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Made in gb
Fresh-Faced New User




Yesterday was the day i constructed my first army. I could not stand the glue, even thought I requested my buddy to leave the back door open. It helped a little, but whenever i put glue on the pieces, the smell was unbearable. How bad are the fumes, and yes, i am not stupid enough to purposefully huff them. Do most of you ventilate your work spaces?
   
Made in de
Focused Dark Angels Land Raider Pilot





The grim darkness of far Fenland

I've never had a problem. There's a smell to it, but it's not over-powering or unpleasant. I don't need to open a window.

I use Revell Contacta. It might be brand specific. What are you using?

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Made in gb
Fresh-Faced New User




 Whittlesey40k wrote:
I've never had a problem. There's a smell to it, but it's not over-powering or unpleasant. I don't need to open a window.

I use Revell Contacta. It might be brand specific. What are you using?


Just the standard citadel plastic glue
   
Made in us
Librarian with Freaky Familiar






No, i have not had this problem, and i use the standard glue.

To many unpainted models to count. 
   
Made in gb
Sneaky Sniper Drone




Nottingham

Its quite a nice smell. I beleive its butyl acetate or something similar that's responsible for the smell. Smells a little like peardrops.

As for how bad it is, as long as you dont go huffing it you'll be fine.
   
Made in nl
Dakka Veteran





I've been using the citadel plastic glue for over 10 years now and never had any problem with it, even without ventilation or open windows

 
   
Made in au
Grizzled Space Wolves Great Wolf





If you have a reaction from it I'd avoid using it.

I know some people will say they used it every day for 50 years and they're as strong as an ox, but sometimes people just have a bad reaction to things. As a teenager I used to have a reaction to plastic glue, I seem to have grown out of my sensitivity to it though. Sometimes I'd feel like crap for several days in a row and it took a while to pin down that it was after I had been gluing stuff with plastic glue, and no, I never huffed it or anything stupid like that.

Super glue has never bothered me. I prefer using plastic glue though so I still use it, even though my sensitivity seems to have gone away I'm careful to not leave the bottle open and move models to another room if I can after gluing them while they let off fumes. Sometimes I'm left with a weird smell in my nose after using it for a while.

If I had kids who were in to building models I'd be very wary of what they're using on miniatures after my own experiences.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/10/28 13:36:25


 
   
Made in gb
Agile Revenant Titan






Heh, here was me thinking that half the appeal of modelling was that you're slightly high the whole time...

Don't do drugs kids!

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Made in ca
Jinking Ravenwing Land Speeder Pilot






Canada

My only issue with citadel glue is the stringy quality is always seems to have after pulling away from the contact point of whatever you're gluing - it really makes a mess and is a PITA.

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Made in fi
Dakka Veteran





Some stuff just irritates your nostrils worse than for others. I have similar relationship with alcohol-based drawing markers. I doubt it's too bad for you in small amounts, but of course it's not fun if it's annoying you.

Some glues like Revell come with the thin nozzles and are easier to apply in smaller amounts. Could you do your glueing under stove hood, or put a small fan moving the air away from you when you're using it, so it's not floating in your face? Then there are these soldering extractors that blow it away from you through charcoal, which should neutralise some of it. Or you could just use super glue, if that's better for you.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/10/28 14:46:14


 
   
Made in us
Krazed Killa Kan





Denver, Colorado

I sometimes get some fumes from superglue, but plastic glue, in my experience, has been almost completely odorless. What kind are you using?

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Made in us
Powerful Phoenix Lord





Dallas area, TX

It's entirely possible that you got a bad batch. The only plastic glue I have ever experience with fumes is Testors. The Citadel glue I have used in the past is pretty mild, only having a smell if you actually try to huff it.
But from about 8-12" away, no smell should be detectable.

   
Made in gb
Agile Revenant Titan






Is it possible we've all got thoroughly used to the smell of plastic glue?

I must admit that coming back to the hobby after about a decade, you can 100% smell citadel glue from 12" quite strongly.

If that's the case, then OP just stick with it if it's not too unpleasant. You'll get used to it.

Check out may pan-Eldar projects http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/702683.page

Also my Rogue Trader-esque spaceport factions http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/709686.page

Oh, and I've come up with a semi-expanded Shadow War idea and need some feedback! https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/726439.page

Lastly I contribute to a blog too! http://objectivesecured.blogspot.co.uk/ Check it out! It's not just me  
   
Made in se
Regular Dakkanaut




The far north

If ordinary plastic glue has too much of an odour, you could always try using a limonene based plastic glue instead. It works in the same way as other plastic cements, but the solvent used is not as harsh and doesn't smell as bad. I use tamiyas limonene cement and it is good stuff.

http://www.tamiya.com/english/products/87113limonene_cement/index.htm

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/10/28 15:44:05


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Made in gb
Arch Magos w/ 4 Meg of RAM





I like the smell. Smells like peardrops.

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Made in us
Grim Dark Angels Interrogator-Chaplain






A Protoss colony world

I use plastic glue (the Citadel stuff) all the time, and have never noticed any ill effects from the fumes. I can hardly smell it. One problem I have had with it is the aforementioned stringiness. Some bottles have been way worse for that than others, though. I guess there's some variation in the thickness as well, because some bottles of Citadel plastic glue I've had have been really thin, others have been as thick as molasses!

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Made in ca
Dakka Veteran





I concur that the Citadel Plastic Glue smells horrible, IIRC it's a MEK combination.

I've found one that actually has great performance and doesn't smell like hell, and that's Testor's Non-Toxic Cement, in the light blue tube. Very solid welded bonds, and it's got a mild citrus smell to it, so it's not offensive to your sinuses to use.
   
Made in us
Automated Rubric Marine of Tzeentch




I use the testor's nontoxic glue - smells like citrus! Cure time is slower on it, though that works fine for me.
   
Made in au
Anti-Armour Swiss Guard






Newcastle, OZ

I use Revell's contacta professional (just noticed its formulation has changed from my old lot. Used to be a 1.1% toluene solution, now it's a n-butyl-acetate - which is a compound found in many fruits - it smells a little "fruitier" than it used to.)


I have a ventilated workspace, but it's not that well ventilated - but it has a needle applicator and I don't actually apply that much to the bond to make it happen.

I also don't hunch over it when I'm doing so, so I'm 2 feet away from the work or so and while it's not a "pleasant" smell, it's not an unpleasant one by any means.

I can't do it if the wife's in the house as SHE finds it unpleasant (but she grew up in a house with aeromodellers using balsa cements and doping compounds - all of which reek substantially worse).

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/10/29 04:59:48


I'm OVER 50 (and so far over everyone's BS, too).
Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a ****.

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... and yet, with strange aeons, even death may die.
 
   
Made in us
Servoarm Flailing Magos





Alaska

I suffer from addiction to plastic crack... so the model master's (testors?) liquid cement for plastic models is actually a pleasant smell to me now. But in a regular space, like my workspace, its not harmful. If I was trying to do it in the trunk of a car, that might be different

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Made in us
Powerful Phoenix Lord





I suspect it's simply something you react to strongly. It's noticeable for me (sometimes) but it sounds like you're having a far worse reaction to it.

Also you should be using particularly small amounts (it's extremely strong). As mentioned above, start looking for alternatives. It shouldn't chemical-fog you out of your own place or anything like that. It's just glue with a bitter smell.
   
Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut





Nottinghamshire

 jorny wrote:
If ordinary plastic glue has too much of an odour, you could always try using a limonene based plastic glue instead. It works in the same way as other plastic cements, but the solvent used is not as harsh and doesn't smell as bad. I use tamiyas limonene cement and it is good stuff.

http://www.tamiya.com/english/products/87113limonene_cement/index.htm
I was also going to suggest this, it's not even slightly as fumey.


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Made in us
Norn Queen






I believe most plastic glues use Acetone as a base (which is where the smell comes from). It's what melts the plastic and causes it to fuse together. If it's not Acetone it's some other hot solvent.

Others have suggested less harsh solvent based glues, but if worse comes to worse crazy glue will work. Just not as well. If you ever have to strip the models you will likely pop the parts off but then you can just pop them back on.


These are my opinions. This is how I feel. Others may feel differently. This needs to be stated for some reason.
 
   
Made in gb
Been Around the Block





I generally find opening the door or window does the trick and have left models in the bathroom for a while after either glueing or spraying them. Our bathroom has a timed extractor fan in there so I turn on the fan, turn it off to start the fan and then leave the window open and close the door for a while.

If it's bad enough that you can't stand it when putting the models together some kind of mask might be a good idea? There's a few respirators and masks that aren't too expensive without making you look like you just fell out of the Fallout games.
   
Made in us
Utilizing Careful Highlighting





at the keyboard

the stuff I use is really stinky so I tend to yes wear a mask while using it, and if it's a big enough project I'll also turn on my fan to help blow the fumes out of the room

Better safe than sorry imo anyway

   
Made in no
Hurr! Ogryn Bone 'Ead!






I've only ever had an issue with Faller 170492 Expert Plastic Cement. If you google it, you'll only find superb reviews, so maybe my glue had gone bad in some way.

When I tried it, the fumes were really bad, unlike the ordinary plastic cement smell, which I don't really mind. The Faller glue didn't dry properly, and when I took apart something I had built a couple of weeks later, the smell was still there. The smell was like that of cheap aquarium sculptures, and quite strong.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/10/30 00:17:05


 
   
Made in au
Grizzled Space Wolves Great Wolf





 Lance845 wrote:
I believe most plastic glues use Acetone as a base (which is where the smell comes from). It's what melts the plastic and causes it to fuse together. If it's not Acetone it's some other hot solvent.
Testors actually provide MSDS's on their website. One of their glues is Toulene based (50-75%), polystyrene (25-50% and allyl isothiocyanate (0.1 to 1%). The other is MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone), Ethyl Acetate, 1-Methoxy-2-Propyl Acetate, Allyl Isothiocyanate and 2-Methoxy-1-Propyl Acetate.
   
Made in us
Norn Queen






Yeah... MEK is a lot worse then acetone.


These are my opinions. This is how I feel. Others may feel differently. This needs to be stated for some reason.
 
   
Made in au
Anti-Armour Swiss Guard






Newcastle, OZ

In the industry, it was nicknamed "Methyl ethyl death" for a reason.

Flammable
Explosive
Carcinogenic (not just a "possibly so in California").

There was a "miracle" nail polish remover in a tub back in the 70s and early 80s called "swirl off" (the gimmick being that you didn't have to swab the polish off and make mess - you just dunked one finger at a time into the liquid and swirled it around a bit, then removed it and the polish was gone.)

Yeah, it used MEK as the solvent. Gave you cancer, too. Got recalled.

I'm OVER 50 (and so far over everyone's BS, too).
Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a ****.

That is not dead which can eternal lie ...

... and yet, with strange aeons, even death may die.
 
   
Made in gb
Longtime Dakkanaut





 Retrogamer0001 wrote:
My only issue with citadel glue is the stringy quality is always seems to have after pulling away from the contact point of whatever you're gluing - it really makes a mess and is a PITA.


I don't advise using the thick plastic glue for anything but scenery. You just don't have the control. I use Liquid Poly from Humbrol, removing the provided brush and then use an old paint brush to apply small amount to both parts. It provides much more control and is a lot less messy. I only use the thick glue for scenery as liquid poly evaporates quickly on a plastic surface if left open to the air which can be tricky when you are trying to glue large pieces together. The thick glue also makes it sticky so is easier to hold together whilst it sets on these large pieces.

Liquid Poly doesn't seem to smell too bad for me either.

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