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Hello, I’ve just started the hobby. I’ve got three Scions start collecting boxes. For the couple squads of Scions I’ve done, I’ve just used locktite. But, when I’m done with them, I have to move onto the Taurox Primes and the Valkyries I plan to get. What glue is recommended for vehicles like Tauroxes and Valkyries? Plastic cement?

Plastic glue.

Plastic cement. Any brand other than GW's (overpriced).


You want a liquid plastic cement available from Testors, Model Masters, Revell etc. Should look more or less like the one above - best ones have a metal tube. Apply very sparingly and lightly, as it melts/bonds the plastic to itself. Be very sparing, you only need a tiny drop for connecting an arm to a torso, or line the vehicle components very lightly.

Will sometimes need to be held a short while before you can let it dry. If you spill it or squirt it all over a plastic model it will eat away at the plastic and can ruin portions of a model. Apply this to a clean smooth/flat join. If needed you can file/sand the joining location lightly.

Also, if the metal nozzle clogs you can unblock it by holding it over a flame and gently squeezing.

You may be better off supergluing or magnetising any weapon options as you can change them out or snap them off if you decide to rework your list.

Tamiya Extra Thin: quick drying (all plastics. Especially small parts).
Tamiya Extra Thin: Regular (all plastics).
Gorilla super glue (for metals and resin).

Plastic cement for any an all plastic models. Never use super glue unless you are attaching green stuff, metal, resin or anything that doesn't bond with plastic cement.
But always use plastic cement for plastics. It's far superior.

 Elbows wrote:
Plastic cement. Any brand other than GW's (overpriced).
.

This stuff is great

-

Tamiya Plastic Cement. I like brush applicators.

you should only use super glue for regular assembling, pinning for certain areas, magnetization for mobile areas, clear dry gel glue for sensitive areas like cockpit canopy.

you shouldn't use plastic cement for any reason because it only glue plastic to plastic, not resin nor metal parts. if you make a slight mistake you cannot rectify without Fing up your model as the plastic cement melts the plastic joints to bond them.

If you don't want your plastic dudesmen to break into pieces if you happen to drop them on the floor, always use plastic cement. Only exception would be if you're not 100% sure you want to stick with a certain weapon (arm) for the rest of our life.

Cyanoacrylate (superglue, CA) becomes brittle over time and your guys will start breaking apart eventually. Might not happen in a year but give it enough time and you will notice it.

About mistakes, you might make them in the beginning sure, but once you get the hang of things and just be careful with assembly you shouldn't be running into any problems with plastic cement.

I use this stuff for anything plastic,
super thin, so less mess.
you can even put 2 plastic pieces together, brush this stuff across the seam, and the capillary action will suck it into the join, bonding them on almost a molecular level, gives verry strong joins, maybe even as string as the plastic its self.

comes with a fine brush inside the lid! for me there is no alternative!

for £3.50 everyone should give it a try!

Yep, Tamiya Extra Thin is a fantastic plastic glue. Definitely worth picking up.

Cannot agree more.

Tamiya is great as an adhesive but it also evaporates quickly and produces somewhat noxious if not toxic vapours. I highly recommend a well ventilated working area.

As a user who uses them in my bedroom with window closed regularly I can tell you the fumes are neither noxious or toxic. Just a little smelly.

Super glue however. You'll get high as a kite.

 Big Mac wrote:
you should only use super glue for regular assembling, pinning for certain areas, magnetization for mobile areas, clear dry gel glue for sensitive areas like cockpit canopy.

you shouldn't use plastic cement for any reason because it only glue plastic to plastic, not resin nor metal parts. if you make a slight mistake you cannot rectify without Fing up your model as the plastic cement melts the plastic joints to bond them.

You just stated why plastic cement IS good. Once you have assembled it it tends to not go apart. The melting is precisely reason why you WANT to use plastic cement.

If you read OP, he says he’s new which means he’ll make mistakes assembling/sub asssebling, vehicles can be a nightmare sometimes for beginners. Especially those parts that require finesse subassembly around the moving parts or interior detail.

You can ask most pro painters and they’ll likely back what I suggest for the exact reasons. Dropping your plastic models is not like dropping your metal models where it might shatter apart like glass without pinning. You’ll have to deal with some retouch paint anyways, why does it matter if another part came apart?

ValentineGames wrote:
As a user who uses them in my bedroom with window closed regularly I can tell you the fumes are neither noxious or toxic. Just a little smelly.

I got headaches regularly when I did this with Revell Contacta Professional (and I'm not the psychosomatic type who would get sick just from expecting to get sick). YMMV.