Glues in your Stash...

[DreamKnight]

I know I started with one type of glue and that's the infamous Testors Cement. Since then I stash now includes Pro-weld, Tamiya's Thin Cerement, Krazy Glue (CA), Gorilla Glue (CA), Generic White Glue, Gator Glue.

For general construction, I use Tamiya's Thin Cement and Pro-weld is a "back up" clue for construction. I use the CA glue for more tougher jobs but mostly as a filler. The white glue I use for canopies and the Gator glue (just recently added) I use for canopies and PE.

What type of glue collection do you have and what uses do you have for them?

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

When I am sitting at the bench......ok...my bench is piled high, usually sitting in front of the TV upstairs using a TV tray!

Glues.....Tamiya X-Thin, Tamiya Regular liquid (which is unavailable in North America now, so I use it very sparingly), Loctite CA in both thin and gel formulas, and Gator Glue. They all have their uses. However the one I use the most is the Tamiya X-Thin...stuff is super!

 

[Talen]

Currently just CA and some epoxy, I totally ran out of my plastic weld (and I seriously need to get more). There might be a tube of Testors floating around, but every since finding plastic weld I never use that gloop anymore

 

[Ferris928]

i used testors liquid glue (the stuff in the black bottle with the METAL tip) for the longest time, then found Tenax 7R. i like the stuff, except no applicator brush. Messed with Plastruct Weldene, but the smell was killing my sinuses. i pretty much now use Tamiya's extra thin for general contruction. Though, i just started mesing with CA's. i like them, but will more than likely only use them on detail parts.
For canopies I've used Testors clear parts cement mostly. White glue is used for holding the lead shot i use for nose weight.

Question for you gorilla users.
I've only used it for wood projects (such as my modeling desk), is what you're using the same formula?
The gorilla glue i've used in the past expands after a few hours and i woud think that that would ruin a part of a kit.

 

[DreamKnight]

Question for you gorilla users.
I've only used it for wood projects (such as my modeling desk), is what you're using the same formula?
The gorilla glue i've used in the past expands after a few hours and i woud think that that would ruin a part of a kit.

No, it's their CA formula. It doesn't expand. It's really nothing special. It's a medium CA so it take a little longer to dry. Their PVC and Wood Glue are all different forumula's. I wouldn't suggest using the wood glue for models. lol Their wood glues though is awesome! I think that was what made them. Then they started coming out with the other stuff when they got into the market.

 

[Ferris928]

Ok, thanks. I might have to check it out.

 

[noname]

I have to reveal something that may send you folks to the floor. I actually, no wait.......I actually use,.. no I can't do it!..... Okay!!! Enough!, I actually like the Testors cement in the blue tube!!!! :-X There, I said it. I have only heard people put this stuff down and have not heard of one person that actually liked it. Well I'm making a stand!!!!

Seriously, it's not bad stuff and is supposedly non toxic. Well, I wouldn't exactly eat it out of the tube. Nor would I use it as a condiment. But it is fairly safe compared to the other tube glue. It doesn't dry real fast so you have time to play with things such as auto wheels. And when it dries it remains flexible. That is a good thing. If you have one tire for example on a car model that is slightly off, you can often bend it enough to straighten it out. Can't do that with CA glue. It works perfectly well on bare plastic such as engine blocks etc. And I've even found it to work on painted surfaces by times. Don't throw that stuff in the garbage. Try it out... or send it to me. ;D

I also use Zap A Gap ca. This is great stuff and does actually fill gaps. I recently picked up some Tamiya thin which I am liking. For some reason I think this will come in real handy when I start building military aircarft etc.

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

I have never used the Testors Blue Tube, but generally detest the tube glue altogether anyway. The regular tube glue is good for assembling the Miniart buildings however.

One that has sold well here at the shop, which I need to get more of, is the Mr. Hobby Limonene cement, it is a liquid, slightly more viscus than Tamiya X Thin, but is non-toxic, smells like lemons, and works ok.

It will adhere kit styrene, Evergreen and Plastruct as well as any combination of those, just takes a little longer to set up, as it isn't as hot as other glues.

For CA, I have tried most of the "hobby" CA glues, and have never been able to use a full bottle of the the stuff before it goes hard in the bottle. I switch to the Loctite brand, and it was the first CA I ever used where I could actually use a whole bottle and not have to throw half of it away. And now, I don't look back, and sell it here at the shop.

 

[Ferris928]

Okay!!! Enough!, I actually like the Testors cement in the blue tube!!!! :-X There, I said it. I have only heard people put this stuff down and have not heard of one person that actually liked it. Well I'm making a stand!!!!

Like I used to tell my officers, "if it works for ya, go with it."
Personally, I haven't touched it since it came out, didn't like it. But hey, use whatchya like and what works best for ya.

 

[MrNatural]

Ahhhhhhh the exciting world of glue

Started out with ye old testors tube, glued my finger to my design knife, then began the quest for better glue.

For basic construction I use Tamiya Extra Thin Cement. I love it. It has a built in applicator brush and it dries fast.

For photoetch, small seem lines, and glueing pre painted sub assemblies I use Zap Cap CA with an accelerator (stuff you put on the CA that cures it instantly)

For clear parts (canopies, windows) I use testors clear parts cement. I sqeeze out a little onto some kind of pallete usually tin foil and brush it onto the part with a super small brush. Hasnt failed me yet.

Sometimes when gluing large parts they can tend to be slightly warped. So when you glue them togethor you get some spring action and Tamiya Cement or Ca just isnt strong enough to hold the parts togethor. When this occurs I break out the 5 minute epoxy. It usually comes in two parts you have to mix togethor 1 to 1. Its a little toxic and messy but gets the job done.

 

[ScaleModelMadman]

For PE, small gap filling in a rush, resin work or any job that requires 'super glue' I have a few different types of ZAP product on my bench. Thin, thick, gel etc.

For clear parts, depending on the size location etc. I either use white glue or future.

For any typical styrene assembly I've used Tenax7R, Plastruct, Proweld etc. in the past but now, I just go to Home Depot or Lowe's and get myself a one quart tin of 'Klean Strip' brand M.E.K. (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) and just keep refilling the old Proweld bottles I have. M.E.K. is basically very close to ( if the the main component in ) those name brands but for a fraction of the price.

I now buy one quart (for maybe six or eight bucks?) every two years maybe, versus two of those little bottles ( for what two or three bucks?) every month or so.

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

There are a couple of guys in the Moncton Model Car Club that don't use "conventional" glues.

One actually used MEK as well.....another uses straight Lacquer Thinner, and both work like a charm. I should give the lacquer thinner a try as I have some here.

 

[ScaleModelMadman]

I have noticed no difference at all switching to MEK. It is, for all intents and purposes, the exact same thing as the liquid glues I have always used.

Tenax7R always seemed the 'hottest' of the big three I used, but straight MEK is all Tenax ever was without draining the wallet.

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Yeah, if anything, the Testors and Tamiya liquid glues are basically watered down MEK.

May have to fill my Tamiya X-thin bottle with it once it is empty, which will be fairly soon. Least it has a decent brush applicator!

 

[ScaleModelMadman]

Yeah those brushes on the others are horrendous, unless you need to paint the fence in the yard.

I always took the exacto blade to them and trimmed them down as thin an pointy as I could get, so now I have four bottles that I just fill, all with custom trimmed brushes.

 

[Grendels]

Great info on here so far!!!

I want to add that I like the loctite products for CA. I have had the same problems in the past with CA just becoming a hard lump in the bottle when it is half done. The Loctite is holding up really well.

And one more thing. For fiber optics the best glue I have found so far is Micro's kristal klear. It looks and feels like white glue, but dries differently, and holds better at the start. It really dries very clear. I used it for windows in my contest build, and to attach the fibers on the main body.

I tried white glue for this and it just didn't work.

As for tamiya extra thin. Watch out if you buy a model from Pegusus hobbies. They use a mixture of styrene and some other type of plastic. I was having problems with it forming a weak bond. I had to use regular tamiya to get it to set.