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Hi there, I'm after glue for gluing metal and plastic minis to clear acrylic bases with no misting. I couldn't find any here in the UK so I ordered some from the USA but was told it can't be shipped overseas. Does anyone know what to use and where I can get some? Thanks!

I know it's really unhelpful, but why do you need it to dry clear? I'm just curious. If your gluing a model to a base, you're not going to see the glue unless you look underneath the base?

I need enlightenment as I feel there's a modelling technique I'. Missing out on.

I think glue is one of those "hazardous" postage items. A courier should have no problem bringing it over... Might cost more than the glue thoufh

I'm just going by what I've heard, it apparently mists badly. waiting for some acrylic bases to arrive so I've not had a chance to try regular glue out yet.

"Frosting" or "crazing" is what he's worried about, Johnson. The fumes from curing CA glues can leave a chalky white film which is especially apparent on clear parts. Aircraft modelers (all those clear canopies that are so frequently a focal point of the model) have come up with a number of ways to combat it, but most are relatively weak adhesives (PVA, the acrylic resin in varnishes, etc.), only suitable for display.

OP: Can you find some Klear, or whatever its current incarnation in the UK is? Dipping clear parts in Klear/Future/whatever makes them extra clear, as well as helping guard against frosting. This would let you keep using CA glue, which is fast-curing and readily available. Keeping the amount of glue applied to the bare minimum and getting some air moving across the model can also help, as it reduces the fumes produced and doesn't let them accumulate near the sensitive areas. If you still encounter the film, stripping the thin layer of Klear with ammonia (just don't eat away what is under the feet or you'll lose your bond) will take the offending surface off with it.

Barring that, there are strong and transparent adhesives besides superglue. Watchmaker's cement is one. In the US, at least, we also have products like "Amazing Craft GOOP" and its slightly more industrial "big brother," E-6000. These are a bit thick, stinky, and stringy, like rubber cement on steroids, but they bond pretty well and cure flexibly, which helps resist shocks that might otherwise dislodge a model. Their thickness does make clean application tricky (you can get the hang of avoiding strings easily enough), as you need to hold the model in position while it dries without squeezing any excess out, forming a sort of clear sausage bezel around the model's feet.

Testor's does make a clear parts cement, but I have absolutely no experience with the product.

It is possible to use superglues to do the job and not have frosting, but it's going to take trial and error to find out THAT amount. Something you have to KNOW yourself.

Often with superglues, frosting is a result of a combination of things.
#1 : Too much glue.
#2 : environmental factors such as too hot, too humid, etc, no wind.