kicker as a filler too, so it doesn't only have to be used to glue parts together, you can use it for minor body work too :)
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