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I swear by polystyrene (plastic) glue for putting together plastic kits. I use the Testors in the weird-shaped black bottle. I like it for the needle applicator and the way the polystyrene glue literally melts and fuses the parts together. I always assumed I was in the majority doing it this way - but I come to find that there are a bunch of people I know using superglue. Which one is more popular?

Superglue. If I wanna change something later, its easy to snap it off.

I use this https://www.discountrocketry.com/bsi-instacure-gap-filling-cyanoacrylate-glue-2oz-bottle-p-2155.html?osCsid=j65kuk7ehm3osf32n0ng7mk564

For everything I glue besides basing materials, for which I use pva glue. Plastic glue melts pieces together, making future changes a pain in the ass, and it can't be used on metal or resin, of which I have many.

I use http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/4/2/sg_bottle/overview/Loctite-Super-Glue-Longneck-Bottle.htm

And it is a strong bond but easy to split if you need to do some switching around.

Aerethan, I have tried that but I almost always have to use ZAP Kicker to get the bond to harden. Do you have this issue.

[/img]I use Zap a Gap super glue and zip kicker.

I work on a lot of models so I don't have the time to wait on plastic glue to dry. I also like that I can easily remove the superglue if needed.

humbrol polystyrene cement.

have always used it for my aircraft modelling, seemed natural to use it for GW.

The vast majority of my models are assembled with CA, since it's what was available, and none of them have failed on me, yet. Since I picked up some plastic cement for scratchbuilding in polystyrene, I've been using it on plastic kits more and more, but I still mix and match, depending on the task at hand.

Good old Testors in the orange & white tube. I was scale modeling many years before I was gaming.

+1 Testors polystyrene cement in the weird shaped bottle

Horst wrote:Superglue. If I wanna change something later, its easy to snap it off.

Ditto to this. Plastic glue is definitely superior to superglue for strength, and if you want something to stay it's the bomb, but superglue lets me forcefully disassemble my models much more easily.

Horst wrote:Superglue. If I wanna change something later, its easy to snap it off.

This for the same reason.

I use the right tool for the job. Plastic glue on plastic. I'm rarely in a rush that the time to set is an issue and separating parts is only a problem if you've used too much. Alternatively glue it right the first time.

Superglue can be a bit unpleasant to use in large quantities... I think that the stronger bond you get with plastic glues outweighs the disadvantages people often cite.

Plastic cement for plastic to plastic, super glue for dissimilar materials. I've been building since I was 9 and while glue can be a pain to undo I found that with a sharp blade and patience I can disassemble almost any plastic bond. As to my choice of glues Plastruct Bondene and Testors liquid cement both in the plastic container and the glass bottle. Both of those are slightly different in thickness and drying time so I have a good choice depending on the assembly I'm working on.

I also say superglue for the flexibility.

Cyanoacryllate bonds nearly as well as solvent-based glues, but with the chance to ever make a change in the future.

Plus, plastic glue doesn't work at all with greenstuff, or with metal, and can do wierd stuff to plasticard, which means it's really unfriendly to converters.

Superglue. Zap a Gap.

Let's me break off pieces if I change my mind or mess up. Don't see the need to melt the plastic together like the other glue does, my models hold together just fine.


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Howard A Treesong wrote:I think that the stronger bond you get with plastic glues outweighs the disadvantages people often cite.

How often do your models fall apart now, and how often did they fall apart before, when you used superglue? I ask because I don't see the advantage of a 'stronger bond' when the bond I get is plenty strong right now, without the disadvantages of plastic glue.

I have had plastic models glued with superglue break apart if dropped accidentally from the gaming table. I have never seen that happen with plastic glue.

What disadvantages do you see from plastic glue? Other than the inability to break the models apart later. This is something I don't understand anyway. Once my models are together, they are done. If I need something to be able to swap, I use magnets.

Alradite 2-part epoxy.

When I glue something, I want it to stay glued.

Todosi wrote:I have had plastic models glued with superglue break apart if dropped accidentally from the gaming table.

How many times have they broken apart? And what do you mean by that, one arm comes off? One weapon? The one "advantage" of plastic glue isn't very advantageous if models bonded with superglue almost never have pieces which break off. And in my case, literally never.

What disadvantages do you see from plastic glue? Other than the inability to break the models apart later. This is something I don't understand anyway. Once my models are together, they are done. If I need something to be able to swap, I use magnets.

I use magnets to swap as well. But I may glue something, then change my mind 5 minutes later. Or maybe 3 hours later. I'd rather have the pieces snap apart relatively easy (with careful application of force), then deal with melted plastic. Also, maybe I am in a rush sometimes, or maybe I just suck gluing models together, but too much glue may be applied, or perhaps glue gets somewhere else on the model by accident. Superglue can be scraped and/or sanded away pretty easily, even after it is dried, what happens to errant plastic glue application? Oh right, melted plastic. And as the other guy earlier said, what about green stuff or metal? Now you bought a second glue, because yours can't handle those? That's another disadvantage.

So the question you really need to as is, what real advantage is there to plastic glue, and does this 'advantage' even remotely outweigh all the negatives?

Howard A Treesong wrote:I use the right tool for the job. Plastic glue on plastic. I'm rarely in a rush that the time to set is an issue and separating parts is only a problem if you've used too much. Alternatively glue it right the first time.

Superglue can be a bit unpleasant to use in large quantities... I think that the stronger bond you get with plastic glues outweighs the disadvantages people often cite.

+1 to this ^.

I don't need to change the positioning of my models. They are assembled the way I want them to be the first time.
Plastic glue at least doesn't leave a disgusting white dusty residue on things if you don't use it in a properly ventilated space.