Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Main reason I am asking this is because I called all the stores that sell GW in my area, and none of them stock PVA glue. So I was wondering if a place like Wal-Mart, or a large hobby shop that dabbles in all hobbies would have a different PVA glue. So I'm simply asking if anyone out there uses a different PVA glue and if so from where and what kind! Thank you!

Wood glue is PVA glue.



This brand is British -- you are bound to find an equivalent in Walmart or somewhere.

Elmer's White Glue

I use Aleene's tack glue (most craft stores carry it)

Cory

After doing 2 minutes of research after making my initial post, I found a few blogs and budget sites that explained PVA glue is nothing more than regular yellow or white glue. And many sites just recommend Elmers Glue all. Does anyone agree?

Yeah.. I love Elmers White Glue..

I generally pick up a years worth of the stuff right around the beginning of the school year in the fall. Last year Wal-mart had these bottles for a quarter a pop.. got 8 bottles for $2..

Still have 2 left..

I'm not the biggest fan of elmer's glue myself, but wood glue ends all.

Of course, wood glue leaves a bit of a yellow tint, so if you're attaching gravel after you've painted/sealed the model and you dont' want even the remotest bit of yellow then yeah, use regular PVA glue. In my case, I run a desert theme, so wood glue is perfect.

That sounds like a great deal! I'm fine with GW glues though. Back on the other side of the pond, ASDA just doesn't sell glue (ASDA is the UK subsidary of Wal-mart). Although I don't have an ASDA that near anyway, and at my LGS I get a discount anyway .

Just be sure to score the base before adding your flock, otherwise you it will peel off if the figure gets hot.

no it will just melt. but anyways, just keep it at room temperature and you'll be fine.

elmers has worked for me for 10 years without any problems. with grass, i mix a bit of the green i painted the base with it so that it dries the same color and haven't had a problem with the flock coming off. for my most recent army, i switched to itty bitty rocks (fine ballast technically) and i do have to use a second watered down elmers layer once the primary one dries to keep the rocks from getting knocked off during games.

One thing to note is that there are two (basic) types of elmers white glue. There's the kind marked as school glue and the other kind. Use the other kind. The school stuff is thinner and simply not worth it. I guess it's designed to make it easy to remove a kid's hand from his/her desk after craft time, but it is not for us.

Again, don't use the School Glue.

And don't water it down. Some folks recommend this, but all it does is weaken the bond.

BTW, Elmers costs a tiny fraction of the rip-off that is GW PVA glue.

Add me to the Elmers glue people. The only time I suggest watering it down is if your going to use sugar (instead of sand) only because if its too thick it will melt the sugar. Otherwise yea it works great for flocking (though I personally hate the stuff) grass all kinds of stuff.

Why would you water it down? It does no harm to you anyway, and any you do get on you, you can wipe with kitchen roll. The only things I water down is me paints when necessary, me brush washin' water, and me drinkin' water. What else?

KingCracker wrote:Add me to the Elmers glue people. The only time I suggest watering it down is if your going to use sugar (instead of sand) only because if its too thick it will melt the sugar. Otherwise yea it works great for flocking (though I personally hate the stuff) grass all kinds of stuff.

YmeLocSquirrel256 wrote:Why would you water it down? It does no harm to you anyway, and any you do get on you, you can wipe with kitchen roll. The only things I water down is me paints when necessary, me brush washin' water, and me drinkin' water. What else?

Just in case you missed it again.

Me too for Elmers. I base before I prime so there's usually little danger of losing base material.

Won't the sugar rot?

Not even close. What you do is mix about 60/40 elmers glue water. Then paint it on the base. Make sure its thin. Then pour on the sugar, and shake off the excess. Let it dry about 10 minutes and then spray paint the base. Now if your a base AFTER the paint job, let the stuff dry about 20 minutes, and put another layer or 2 of the glue mix and let that dry over night. Afterwards you can paint it up how ever you want and it looks great.

I imagine that if it didn't dissolve in the process, the glue/paint should protect it pretty well.

I use wood glue instead of white glue, because it dries much harder and stronger.

It really does, Ive used it the way I said above for years, and still the bases look like the day I finished them.

+1 for Elmers glue,I've used it for basing for over 10 years with no problems to speak of.

I would just use sand, save that sugar for the hot drinks.

yeah, rottable products make me uneasy on my models.

And the reason you thin out PVA glue is for smoother application and a more even coat. My old GW PVA glue used to be two steps shy of a solid brick of PVA in a bottle. It being the consistancy of peanut butter made it a bit difficult to get it down smoothly and stuff to stick to it. A little water was definitely a necessity.

Right. I think my glue so that I don't get "bubbles" of glue, but I suppose
you could avoid that anyway by just brushing it on.

kingcr02 wrote:Main reason I am asking this is because I called all the stores that sell GW in my area, and none of them stock PVA glue. So I was wondering if a place like Wal-Mart, or a large hobby shop that dabbles in all hobbies would have a different PVA glue. So I'm simply asking if anyone out there uses a different PVA glue and if so from where and what kind! Thank you!

Isnt PVA glue just simple white glue? aka the glue we use in school for art classes?
Any store that sells pencil and pen should have the glue as well

YmeLocSquirrel256 wrote:I would just use sand, save that sugar for the hot drinks.

Ailaros wrote:yeah, rottable products make me uneasy on my models.

And the reason you thin out PVA glue is for smoother application and a more even coat. My old GW PVA glue used to be two steps shy of a solid brick of PVA in a bottle. It being the consistancy of peanut butter made it a bit difficult to get it down smoothly and stuff to stick to it. A little water was definitely a necessity.

Except for I stated Ive done this for years, and it hasnt rotted. Add to that, Im fairly certain you 2 are mis understanding what "rotting" means.

I use a version of white glue, It just says "glue all" If I am in doubt of the hold it will give I use Elmer's "spray adhesive" that combo seems to win for me.

The sugar will be just fine so long as nothing (microbe, bacteria, ants) can get to it. The glue seals it off perfectly fine, esp. if you pput a thinned coat over the top of it after you are done as a sealant. I thin it and use it as a sealant on Sculpey, so it will take paint. And you really shouldnt feed the GW troll by buying hteir white glue/pva/ hwatever the feth they call it. GW does make some fine, fine products but that is just blatant fething robbery.

Use 50/50 water and apply with a brush then sprinkle with baking soda/powder for snow or fine sand effect. I think elmers will work better with a 50/50 mix with water but I need to try it. Im in the same position but I'm just to cheap to buy gw pva so I'm trying out elmers, should work though.

-I recommend watering it down despite what others say its smoother just wait for it to dry completely before priming and if on a large base do it in sections so the glue doesn't partialy dry making a weaker adheasion to the sand or what ever you use.

Like most GW Hobby products, "PVA Glue" is an inferior form of a cheaper product with a GW label slapped on it.

Don't buy anything but models and paint from GW.


I use Elmer's with a bit of water (for smoother application) and black paint. The black color takes care of any gaps in the paint that may not have gotten between each piece of gravel/sand.