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Which cement / glue

Posted: May 17th, 2017, 6:54 pm
by billyb_imp
What are you guys & gals using to glue / cement things together. I have just started putting together the cockpit in the Airfix 1/48 Hurricane and even using the needle applicator on the Revell Pro Cement, I seem to be applying too much, got a bit of touching up on paintwork as the cement (and my fingers) have smudged the paint.

Re: Which cement / glue

Posted: May 17th, 2017, 7:50 pm
by iggie
I use Tamiya extra thin rapid, and Mr Hobby liquid. Both have a brush built into the cap; the Tamiya brush is very fine for detail work. Both glues are excellent for my needs

Re: Which cement / glue

Posted: May 17th, 2017, 8:01 pm
by billyb_imp
iggie wrote:I use Tamiya extra thin rapid, and Mr Hobby liquid. Both have a brush built into the cap; the Tamiya brush is very fine for detail work. Both glues are excellent for my needs
Just been looking at the Tamiya extra thin, will order some now.

Also maybe a problem I have caused, is that, I haven't put a gloss / matt finish top coat over everything i have painted for the cockpit, which maybe why the cement is smudging the acrylic paintwork.

Learning by my mistakes

Re: Which cement / glue

Posted: May 17th, 2017, 8:39 pm
by Stuart
+1 on the Tamiya Extra Thin, but it depends on the situation.

If the parts are tight fitting, like your Hurricane cockpit, the Tamiya glue is great, becuase you can hold the parts together and the dab a bit of glue on and it will flow between the parts.

For parts that don't fit well, or leave some gappage - then I use the Revel Contacta thing, OR as is more often the case these days because I hate it's stupid metal applicator that's always blocking :twisted: - I'll use bog standard Humbrol Tube Glue. I dollop a bit on some masking tape or scrap card, and then apply it to the surfaces to be Glued with a cocktail stick.

Hope that helps.

Stuart

Re: Which cement / glue

Posted: May 17th, 2017, 9:03 pm
by Ratch
I use Revell Contacta on opaque plastic and PVA to fix clear parts :ha:

Re: Which cement / glue

Posted: May 17th, 2017, 9:04 pm
by billyb_imp
Sir T wrote:+1 on the Tamiya Extra Thin, but it depends on the situation.

If the parts are tight fitting, like your Hurricane cockpit, the Tamiya glue is great, becuase you can hold the parts together and the dab a bit of glue on and it will flow between the parts.

For parts that don't fit well, or leave some gappage - then I use the Revel Contacta thing, OR as is more often the case these days because I hate it's stupid metal applicator that's always blocking :twisted: - I'll use bog standard Humbrol Tube Glue. I dollop a bit on some masking tape or scrap card, and then apply it to the surfaces to be Glued with a cocktail stick.

Hope that helps.

Stuart
Thanks Stuart, I will try some of these tips tomorrow

Re: Which cement / glue

Posted: May 18th, 2017, 8:29 am
by JamesPerrin
I second Stuart's comments. All plastic glues have their uses. You need to learn their properties and work out which work best with you and the kits you build.

Re: Which cement / glue

Posted: May 18th, 2017, 4:28 pm
by JohnRatzenberger
For plastic (styrene) I use liquid glues -- the thin type, like Tamiya Extra-Thin (green top) and Tenax which is hotter. I do not use any of the thicker (Tamiya orange) glues or any tube glues. I keep 3-4 old paint brushes, from very fine to a bit bigger, and use them to apply the glue -- much better control of quantity and location.

For wood, photo-etch, resin, stubborn styrene, filling, etc, I use CA applying it with an old brass rod. .020" and .032".

I use PVA/Kleer for canopies, with a cocktail stick or brass rod. Same for Gator's Grip on photo-etch.

I never use any kind of squirt-applicator right from the bottle, jar, whatever - I am not a gentle person and no good ever comes from it.

Try different ones enough to feel comfortable or not, then carry on.

Re: Which cement / glue

Posted: May 18th, 2017, 5:01 pm
by ShaunW
Polystyrene cement - Revell Contacta, applied with a cocktail stick or I admit to applying direct using the applicator tube - most modellers will not recommend that method and sometimes I mess up and get glue prints on the model as a result! Although liquid cement can be neater to apply, I think "tube" poly cement such as Contacta gives a stronger join on applications such as fuselage halves or wings, particularly on larger scale kits.

Liquid polystyrene cement - Mr Cement "S" - ignore the odd name, it is very good stuff. I usually apply with an old paint brush although there is an applicator brush built into the bottle lid. I find a paint brush gives better control, others disagree and are happy using the built-in brush.

Transparency glue - Deluxe Materials Glue 'n' Glaze or DIY store PVA "white glue" - both of these types dry clear and won't fog the glazing. G 'n' G is a bit pricey in my opinion. Poly cement can be used to attach transparent parts but it is very easy to slip up and fog the parts and once they're fogged, I do verily believe they're fogged.

Metal/resin bits - I'm not a huge fan of CA ("superglue") and prefer to use a two-part epoxy resin glue - Araldite is arguably the best known make in the UK but I find Wilkos own brand to be just as good and far cheaper. Two-part epoxy glues can be a bit messy to use however.

You will find your own preferences as you build more and your own way of applying various glues, certainly I make no claims to being a guru on that score :ha:

Re: Which cement / glue

Posted: May 18th, 2017, 7:46 pm
by billyb_imp
Thanks for all the info, youve given me much to think about and try out, I thought I knew a bit about glues, as I use a bit on wood when turning but its a whole new ball game on all these different plastic parts.

Re: Which cement / glue

Posted: May 19th, 2017, 1:48 am
by dollar19
Straight MEK for me on styrene. PVA for clear parts and tiny bits like u/c actuators it has enough tack to hold in place then a dab of CA to lock it. And of course CA .

Re: Which cement / glue

Posted: June 7th, 2017, 2:50 pm
by wingcommander
I have used a number of poly glues over the years. The Tamiya is easy to apply, but I find it doesn't hold fiddly parts (I build vehicles) that you can't apply reasonable pressure to. Humbrol precision, if used with care, does the job. Oh how I miss the days when the only cement you could get was that stringy stuff that satisfactorily stuck everything to your fingers and took an age to remove from skin.....

Re: Which cement / glue

Posted: June 20th, 2017, 9:34 am
by Eric Mc
I use Revell Contacta for most general work - using the applicator. It does tend to block but I usually find that if you remove the applicator from the bottle and then, using a pliers as a holder, place it in a candle flame, the dried glue will burn out (creating a little blow torch affect for a second).

I use tube glue now and then but not straight from the tube. I squirt a small amount into a beer bottle top and then apply the glue to the model using a toothpick. Modern tube glue is much better than the stuff that was available years ago. It's more runny and less prone to stringing.

I use Pacer 500 PVA glue for canopies and clear parts and I use super glues for resin and photo etch.