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I've had a "second-hand" carnifex for a couple months now. I painted it up (On top of another paint job) and dealt with it. But no more!

This carnifex was absolutely horrendous. It was missing the front carapace piece (because the owner forgot to put arms on LAST), and it's legs were all funky and it wouldn't stand up without pinning. Not to mention the whole thing was done with PLASTIC glue. The absolute WORST thing to use on any models ever.

So first things first, I ripped off all it's arms (two scytals and an HVC), as close to the body as possible. Of course, none of them came off clean, so I had to snip off huge chunks of arm from the torso later. Next, I tore off the tail/leg piece. It came off really cleanly, as did the legs. I then stripped all the pieces, including the ripped apart arms, because they look okay for scenery or something

Okay, so that's great, right? Now, I had to go through the impossible challenge of drilling massive holes in the side of its body for new arms. This was easily done with some of my home-depot drill bits, a little knife carving, and some filing. Each hole took like 5 minutes, I'd say. With that done, I put on the missing carapace piece (the previous owner was nice enough to give me all of them from the sprue). I left the head on, because I liked it, and also because it wouldn't come off

Seriously, a message to all gamers. DO NOT USE PLASTIC GLUE. It's a cruel joke by GW to get you to buy more models instead of fixing old ones! I tell my friends all the time, and they assure me that they have no intention of taking models apart or selling them, just to be begging me to take them from them!

Anyway, pics later. I'm rather proud of myself for completely repairing a terrible model. I'm putting the set of smaller Scytals on the beast, as well as a toxin sac, a tail thing and whatever that gun with the sac is called (I'm a proxy player, and it's the only gun I have to put on it). I'll be painting the arms separately, as well as the legs. Tyranids are awful to paint after assembly.

Thanks for reading!

What would you suggest as an alternative to plastic glue? Super glue doesnt do the trick most of the time on plastic models.

Super glue, yes It works way better, in my opinion.

Dries quicker, pulls apart easier...Seems like the way to go. It's the way I do everything

I never use cyanoacrylic superglue on plastic models. Ever.

It's brittle, it doesn't bond well, and it can ruin any of the "clear" bits on the model.

Polystyrene Cement=winner. End of story. If it's not in a blue tube with Testors on it--it ain't gak.

Samus_aran115 wrote:Super glue, yes It works way better, in my opinion.

Dries quicker, pulls apart easier...Seems like the way to go. It's the way I do everything

Yea but its so damn frustrating to get it to stick sometimes lol
Although I wish I would have used it on my new Tau Devilfish because in a 3am sleep deprived modeling session I glued the engines on backwards.

Samus_aran115 wrote:Super glue, yes It works way better, in my opinion.

Dries quicker, pulls apart easier...Seems like the way to go. It's the way I do everything

That's actually not a good thing, you know

Kanluwen wrote:. If it's not in a blue tube with Testors on it--it ain't gak.

Mines a red tube with Testors on it

yeah, that's what I hear from a lot of people. I'm just really delicate with my models, I suppose. I've found that plastic glue just makes the pieces slippery as gak. The fit together eventually, but you have to sit there holding the pieces together

DA's Forever wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:. If it's not in a blue tube with Testors on it--it ain't gak.

Mines a red tube with Testors on it

I avoid the red tube. It's toxic and stains carpets

The blue tube is non-toxic and doesn't stain carpets. My dog actually ate a whole tube of the blue stuff and was perfectly fine.

@ samus: Odd i only have to hold them for ten seconds or so, tops

@Kanluwen: Never had it hit carpet... yet

Really? I was gluing some marines with my friend's plastic glue and I had to sit there holding the arms for what seemes like over minute or so. It was a real pain :3

If you're not cleaning your models properly with soap+water to get rid of the mold release agent or not removing mold lines, yeah plastic glue causes issues.

Yeah ten seconds does it for me most of the time.

The problem with the Carnifex wasn't the kind of glue. Its that he glued on a piece that should have been magnetized.

Even if the arms had been superglued chances are they wouldn't have come off cleanly.

Kanluwen wrote:If you're not cleaning your models properly with soap+water to get rid of the mold release agent or not removing mold lines, yeah plastic glue causes issues.

I remove mold lines, but ive never washed them before. that really help?

Your model only has to be washed if you can feel the mold release agent. It will feel like the model is coated in a very thin layer of oil. Like if you spilled oil on metal and wiped it all off with a rag, there is still that oily feel.

It sure does!

Not to mention that it gives a far better adhesive surface for primer and paint, cutting down on the amount you'll end up needing to use.

@ Branderic Oh okay never had any like that

@ Kan, might have to give it a try

That makes sense I always wash my models, and I was helping him put together some of his models, which I doubt were washed. Maybe I'll give plastic glue another chance. It would be great for keeping basic troops together.

yeah, washing is a good idea. I do it for everything. Especially tanks. If you don't wash them, you might get these weird "bald-spots" from the primer. It's just a good idea.

*looks at yesterdays primed landraider*

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGE!!

Thats what that is!

Kanluwen wrote:If it's not in a blue tube with Testors on it--it ain't gak.

I use a blue bottle with Revell Contacta Professional myself. Haven't used tube cement in decades. Not enough control.

Liquid poly ftw. Hold for 10 seconds and it grabs. Even worked on Baneblade parts. Too much glue is often the source of noob issues. Too much and the wrong place.

I hate the liquid stuff. I just use a syringe for the poly cement, or in a pinch I have some of the little nozzles that Testors sells. Got 'em for free when I bought a big box of glue from the train shop near me.

Kanluwen wrote:I never use cyanoacrylic superglue on plastic models. Ever.

It's brittle, it doesn't bond well, and it can ruin any of the "clear" bits on the model.

Polystyrene Cement=winner. End of story. If it's not in a blue tube with Testors on it--it ain't gak.

what about the red tube? i like that versions, bonds a little faster, only downside is its not nontoxic... and it doesnt bond painted bits.

It being toxic was a conscious decision in getting the red,

if your holding plastic cement for minutes then your using too much. you just need a very thin layer on one of the surfaces, and it will grab straight away.

Samus, you must be using some pretty rubbish plastic glue.

It's a cruel joke by GW to get you to buy more models instead of fixing old ones!

Maybe try some made by another company. You're looking for stuff called polystyrene cement, it's the same stuff but rather the real non-12 year old name for it (the name is instructions ).

I use these two and they work fairly well.




This thread also reminded me I need to get some more.

always use super glue. it glues things superly as its name would imply


Automatically Appended Next Post:
though yeah the ones above me work pretty good. thanks to the little nozzle you have WAAAAY more controlll than the GW ones

I use Testors Master Modeller plastic cement exclusively on plastic figures. I have yet to have a problem, then again I'm of the "measure twice cut once" school of thought. I always test fit and plan out the way my figures will be built before I glue parts together.

I just noticed I must be the only guy here to use this


Works like a charm It says irritating but I keep having to clean if from my hands to no ill effects (damned needle keeps clogging because I'm a morron).

Oh and it lasts for fething years. At this rate I'm never going to get rid of this bottle.



Plastic glue is awesome for 2 things:

1) Glueing plastic and keeping it glued
2) Because of 1, I can do things like glue a dwarf helmet's horn back on, leave just a tad too much glue and have a completly clean fit as if it never came of!

Superglue does not bond with the material, but creates a film of residue hard to scrape off. I only use it where metal is involved. For plastic, I always use plastic glue, and unless one is untidy with it, it is the best possible choice in my opinion.