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I have always used plastic cement to make my models, but lately at the local hobby store there is always someone assembling a plastic kit with superglue. I am wondering why they would use superglue over http://www.testors.com/product/136635/3507AT/_/Liquid_Cement_1_Oz. this product which I love. Is there something I don't know? I have disassembled models glued together with plastic cement and I don't think it's particularly hard if that is one reason.

I use Proweld, which does various types of plastic including acrylic and ABS which are used for some model parts.

 Kilkrazy wrote:
I use Proweld, which does various types of plastic including acrylic and ABS which are used for some model parts.

Got a link? Everything I am finding with that name is metal welding.

Super glue-- while it doesn't hold quite as well, plastic is light enough that you shouldn't expect breaks from falling, and it's way easier to deal with slight super glue residue than a melty blob around a joint. Also, easier to fix if you want to go back.

Some people just prefer working with it it seems. If you can handle plastic cement and are comfortable with it there is no advantage in switching to superglue. If anything the joins will be more likely to shatter because they aren't melded together or pinned.

That's what I was thinking but in the year that I have been on dakka I have found so many good techniques and tips I just figured I would ask if there was something I was missing. I always hated holding metal parts together waiting for the superglue to set, plastic cement is much more forgiving, and it's not totaly permanent, I have put a LRBT in the freezer and removed the glued on sponsons and was able to repair any damage with liquid green stuff or regular greenstuff.

I'm exactly the same. I don't think anyone will put a decent argument together that says superglue is better than cement on plastic models and I don't think anyone is going to try. But people work with what they find comfortable.

 TheLionOfTheForest wrote:

 Kilkrazy wrote:
I use Proweld, which does various types of plastic including acrylic and ABS which are used for some model parts.

Got a link? Everything I am finding with that name is metal welding.

Likely refering to Ambroid Pro Weld:

http://www.amazon.com/Ambroid-Pro-Weld/dp/B0035Y26HS/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Ignore the bit about gluing wood. They make a wood glue as well which is also excellent - but it isn't Pro Weld.




Automatically Appended Next Post:
As far as why use super glue over plastic glue...preference really.

When I am ready to build an army, I use plastic glue. When I am playing around with parts - I use super glue. While you can separate parts with a bit of work...if I am trying out parts from different kits when kitbashing or working on poses, I prefer super glue as I can just pop them apart without any effort at all.

Polycement always.

The main reason I've found people use superglue is so that they can change the configuration of the model if they want to at a later time (because they are supposed to be little action figures or something?)

I kinda understand why they do it - and it makes fixing their little assembly issues so much easier when I get stuff 2nd hand (Pop in freezer, drop on floor. Scrape supeglue off and reglue with polycement. Now that b&stard won't fall apart if it falls off the table again.)

Plastic cement actually melts the plastic... I love my models too much to do that to them. If it is put together so tightly that you can't pop off the part with a tight grip of your fingers, then I consider the part damaged, because you will have to use some kind of small pliers to pry it off if you want to change a part or disassemble for the various bits in the future.

I prefer superglue for the usual reason already cited: you can always pop the pieces apart later on if something went wrong. I also prefer the convenience of having to only worry about having a single bottle of glue.

I'm not sure why it matters, though, and it almost sounds like some people think less of others for using superglue instead?

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
I prefer superglue for the usual reason already cited: you can always pop the pieces apart later on if something went wrong. I also prefer the convenience of having to only worry about having a single bottle of glue.

I'm not sure why it matters, though, and it almost sounds like some people think less of others for using superglue instead?

People can use whatever glue they like, personally if I were buying a mini on Ebay I would pay more for one that was assembled with superglue than for one assembled with plastic cement. Even if you are an expert at making the pieces so they are removed easily, there's no way I have of knowing that if I'm buying/trading with a stranger (not that there can't be bad assembly with superglue, it's just harder to do). Especially if its something I'm buying to strip and repaint myself, although if it's a very High-end commission work it doesn't matter as much as the painting is worth more than the plastic, but there's still no reason because a paintjob you pay that much for ought to be handled carefully anyway and most likely will spend a lot of time on the shelf/display.