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Does anyone have any tips for helping to speed up the process? The super glue doesn't bond instantly....or even close to it. I have heard of using a bit of water to make the glue tackier, but I have also heard it makes the bond more brittle.

Any catalysts for the super glue to get it to bond the bits faster?

I wash all resin in soap and water as par for the course, and previously all my FW tanks went together pretty easily. However, these infantry are a serious PITA.

Any tips on speeding up the process would be appreciated.

Thanks!

How about pinning? Epoxy putty?

Seriously?

And you're complaining about slow bond time?
Get used to it.

What about Zip Kicker? As long as you have the parts seated properly, I've found that the bond is fine.

Try different glue, most any superglue (cyanoacrylates) should do the job instantly unless A) you use too much or B) you let it move before it set.
Other than that, Zip Kicker 1000%. A little glue on one surface and a spray of Kicker on the other and Bam! it's done. I personally use Zap-A-Gap brand glue, from my local hobby store, but I've used other store brands before without serious problems. I just like the bigger Zap-A-Gap bottles

Zip kicker, huh? I will look into that. I have never had problems in the past, but these infantry models are driving me mad. I glue two parts together and then let them sit for 15-20 minutes then I go to put on the arms or what ever, and the entire model falls to bits. Very frustrating.

Thanks, Mannahnin.

@Captain Solon
Hahaha, thanks for the great advice and uplifting words! You are just a regular ray of sunshine, aren't you buddy? I'll be sure to hit you up when I need some sound pointers delivered with a good attitude. Thanks so very much for contributing to the community.

Yeah, it's funny you're worried about the bond time of super glue, when it's one of the few types of glues that has an instant curing agent.

They call it "kicker." It's usually in a spray bottle, usually has a scent agent in it that's hideous.

It works exactly as you'd expect.

I find that the spray bottles tend to either not spray, or douse the model, so a lot of times I will spray a blast of it on my workbench, and then use a length of wire to apply it. It's water thin, so it will wick into joints.

It also lasts forever. I've had the same bottle for going on a decade. I don't know why it lasts so long, but it does.

@brotherjulian
Yeah, I use Zap-a-gap too and after trying many different brands find it to be my favorite. I also like the big bottle.

Perhaps I am using too much glue, that may very well be it. I will use a bit less and see if it bonds faster that way. I am going to pick up some Zip Kicker for sure, that sounds like it will dramatically speed up the process from hours to minutes.

Thanks!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Thanks Phryxis!

If your super glue takes longer than 1 minute to cure, something is really wrong. Either the batch is messed up or you've put on way too much.

Cyanoacrylate accelerator makes it cure in about one to two seconds.

Phryxis had an excellent point about the spray bottles- spraying tends to put out way more than you need and get it all over the model, and it's pretty toxic. It's best to use a length of wire or something and just let a little bit of the stuff run down the wire to the application point. It's very thin and does run like water.

Just a heads-up about the zip kicker: If it's on your hand and you get the glue in the same spot, you'll yelp like a kicked dog, at minimum (may be why they call it kicker). Chemical burns are no fun and it will take a long time to get the feeling back in your fingertip cause the glue stays there for a bit.

Yes, get Zip Kicker, it makes assembling FW kits a wee bit less of a hassle.

DISCLAIMER: This does not come from experience. Isn't the issue the pouressness of resin? Try sealing the two surfaces with a bit of varnish. Obviously this is a hare-brained idea that is worth trying on some sprue (FW has a bit of sprue right?)

@Krillduken
Thanks for the heads up, I do tend to get glue all over my hands.

@Mannahnin
Right? I am no n00b to modeling, been doing this for over twenty years now, and I have never had a problem like this with resin before. Maybe I didn't clean the models enough and the releasing agent is causing the bond to set ultra slowly? I don't know.

@BrookM
Yes, I will get some, that sounds like it will make life much easier.

@Perkustin
That is not a bad idea. Perhaps the nature of the resin does make it less apt to accept the glue on the small bits. My FW dreads and tanks have been a breeze to assemble in the past. A PITA to clean, but the glue always set quickly, which is why i was so frustrated this time.


Thanks to everyone for the help and ideas, much appreciated.

Cool! Good luck!

DISCLAIMER: This does not come from experience. Isn't the issue the pouressness of resin? Try sealing the two surfaces with a bit of varnish. Obviously this is a hare-brained idea that is worth trying on some sprue (FW has a bit of sprue right?)

I would not expect that porousness would be an issue; sometimes two surfaces being too smooth can be an issue. People often recommend filing or otherwise roughening a smooth surface before gluing to help the glue get better purchase. That might be a smart move with smooth resin bits too, although you want to be careful and not breathe in any of those shavings.

Mannahin, that is actually an old wive's tale. For Cyanoacrylate glues, the peices should be as smooth as possible to ensure the most surface area contact. The problems the OP is having are most likely due to a bit of mold release still on the model, or too much glue.

Zip kicker as mentioned, but I tend to use bicarbinate of soda which also acts as an accelerant.
note that Zip Kicker is not nice stuff! so pay attention to the instructions on usage and the warnings.

Todosi is correct. Good surface area contact is crucial.
In cases where the join is very irregular but cannot be easily filed I use GS superglued then the part put in place.
When the GS has dried, carefully remove he part and superglue back in. The GS should mould around the surface of the part so when dried has a good mating surface to bond to.
Hope that makes sense.

I've never had any problems with any Forge World kits holding together, but a simpler way may to just file the connecting pieces?

Wow.
I'm surprised you've had so many people tell you to use accellerant (zip kicker), but nobody's told you this yet;
Don't use accellerant.

I've got a lot of modelling experience, like you guys, and (although I admit to having it and using it on rare occasion) I hate accellerant.

The problem with accellerant is that it does what water does, only better. It causes the glue to instantly harden. It's a short term solution, as the weak bond will break FAR more easily than properly cured superglue.
When you try to reglue that arm, after it breaks off, it's not going to want to fit right. Not after the 2nd or 3rd reglue, especially.
The hardned glue didn't shrink, like superglue normally does when curing, so it's taking up space where you want that arm (or whatever) to go. Also, the accellerant seems to live on the model forever. So, when you apply glue at a later time, it's going to want to harden (as opposed to cure) swiftly, causing another weak bond because (a) the hardened glue is weaker and (b) the hardening glue is getting between your two surfaces.

If you're having a problem getting the resin to adhere fast enough, I strongly urge you to pin the join, if possible. If you can't pin it -or, even in addition to pinning- use your exacto knife to score the two surfaces. I like to do two "checkerboard" scores in opposite directions. While 1 is horizontal & veritcal lines, the other is made of lines on a diagonal. This gives the glue more surface -and a rougher surface- to bite into, as it cures.
That trick works WONDERS for me. I even do it with plastic pieces & plastic glue for a better "melt" of the plastic at the join.

Try this... take a couple pieces of sprue. Glue 2 together and let the glue gure normally.
Glue 2 other (identical to the above, if possible) pieces together & use accellerant.
Come back the next day & give each one a quick yank to try to separate them. See which one holds better.
The same experiment can be done with larger pieces/whole models and a "drop test" to a hard surface.

Good luck with it!

Eric

Mannahnin wrote:If your super glue takes longer than 1 minute to cure, something is really wrong. Either the batch is messed up or you've put on way too much.

There's actually a third option.

The model wasn't cleaned properly and still has a trace of mold release agent on it.

I use a lot of ciano glue and all I can recomend is A: try not to use the first drops out of the tube B:make sure your surface is clean and filed down a little(gives it a good surface to bond to) lastly don´t buy cheap.... Bostic, loctite, even goma gom are usually o.k.

I agree with Magickal - pin it. It's just laziness not to.

With every FW model I've purchased I have followed the same process. First to cut away the excess resin and do a general clean up of model. Then to leave it in a bath of hot water and washing up liquid and soak overnight. Then remove models and run under some warm water. Then leave models on some kitchen paper and wait till dry. Then begin building! Never had any issues or stuff not sticking. Everything has been pretty easy.

From my recent builds with forgeworld kits i did find a bottle of super glue i had didnt work at all, much like your case, switched to a spare bottle out of confusion and worked fine :S


Dan

Baking soda, it's a "secret" that a buddy of mine told me about, especially for resin and metals.