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Okay, I know I'm doing something wrong with my model repairs. Each time I re-attatch a part, it seems to be even more breakable. I did hear that removing glue from the broken parts and rubbing the parts together while gluing (how else was I supposed to say it?) would work. Would this work or is just re-gluing it okay?

Well, you do need to ensure good contact and a good bond. Cleaning the surface is a start. What kind of glue, and what kind of material are you working with? For superglue, I've always heard that less movement is better. Apply, Press, Hold, Set. Hope you don't glue yourself to the mini. For plastic glue, I could see wiggling about a little, just to make sure it is placed right.

If this is a reoccurring break, consider pinning.

If it breaks repeatedly or is a hard to glue piece definitely pin it.
Also if you use superglue scaring the surface with a knife can help you as the glue will then have a better area to grip into.

I guess pinning sounds like the best option. Any idea where to find what I'll need to pin?

SkavenLord wrote:
I guess pinning sounds like the best option. Any idea where to find what I'll need to pin?

All you should need is a drill bit and a wire the same diameter. And something to spin the bit, like a pin vice. I know my FLGS just started stocking tools and hobby supplies from Gale Force 9, and they sell a kit with everything you need. You can probably get the stuff at your local hardware store for less though.

As an option to pinning, you could magnetize, depending on the part. Then when it come off, you can say "It's supposed to do that!"

An activator is a worthy investment, I have heard some people say that an activated join seems more brittle, but the total opposite is true in my experience (I use a Kicka Pen)

The other thing I do with awkward joins is line one surface with some green stuff, and press it firmly into place (lubricate the GS to avoid it sticking) this then gives a perfect match of surface, with no air gaps and maximum contact. Once it is cured, reattach the part with glue, and you now have maximum adhesive contact between the two surfaces, combine that with the activator (and I still pin as well if its a large, loaded or vulnerable join) and the two components are now effectively fused for all time!

Do be careful though, only apply activator to the surface that you don't apply glue to, I've thrown away several bottles of glue before their time due to contamination turning their contents to jelly over a week or two.

Thanks! Any ideas for cheaper substitutes for drills? I suppose parts of a paperclip might be good enough for wire.

You can use pretty much any rigid wire for pinning. Paper clips, bits of wire. Panel pins.
As for a glue activator, baking soda is a cheap alternative. Plus it will act as a gap filler. Just be careful you don't use too much glue or you'll ruin the model.

One thing to remember is the type of glue you are using for your constant repairs.

Superglue does NOT bond well to itself. It just results in a bond that breaks when you look at it wrong.
Remove old superglue before regluing.

A pin vice and set of 1mm drill bits can be had at GW for £10.

The GW vice is a pretty good one with a rubber butt to protect your hand.

You can get cheaper tool at a DIY shop. It will probably come with a variety of bit sizes.

Paperclips make perfect pinning wire.

 Kilkrazy wrote:
A pin vice and set of 1mm drill bits can be had at GW for £10.

The GW vice is a pretty good one with a rubber butt to protect your hand.

You can get cheaper tool at a DIY shop. It will probably come with a variety of bit sizes.

Paperclips make perfect pinning wire.

This I've used paper clips for ever as my pins. The GW pinvice is alright, nice to use albeit steep compared to the (not as nice alternatives), Army painter do one that makes me think of GW's previous itteration, which was also nice (lost mine damnit!)

Other than that, I found that ebay is good source for tooling, from places that cater to jewlery makers and the likes.

SkavenLord wrote:
Okay, I know I'm doing something wrong with my model repairs. Each time I re-attatch a part, it seems to be even more breakable. I did hear that removing glue from the broken parts and rubbing the parts together while gluing (how else was I supposed to say it?) would work. Would this work or is just re-gluing it okay?

not enough information. What are you guing and what glue are you using.

 poda_t wrote:

SkavenLord wrote:
Okay, I know I'm doing something wrong with my model repairs. Each time I re-attatch a part, it seems to be even more breakable. I did hear that removing glue from the broken parts and rubbing the parts together while gluing (how else was I supposed to say it?) would work. Would this work or is just re-gluing it okay?

not enough information. What are you guing and what glue are you using.

Regular citadel glue for plastic and citadel superglue for resin. As for what I'm gluing, it's mostly limbs and actually making the models attatch to their bases for more than a week. This goes especially for my WHFB armies. (Skaven and Orcs & Goblins).

You're not trying to glue on top of paint when attaching the minis to their bases ?

for a secure joint remove all the paint first

Plastic glue typical creates a weld when gluing two pieces of polystyrene together. By this I mean that it melts the faces of contact and allows them to adhere and solidify together. Too much of a thick plastic glue creates a problem. Plastic glue should be used sparingly and I prefer a thinner glue (I use testors bottled plastic glue with brush applicator). If you have glue residue from plastic glue, this should be scraped off as well before regluing. pinning should only be necessary when dealing with thin and brittle parts. Like a War Walker standing on one leg.

SkavenLord wrote:
Thanks! Any ideas for cheaper substitutes for drills? I suppose parts of a paperclip might be good enough for wire.

Amazon.ca - $8.50 with shipping. http://www.amazon.ca/Steel-Reversible-Collets-Crafts-Jewelry/dp/B004R0AJFU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1383231526&sr=8-3&keywords=pin+vise

And yes, paperclips make perfect pins.

Like above however, make sure all joints are clean before gluing (no old glue, no paint, no grease/oils from your hands) and use plastic glue sparingly for the best bond.

Another trick I've found is to use a drop of white PVA glue with your superglue (if you're using superglue/cyanoacrylate rather than plastic model glue) to get a stronger, faster setting bond .. seems to work about 80% of the time for me.

I wouldn't use the citadel glue for plastics. I use this one instead: http://www.thewarstore.com/product33526.html

"Liquid Cement" for plastic models actually melts a layer of plastic on each side which allows the parts to "mix" together before re solidifying. You just use a little bit of it along the lines of where the two parts are supposed to be bonded and hold the parts together for about 30 seconds or so and the parts will NOT come off. I've seen models break in the middle of a solid area due to trying to pull an arm off rather than come apart at the joint. So be aware that once you've glued it this way if you want to change the part you'll need to cut it off.

For metal or resin you have to use CA type glues. I guess the citadel one is okay for that. However, CA glue is brittle by nature and can result in a part that falls off if the model is hit just right. It is also subject to failing due to regular heat/cold transitions and time. For example, summer / winter temps where the metal material shrinks/expands slightly will cause the joint to fail. Failed joints is the main reason why I try to avoid metal/resin models when possible and why I carry a small bottle of CA glue with me when I take my models anywhere.

As with all glues, make sure the areas you are gluing are free of paint. Paint is a pretty weak material for joining against so if you are gluing a painted model make sure you scrape the paint off from the areas you are joining. CA Glue will stick to the paint.. but the paint isn't generally strong enough to hold two pieces together.

Some models do require pinning. Which is really just a matter of drilling matching holes on the two parts and gluing an object, like a piece of a paper clip or even toothpick in the holes. It takes a little bit of practice to know exactly where the drill points need to be in order to have the parts line up correctly. Just be aware that when gluing a metal pin into a resin part that the glue grabs and dries very very fast. I usually drill out the hole and test fit everything before gluing. Once I'm happy with the depth I'll put a small drop of CA in the hole and quickly shove the pin in there. I'm not sure why CA grabs faster in this situation but I can say that when I've tried to go slower (taking longer than about 1/2 second to put the pin in) I've had the situation where the pin didn't make it all the way in before the glue stopped it from going further. So, do a dry fit test then move fast.

Sometimes I've used a material like green stuff as the middle of a "sandwhich" between the two parts. Metal -> CA -> Green Stuff - > CA -> Metal. CA cures green stuff pretty quickly and this allows me to "fill" any gaps a little easier: put just enough GS to fill the areas and cut away / file the excess when it's done drying. I'd say most of the joints I've done this way have lasted longer than ones that were only Metal -> CA -> Metal. Of course, a better path is ensuring a clean fit between the parts to begin with; however this works in those situations (metal hive tyrant grr..) where you just get tired of all the filing.

ProTip: CA glues can be cured by simply running the parts under a small bit of water. So if you ever get a bunch of glue on your hands, just run them under the water for a few seconds then peel off the dried glue... The downside is that this amount of moisture will cause the CA glue to dry white. For some joints that's fine, for others you don't want this and instead just let those air dry. Most of the kickers out there are really just water based products. CA dries when it comes into moisture contact of the air. Side note: this is one reason why CA dries faster in humid areas than arid ones... and one reason it's likely to ghost clear plastic parts.

ProTip2: Score the metal areas where you want the parts glued. CA doesn't "penetrate" the materials so if you take your hobby knife and make some cross hatches along the glue areas then the CA has more surface area to connect to. The scores don't have to be deep, just light ones, but they help. Especially when the two parts are fairly heavy.

I've tried a few other things like JB Weld and various epoxies. The welding type "glues" are pretty good but fairly expensive and difficult to work with. Good for larger or heavier parts but overkill for smaller ones. For epoxies, I've had a hard time getting the right mixture and even then I'm not sure the joints were any stronger than just using CA. Also a number of the applicators (like the twin tubes that mix the two sides as you push the plunger) tend to work for one gluing session then intermix and become unusable shortly thereafter.


For fun, PVA glue (school glue) does interesting things to CA glue. For my nids I've started covering a base with PVA glue, letting it sit for a few minutes, then putting drops of CA on top of it. Here's a post of someone else doing this: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/407768.page The bases look awesome and were extremely easy to do. public service message: I have no idea what fumes are given off when mixing these two chemicals so be sure you let them dry in an open area with plenty of fresh air..... Actually, you should always be in an open area with plenty of fresh air when using any type of glue.