Search the Community

Hello, I'm running out of my Revell Contacta glue, and my hobby shop doesn't have it. However, they do have the UHU Plast Special glue, which I've never used before. Is UHU Plast Special the same as the Revell Contacta glue? Thanks!

For those of you not into ships - ratlines are those net like items on old sailing ships that see see sailors climbing to get to the sails etc. In my "Kits you built as a Kid GB" entry I am building the small scale Airfix Cutty Sark I am now having issues producing the ratlines. There are something 300+ joints which need gluing, using a jig. I could try raising the jig but any solution requires finding some combination of glue / materials to use. The ideal solution is something that CA glue will not adhere to. At the moment it does need to be something I am likely to have at home. Please do not suggest Teflon as Mrs 821 would not be too pleased if her best kitchenware was used for this purpose.

I need to do two similar but different glue-ing on jobs I could do with suggestions of which adhesives to use 1. I want to put a skin of 'plank' marked plastic card over some plastic kit walls of brick. Each wall is about 35mm x 50mm The 'plank' card is of reasonable thickness. Would plastic tube glue do or should I use a contact adhesive? 2. I need to put a 10thou plastic card skin on the bottom side of the wings of some 1/48 WW1 types. The size is about 35mm x 195mm. I think any of my usual plastic glues will not do, they'll be drying afore I get the piece in place. Contact adhesive again? ideas and suggestions?

Hi all, does anybody know a good technique for ungluing a model kit? I bought a used kit on ebay and stupidly didn't read the part where it said it has been started. So annoying! Is there any way I can unstick the fuselage and cockpit so I can start it myself? Does leaving it overnight in the freezer work? It's been stuck with normal model kit cement from a tube. Any proven tips and advice welcome! Thanks!

Hello, i have a Wallace and Gromit motorbike and Sidecar I'm about to start building. I've read that the plastic is hard to glue. Does anyone have any suggestions/advice/recommendations of a suitable glue to use. Also any suggestions for vallejo, gunze or tamiya shade of red to use? Thanks in advance

Is it just me or does the plastic in Classic Airframes kits simply will not glue together? I have been using super glue - Zap medium - Zap thin - contacta MEK etc etc. Even used zip kicker with the Zap and parts are still seperating with ease. All the plastic had been washed before building. Any two parts simply will not bond. I'm building up the locations for the undercarriage for one of their Westland Whirlwind fighters and need a strong location for the Undercarriage struts. I'm almost starting to lose the will keep going with this kit. I hope it's not just me and I've tried everything that most ordinary folks do. Martin

Hello A new problem: I now need to connect styrene to a moderately waxy plastic (probably PE polyethylene or possibly PP polypropylene - I'm not 100% sure). All my experiments with plastic friendly epoxy glues & CA so far all say "won't work with PP or PE" ! One option would be to insert a couple of metal pins. But even then, aside of going for a good tight push fit, so far I cant find anything to actually bond to PE or PP. Any suggestions? Many thanks P.S. What about this: Starloc's "The 100% UNIVERSAL BONDING PACK" Which claims to bond: "TEFLON, PTFE, DELRIN, PVC, POLYETHYLENE, POLYPROPYLENE, SILICONE" http://www.shop4glue.com/universal-glue-bond-adhesive-repair-pack-metal-all-plastics-ptfe-polyethylene-polypropylene-silicone-81-p.asp The whole site looks extremely dodgy (!) and could well be a scam. But anyone here tried any of their stuff?

Hello I am new here. I am more of an 'inventor' than a model-maker. I am looking for the best materials with which to do quick prototypes in order to test the functional qualities of various designs of new/inventive products. I recently watched this video: "Tutorial: The Basics of Working With Styrene" by CustomsByZ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3gabIJ3Ono And I was rather inspired by it - I had forgotten how quick it is to knock up designs in styrene! However, given that I am more interested in mechanical function than in appearance (e.g. the ability to take paint), is there a better material for me to work in? i.e. I know styrene is rather soft so I am wondering if there are any other plastics that are available in reasonably cheap sheet and extruded form, that are similarly easy to work with (particularly to quickly form a very strong bond) but which have better/stronger mechanical properties? For now I will not be vacuum forming (unless wait, can I do that at home in my oven??), but will be cutting (with sharp X-Acto blades or similar / hack saw), filing, sanding, drilling. e.g. I just bought: A. Plasticard a small pack of Plasticard white styrene sheets "a quality virgin grade material" (from Station Road Baseboards ) http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TWOHJE0/ref=pe_385721_37986871_TE_item B. EMA Plastic Weld And I am planning to bond it with "Plastruct EMA Plastic Weld - Liquid Polystyrene ABS Cement" http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121672870352 (as I couldn't find any "Ambroid Pro Weld" described in the US-based video - but I understand that they are both Methyl Chloride based, yes?) C. Plastic Fusion For stronger bonds I have also bought Plastic Fusion epoxy glue from Super Glue which apparently sets in 10 minutes http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261508621516 but obviously it's slight pain mixing it up. QUESTIONS: - How does ABS compare to Styrene, mechanically? - HIPS (High Impact PolyStyrene) vs. regular "styrene"? Are there any other plastics I might consider if I need something stronger/more springy etc but which are reasonably easy to machine and easily available e.g. - Polypropylene sheet - PE (Polyethylene High Density) - Nylon6 sheet - Acrylic ?? Also what are the pros & cons if/when I need some thing transparent: - Polycarbonate - PETG (Poly-Ethylene Terephthalate Glycol) - Perspex Acrylic - Acetate - Axpet Polyester Sheet Acrylic ?? And how well do all the above respond to extremely strong quick-setting glues/solvents/cements? On reflection, I think I need quick primer on material for model & prototype building...! Any quick thoughts? J

I use the red label zip kicker, mostly by dabbing a drop from the tube end of the sprayer, ( the bit that draws the fluid from the bottle). I also find that the fumes from the end of the flexible tube will set the CA. What I want to know is if there are any "safe" alternatives to stuff like Zap Zip Kicker as I really would like to stop using it. The reason why I wanted to ask this, is that I often scratch build and often struggle to get small items to adhere together. Sometimes I need an instant weld, my current example is the suspension attachments that hold the Spitfire seat to the main frame. If the rod attachment moves slightly I end up with a wonky seat. I have heard that a fine water spray or moisture will accelerate a superglue bond, much like the reason skin bonds so quickly. I've tried that without success though. Has anyone discovered any tricks? Martin

HI, I always seem to have problems when trying to glue two painted parts together using Revel l Contacta Professional cement glue. The two parts appear to melt together and the paint and glue mix to form a stick gloop. For example in the picture below I have glued the airbrake flap on this aircraft model to the fuselage and you can see it has become a bit of a mess. How do I avoid this? Should I glue them in place before painting or am I using the wrong glue? Thanks

Seems a reasonable price for a change.... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/87038-TAMIYA-EXTRA-THIN-CEMENT-40ML/281505294854?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D28111%26meid%3D47cfc0606cff4cb083171a46f9c9caa4%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D11472%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D350818611082&rt=nc

Hi all. This is a question that I never really have given much consideration. In the past plastic modelling glue was the Britfix tube and you applied whatever was necessery to hold the pieces together. Now it seems to be a much wider variety of glue and cements. Could anybody please give me some good advices on glues to use on transparent plastic ?

Long story short I slipped will walking with my Spit. (Lesson don't model when you are tired and cant see dog pee late at night). I broke the Horizontal stabilisers on both sides of the tail. At the moment. Once again the model is at bare plastic. I still think this is recoverable and can turn out to be a winner. I have: 1 x Revell Glue (Blue needle bottle) 1 x Gorilla Super Glue 1 x Locktie Blue (from Halfords) The breaks are clean. Any suggestions of which glue to use and the best way to effect a repair. I am working in 1/48 Thanks