Plastic Model Glue

I don't know about the Tamiya brush - haven't used that brand.

A quick dip in Lacquer Thinner or Mineral Spirits and wipe off and the brushes I use are usually good for a small-medium size model. I get bags of 60 for $15 from Amazon, so replacing them isn't that big a deal

The bottle/needle I empty back into the original bottle when I'm done for the day, the glue evaporates away and I don't have to replace needles that often.
 
TJBegin said:
Thanks, guys. Now you've made me curious to try something you mentioned: capillary action. I understand now how it works but how do you apply the glue. You hold the pieces together, apply the glue to the seam and capillary action draws the thin glue into the seam. But, do you apply the glue on the exterior seam? If so, how do you prevent it from leaving glue blotches on the surface?
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Yes, apply to the seam. It evaporates too quickly to spread on a mating surface then positioning it. The glue is so thin it evaporates from those surfaces in seconds. It just leaves a little residue that's perfectly flat and is fine to prime over. This type of cement (not glue) is the go to for putting unpainted models together. Tamiya Extra Thin is the standard. If you want to save some money Tamiya Airbrush Cleaner is the same stuff. Of course it doesn't come with the applicator though, so some people just wait for their Extra Thin to run out and refill the bottle with the Airbrush Cleaner.

Cement only works on unpainted surfaces. It melts the plastic together. So, if you're looking to glue a part that's already been painted, or Photoetch to plastic, then you can either scrape the paint off mating surfaces (on the plastic not Photoetch), or you'll need a CA glue like Zap-a-gap, Bob Smith or Mercury Adhesives. Get a "medium" thickness glue (the thin runs everywhere), with a medium setting time. You don't want something that's instant. A debonder is also good to have for mistakes, and there's also accelerators.
 
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Pantherman said:
I have used the Tamiya extra thin since I started a year ago and had no problems with it. Works well and very rarely leaves anything to clean off.
Pantherman
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With the Tamiya it comes with the brush in the lid so when you're done building just screw the lid back, no need to clean the brush.
Pantherman
 
There is also this type of applicator : https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catag...t=2&u=0&pg=1&ppp=48&sb=stocknumber_a&so=d&e=0

I thought I had mentioned that here but it was this thread --> https://www.scalemodeladdict.com/threads/cement.14605/

95 % of the time I use the brush in the cap of the Tamiya Extra Thin bottles that I refill with different solvents but sometimes I use a smaller brush for pinpoint application .
I rarely use the touch-n-flow application from that link above but it gives you a lot more reach and control when needed .
 
TJBegin said:
Thanks, guys. Now you've made me curious to try something you mentioned: capillary action. I understand now how it works but how do you apply the glue. You hold the pieces together, apply the glue to the seam and capillary action draws the thin glue into the seam. But, do you apply the glue on the exterior seam? If so, how do you prevent it from leaving glue blotches on the surface?
Click to expand...
I find that any spots of extra thin glue I get on the model disappear under a coat of primer. If you are concerned practice on a cheap paint mule model and see how it works. Having a paint mule to test things on is priceless in my book.
 
TJBegin said:
Hello fellow plastic modelers:

I could use some advise. I tend to use fast-setting glues with model kits but have mixed results. Sometimes they work, sometimes they just don't hold. Any recommendations on quick-set glue that is dependable?
Click to expand...
 
I find there is no simple answer to this question models contain many different types of materials that require different glues. In addition required dry times vary with the type of parts you are working with. Some parts require fast dry time others require time for proper placement. I use a combination of different glues. Thin plastic cement is my basic purpose glue it doesn't leave a large buildup on parts and the hold is good for most applications. A thicker plastic cement holds better and gives more work time. I also use ca in both thin and gel it has incredible holding properties and when I need a quick set I use an kicker to speed dry time. It works great when gluing parts made from different materials. I also always have some epoxy on hand for the most demanding bonds. The most important thing is to achieve proper alignment and bond. Having a good assortment of clamps is also very important to ensure you can maintain proper alignment for parts that require longer set times. Working on wax paper is also helpful because it allows parts to set without having them bond to the building board. It's a matter of preference and experience working with different materials and applications. As you become more experienced building your with find what works best for you but there is no single purpose glue that will work for all applications. Use glue sparingly for clean bonds. Paint as many parts as possible before assembling it provides for a better overall finish. Also most parts can be sanded to produce a smooth surface between parts. Even hot glue has its uses. Like most things it's a learning process and requires time to find what works best for you. The best advice I can offer is buy yourself a variety of products and experiment till you find what works for you. This site is great everyone is very knowledgeable and helpful ask questions as needed you will find the advice you need. You can contact me directly at [email protected] if you have any questions. I don't have all the answers it I have been building over 50 years and my experience is varied plastic kits scale balsa RC kits and pretty much everything out there you could even decide to build .
 
You guys have been super helpful. Thank you. Once I get a handle on this I'll be back to pick your brain on painting plastic models. Once again, my results are inconsistent (seems to be a theme of mine).
 
urumomo said:
What do you mean by quick set glue ?
CA ?
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Super glue is a ca based glue. I will actually look up what ca is an abbreviation for. It's used for construction of balsa models mostly. I comes in every viscosity from gel to super thin. It is very fast setting and extremely strong. If you need it to set instantly you can use a what is commonly called kicker. It crystallizes the glue on contact. One of the more popular brands is zap. You can easily find it on any website that sells balsa kits. I have used the gel version when working with a plastic kit and need to bond metal rails gun barrels to plastic very strong stuff. It works by filling in any spaces in the two materials being bonded. It hardens to basically fuse the material together. Works really well on wood leather fabric. The only drawback is it is completely inflexible so when building a balsa kit it is great for the frame work but when I am bonding the dihedral I use epoxy with fiberglass joint tape. It is incredibly strong but still has some flex so when exposed to the stress of a roll for example that small amount of flex prevents the joint from getting loose and separating or cracking. RC models airframes are under extreme stress when preforming any 3D flying.
urumomo said:
I think the best cement for the majority of styrene construction is the low viscosity solvent cements applied vis capillary action .
Butyl acetate , ethyl acetate , MEK / butanone .
Examples being Tamiya Extra Thin and the like .
Click to expand...
 
onegoodguy39 said:
Super glue is a ca based glue. I will actually look up what ca is an abbreviation for...
Click to expand...
See Momo's post above, on the 30th ;) "Cyanoacrylate"

I'll add-apologies if I'm repeating myself-but I'll use 2-part epoxy for things like resin-to-resin, resin-to-metal, or metal-to-metal, particularly with figure kits. I'll also pin joints to provide more strength, like a join of an arm to a shoulder, and the mating surfaces are flat, without molded pin or key and matching hole.
 
Here's one for everyone that likes TAMIYA Extra Thin as much as I do, and it sounds like some of y'all do, try TAMIYA Airbrush cleaner instead. They are the same product according to the ingredients on the Safety Data Sheets in almost the exact same percentages. By almost exact, I mean, there are only two ingredients in both (Butyl Acetate and Acetone). 50/50 for one product and 49/51 for the other. I know this sounds like I'm lying or making this up, but it's true. Everything y'all have seen me do so far to this Galactica https://www.scalemodeladdict.com/threads/the-battlestar-galactica-moebius-should-have-made.14129/ is stuck on with TAMIYA Airbrush Cleaner. You'll get 40ML of the Extra Thin for around $5.00 compared to 250ML of the Airbrush Cleaner for around $7.00. Save one of your old Extra Thin bottles and refill it with the cleaner when you need more and you'll also have a brush. The cleaner, of course, doesmn't have a brush.

airextra.jpg

Rob.
 

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