newbie question on glue.

[camaronut 1]

I just recently got back into building models , and even though Im not on the same level as you guys here is my issue. I love and collect anything camaro, I have recently purchased several hard to find kits like jungle Jim's 70 camaro , Bruce Larsens USA-1 both 68 and 70, andf Bill Jenkins 68 grumpys toy, and a 83 rehre and morrison kit. Im not an expert modeler but you can tell this isnt the cars you want falling apart after a few months. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[randx0]

liquid glues like tenax 7r or ambroid are good ones .plastruc makes decent liquid glue as does tamiya.the old tube glue has it's purposes but I don't use it much .there are also several different superglues that dry at diffent speeds.two part epoxy is also useful .you can use white glue for windows .the liquid glues are great for precise gluing,fasr drying and the good ones provide a strong bond.tube glue is useful for really strong bonds usually where it wont be seen.super glues you will have experiment with to see what you like to use them for they have different thicknesses the thicker they are the longer they take to dry from 10 seconds up to a minute.there is also accelerator to instantly dry the super glue and be sure to have debonder open on the workbench when using super glue.hope this helps and don't rely solely on my opinions try the stuff out and use what works for you this stuff is just basic general purpose info.

[Modelmartin]

I use a liquid glue which I buy in pint cans. It is most commonly used for plexiglass. It is applied with a brush or dabbed on the edge of an X-acto blade and flowed in place. I also use superglue a lot for smaller parts and after parts are painted. They make non-fogging and thicker superglues. I have observed that different people like different brands so you will have to try some to see what you will like. White glue (Elmer's or Crystal Clear which is a model builder's white glue) is great for a lot of things. Tiny trim parts on painted surfaces and photo-etch detail parts can be glued on with clear acrylic or enamel paint. I don't use epoxy much anymore but sometimes you need a structural strength join between dissimilar materials. I like JB weld. You likely would not need that if you are doing out-of-the-box builds. I have not used tube glue since 1980. Seriously!

[camaronut 1]

I use a liquid glue which I buy in pint cans. It is most commonly used for plexiglass. It is applied with a brush or dabbed on the edge of an X-acto blade and flowed in place. I also use superglue a lot for smaller parts and after parts are painted. They make non-fogging and thicker superglues. I have observed that different people like different brands so you will have to try some to see what you will like. White glue (Elmer's or Crystal Clear which is a model builder's white glue) is great for a lot of things. Tiny trim parts on painted surfaces and photo-etch detail parts can be glued on with clear acrylic or enamel paint. I don't use epoxy much anymore but sometimes you need a structural strength join between dissimilar materials. I like JB weld. You likely would not need that if you are doing out-of-the-box builds. I have not used tube glue since 1980. Seriously!

yeha

yeah, yeah I know tube glue is garbage.LOL. Honestly I havent built probably a half dozen cars since 1980 so learning all over again. But anyways I'll try these soon as I get back to the states, kinda behind on the builds for now due to " Military Obligations" I'm slacxking til then . thanks for the help and I'll try them.

[Bernard Kron]

Here are my two bits worth.

Super glues (CA) dry relatively fast, dry clear, can be precisely applied, can be made to set instantly using an accelerator, and come in a large variety of thicknesses and strength. And of course, most importantly, bond anything to anything, so are the key to successful multimedia modeling (for example metal to styrene, resin to styrene, resin to metal, etc.). So CA is pretty much the weapon of choice for detailed building, especially if using aftermarket parts or doing very fine work.

Unfortunately some people (like me for instance) react very badly to CA which can create flu-like or allergy-like symptoms such as respiratory problems, irritated eyes and severe nasal congestion. But from what I can tell it's very rare so I would probably go to CA first as your best all-around bet.

Since I now have to build totally without CA here's my list of glues I find useful.

Styrene to styrene and other plastic to plastic applications:

1) Liquid cement - Tenax 7R, Testors liquid cement, Tamiya Extra Thin Cement, Plastruct Bondene, Plastruct Plastic Weld, etc. These vary in thickness. bonding ability and speed at which they dry. They all dry very quickly. Tenax 7R, which is very aggressive, bonds quite well dries very quickly indeed and so can be troublesome if you need time to position parts. But it's great for small, fine work such as frame building, etc. My current all-around favorite is Tamiya Extra Thin for it's overall balance between these issues. Plus it comes in this nice low, tip-proof bottle with an applicator brush. Some of these come in taller bottles which can (will!) tip over on the workbench. Also, an in-bottle applicator brush is very handy.

2) Tube glue - Looked down upon by many, I actually swear by this stuff. It's slightly sticky and thick and so is great for positioning and setting parts. I use a pin as an applicator which helps keep my bonds precise and small in area. The key I have found is to use the smallest amount appropriate for the job and to give the bond 3-5 minutes of unmolested setting time. I use Testors in the red tube (the kid-friendly stuff in the blue tube is too weak for me).

Where it makes sense, such as flat mating surfaces or pinned parts, I prefer to use liquid cement because it's so clean. Also you can further strengthen the bond by flowing in additional cement at the joint via capillary action, such as when cementing small pinned parts or constructing chassis. But I use the thick stuff a lot. Just squeeze some out on a piece of scrap paper or masking tape and apply is sparingly with a toothpick or pin and the glue bomb monster which stay away from your door!

Non-plastic to plastic and non-plastic to non-plastic.

This is where CA is king IMHO. But here are some alternatives:

1) Contact cement - The cheap stuff you can get at the hardware store (I use DAP Weldwood Contact Cement), Walters Goo, etc. The way this stuff works is to bond separately to each surface and then to bond to itself after it has set up and dried somewhat. The thinner the better as far as I'm concerned. I started with Walters Goo but it is just too stringy and hard to handle. The cheap thin stuff I use now is nearly perfect. It's thin enough to apply with a toothpick or pin, not stringy, and can be precisely applied so it doesn't show. The resulting bond is very strong and slightly flexible. Because of the slight flexibility it cannot be used for rigid stressed joints such as those found in frames. Also, for extra small mating surfaces such as gluing aluminum tubes together it will not bond sufficiently. You must let the two surfaces dry for a minute or so to get the full effect. I'm currently experimenting with increasingly small parts and mating surfaces in the hopes this will substitute for much of what I used to do with CA. Dries with an amber color so it cannot be used where the glue might show.

2) Two part epoxy cement - Very strong bond, glues anything to anything, can be used in very small amounts. However, it must be mixed each time, is stinky, and becomes useless to use after just a few minutes. Also dries with an amber color in most cases. I have stayed away from this stuff since my reaction to CA for fear of a similar allergic response. However, many modelers use epoxy where they might use CA, expecially for final assembly work and where the strength of the bond is critical.

2) Testors Metal and Wood Cement (Green tube) - Somewhat thick and sticky but can be applied in very small amounts. Dries clear and can be picked away after it dries. Fairly friendly to plastic. However it will mar painted surfaces. I currently use this where I would use CA, especially for very small joints like wiring and plumbing engines, etc. Unfortunately this stuff takes a few minutes to dry and set up and the bond is not as strong as CA. But because it's clear and will mate dissimilar materials it has been a life saver. Again, less is more - apply sparingly and it will take less time to set up and bond stronger.

Gluing where the bond might show.

This is a special category, such as headlight lenses, windows and other clear parts, parts that must be glued to painted surfaces such as bodywork, etc. This is another place where CA can be useful, especially the thicker stuff which won't run. But for me the weapon of choice in most cases is white glue. This stuff comes in a bewildering variety of strengths, thickness, and tackiness. Examples include Microscale Micro Kristal Klear, Elmer's Glu-All, Elmer's Carpenter's Cement, Aleene's Original Tacky Glue, Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue, Crafter's Pick The Ultimate, etc. This stuff will almost never harm the underlying surface and can be cleaned off with water. The bond is never very strong so it can't be used where the joint will be stressed. I use several different ones depending on application. Aleene's Fast Grab is very useful for test fitting and mockup but is hard to remove without actually soaking the part in water.

[camaronut 1]

This topic comes up fairly often, (nothing wrong with that BTW, it's important & one of the basic questions of the hobby), & here's what I use:

1-Testors, (or any other brand), tube glue. The familiar old orange & white tube of Testors model cement is still a mainstay on my work bench. It’s not used for a lot of things, but what I use it for makes it important for me. I use it for applications where a slower setting time for possible parts adjustment is needed, on suspension parts for example. The key is to NEVER apply it directly to the model. I buy disposable paper plates, (never use styrofoam ones, as the glue eats right through them), & squirt a bit of glue on the plate, cap the glue, & then use a toothpick, (flat or round, depends on what I’m working on), to apply the glue to the parts.

2-Testor liquid cement, (black squeeze bottle, blunt needle tip): This is one of my 2 main glues used in building. It’s great for getting the glue on a tab or in a locating hole, or running glue down a seam. It dries relatively fast, (faster than tube glue), but still allows time for alignment & adjustments. This can be applied directly to the parts.

3-Tenax-7R liquid cement/Ambroid Pro Weld liquid cement: My other main glues. I use them in conjunction with the Testors liquid cement, usually using the Testors for “first stage†assembly while getting the parts lined up, & the Tenax or Ambroid to get the stronger final bond. Both dries faster than the Testors liquid, but you still have a bit of alignment time if needed. To put it on, I have cheap Testors white handle brushes that I keep separate from my paint brushes. Capillary action will let the glue flow into seams & the like as you brush it on. The bottles of both are tall & narrow, so watch out as it is easy to tip either one over. The Ambroid I've gotten to where I prefer, as it last longer in the bottle. The Tenax evaporates in the bottle far too rapidly.

4-White glue, (Testors Clear Parts Cement or Microscale Krystal Klear): Safe for attaching clear parts. It also is good for giving the appearance of “glass†over gauges & the like. The Testors is in a squeeze bottle with the applicator as part of the bottle, & the Microscale is in a plastic bottle requiring use of a brush. About the only difference in the two I’ve found is the Microscale is a bit thicker than the Testors is, (but not as thick as Elmer’s glue), which can be helpful sometimes. Drying time for each seems about the same.

5-Aleene’s Tacky Glue: Another white glue & my personal preference for attaching windshields & backlights. It dries clear & holds the parts in place well. This glue is available at craft stores such as Michaels & Hobby Lobby, as well as in the craft sections of Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart, etc. Many local hobby shops also carry it as well.

6-Two part epoxy: Useful for attaching clear parts, & also for bonding resin parts together, resin to plastic, & metal or photo etched parts to a kit. Epoxy is also useful in performing radical bodywork/customizing in attaching the pieces back together. There are alternatives to attaching clear parts or photo etched parts other than epoxy which can yellow over time. Those I’ll cover a bit further down.

7-The superglues I use are Loctite or Original Superglue in a pen applicator, (both available cheap at Wal-Mart, Dollar General & the like), & Loctite gel superglue in a tube.

Never use regular model cement or super glue to attach clear parts, as either one can fog the clear parts.

The other 2 items I mentioned I use for attaching clear parts. They are clear enamel &/or clear acrylic paint, (the Testors in the bottles works well for this). These paints work well for attaching head & tail lights & the like. They’re especially useful in attaching a rear view mirror to a windshield.

Thanks guys This all will help when I get back to the states and start modeling again. Right now I have around fifteen models (all camaro) that need my attention , thanks again John.