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I feel like an idiot for having to ask this, but how on earth do you use testors liquid plastic cement (long-necked, black square bottle with red label). I have the damnedest time getting any glue out of the bottle and when it finally does come out, it's a drop much larger than what I need and I ended up wasting most of it. the bottle's brand new and full. the neck of the tube is not obstructed (I've checked it with a sewing needle numerous times). is there some magic to making the cement come out of the tube without having to squeeze the bottle to death? I can't imagine what a nightmare this is going to be when the bottle's more than half empty...

Use superglue instead.

They take some squeezing to get started if they've been sitting nozzle-up... Try sitting it in a small cup, so you can sit it nozzle down in between uses. That should help keep glue in the spout.

Use a tile and toothpick if you have issues with the drop size (make puddle of glue on tile, not model - apply with toothpick).

I use the Revell Contacta Professional bottle, myself, METAL needle tip, good flow - Never really liked the plastic nozzle types.

Sit it so the tip is on a downward angle. Place a small piece of foam or cardboard under it and wait a bit. I normally leave it that way during model construction.

It is a bit of a pain - not so much that I've bothered finding a new brand, but still... Luckily, I'm usually gluing a decent bit when I bother to break it out, and once it gets going, it's good for a while. I usually upend it, give it a few shakes, then squeeze firmly for a few seconds and release. It usually takes 3-5 rounds of squeezing to get anything out and it invariably results in a big drop, so I just wipe that drop away with a paper towel (if I don't need a ton at once), then apply the amount I actually want. Once there's glue in the tip, it's pretty easy to control the flow with pressure. Honestly, I don't think the amount of glue in the bottle really matters, up until the very end. It's all about getting it going. I think I may try putting it in a cup/stand of some sort, as Insaniak suggests.

I agree with the two who said keep the tip down. I get the model masters versiion that has a metal precision tip. I have been using it forever.

I had a bottle of testors that I used for about 10 years and didn't have a problem. I'm not sure if they've changed bottle style since then, but I found all I had to do was hold it upside down without squeezing the bottle for 3 or 4 seconds to get the glue in to the nozzle and it was fine. No need to store upside down, that sounds like a great way to get leaks or glue drying in the nozzle.

The metal needle applicator is where it's at! If you get the Model Masters version, it will be much less of a headache for you.

I used the old toothpaste tube style testors glue, but have since switched to superglue. Not sure if the glue youre using is the same type, but the one i used actually melts the plastic a bit and fuses it together. Its great for vehicles and things that you would never want to disassemble again, but for infantry i like using superglue as I can still pop off arms and torsos later on if i feel like changing a weapon or a pose.

I've had mixed results with Testors. They seem to work more poorly since they switched from metal tips to plastic tips some years ago.

My real suggestion is to not use testors.

I find that a jar of liquid plastic sovlent cement with a brush applicator is the best and most controlled method of application. After all, it's what architects use when they build architectural models. No fuss with too little or too much, no squeezing of glue tubes, no sticky mess, and no waiting. It's also one of the fastest bonds for plastic. Just apply to both pieces and combine.

Plastic sovents typically smell a bit worse, but the ease of application is totally worth it. I use plastruct "Plastic Weld" . At 4 bucks for 2 oz It's about the same cost as others (cheper than GW). Make sure you get the orange bottle (not the white) as it's usable on more kinds of plastic. It looks like this and can be found at virtually any hobby, art or craft store.

Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel Control. I am going to test the GW platic glue thin soon, but honestly every plastic glue I've used has been downright horrible compared to the Loctite. Testors ranks pretty high on the worst glues IMO.

 Radical_Edward wrote:
Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel Control. I am going to test the GW platic glue thin soon, but honestly every plastic glue I've used has been downright horrible compared to the Loctite. Testors ranks pretty high on the worst glues IMO.

I heartily agree with this.

That stuff has outperformed my expectations by quite a large margin. Amazing product.

Loctite is a cyaoacrylate. i.e. superglue. I'm sure it's a fine product (though I prefer BSI cyanoacrylates) but it will never give you as strong a bond as two plastic surfaces well mated and bonded with a proper plastic solvent.

Of course if you want a bond that can be broken later for alteration, then cyanoacrylate is a good choice.

There's really no reason to use GW plastic glue when superior products are available for significantly less money.

to follow up, I've never had any problems with the testors glue itself. it's worlds better than the GW plastic glue I've used previously. the only issue I had was getting it out of the darn bottle and the suggestion to leave it tip down has solved that neatly

for superglue, I use loctite and I love it. but it's not always the right tool for the job, hence the testors plastic glue.

anyway, my problem has been solved

The best tip is to not use it at all...

I don't use the specific version of Testors you're talking about. I use this:



The main difference is the metal stem instead of the plastic one. It allows a smoother flow of glue and can be degunked by using the wires they include (unlike GW). The benefit over GW's version (aside from having wires) is that Testors' is cheaper per oz and you get more in the bottle. I have never had an issue with this product.

Here's the trick to using it. Never use a lot. Cover the parts to be glued with as thin a layer as possible, using your fingertip to spread it out as needed. This prevents glue from spilling out between the joins and also allows better fusing of the plastic into a single piece. If you wind up with a little extra glue, just use a damp paper towel to clean it up before it has a chance to work and your model should be fine.

 Breotan wrote:


Here's the trick to using it. Never use a lot. Cover the parts to be glued with as thin a layer as possible, using your fingertip to spread it out as needed. This prevents glue from spilling out between the joins and also allows better fusing of the plastic into a single piece. If you wind up with a little extra glue, just use a damp paper towel to clean it up before it has a chance to work and your model should be fine.

This is a very good suggestion. A good wattery glue isn't really a glue, but a solvent that melts the plastic a bit on each side and allows them to fuse together. If a little doesn't work, then the parts aren't well mated and aren't making enough contact. Using more glue will only cause a mess. The best thing to do is to file the pieces a bit more to they match better. If you don't want to take the time to do this, then just use a gel superglue which will not bond as strongly, but will fill in the gap a bit better.

I always have a watery solvent plastic glue, semi-watery superglue and a rubberized gel superglue avaialable. Each being the appropriate tool for a different use.