Glue for static TAMIYA model cars

[Speedyrelief]

Hi - It was recently my Birthday and I received two TAMIYA car kits to build. Could someone advise me on which glue I need to buy please as there seems to be a few options online? Also I was luck enough to get The LunchBox RC kit and wondered what lock tight to use ie what make or strength I would need? Many thanks Andrew

[gogsyfinnie]

I’ve used revel cement before for static models, but the tube has a habit of getting blocked.   Sometimes trapped air will give you an an uncontrolled spurt too so I’d not recommended that 😂 

I’ve since tried the tamiya extra thin cement (the wee bottle with the brush lid) and wonder why I didn’t switch to it years ago.  It’s thin as the name suggests and used sparingly can be applied very neatly.

[Elbowloh]

Can't comment on the static kits, but for the lunchbox you only use loctite for screws that are being screwed into something else metal. Do NOT use it on plastic parts.

[Speedyrelief]

Thank you for your help. I think the Loctite 242 blue seems the best option as you can dismantle a part if needed. 

[Elbowloh]

2 minutes ago, Speedyrelief said:

Thank you for your help. I think the Loctite 242 blue seems the best option as you can dismantle a part if needed. 

Up to you obviously, but as i said, only use on metal to metal as Loctite can degrade plastic.

[Twinfan]

Yep, I only use Loctite on motor pinions for most kits unless the instructions state otherwise.

[gogsyfinnie]

Ive just finished a bottle of blue loctite and have switched to the lower tack purple 222 after doing some digging on here, not tried it yet but the suggestion was this is more appropriate to our small size fixings (and I agree metal to metal only)

[Speedyrelief]

Thank you all for the advice - Kind regards Andrew

[markbt73]

For static kits, there are a couple of different options, and sometimes certain things work better for certain parts. For joining large parts, like halves of an engine block, I like liquid solvent adhesive. You hold the two pieces together and put the solvent along the seam with a syringe, or some brands have a brush in the cap that works as well. The stuff I use is sold under the name Plastruct Bondene, but if you look for "plastic model solvent cement" you'll find a few brands.

To attach smaller parts, I like the good old fashioned plastic model cement in a tube, usually Testor's brand. It's thicker, so you can put a tiny dab of it on a part with a toothpick and it stays put so you can assemble.

Clear parts like windows and light lenses are tricky. Most adhesives will turn the windows milky around the edges if you're not carful. I've used white glue before (Elmer's or similar), but it doesn't always stick well. It works better when all the windows are one piece and you just glue the whole thing in place. There is such a thing as "clear-safe" model cement, but I've never tried it.

Most important, DON'T use cyanoacrylate-based "super glue." It's too brittle, too messy, and doesn't bond as well as normal cements anyway.

 

And, as stated, don't use any threadlock on your Lunchbox anywhere except the grub screw on the motor pinion gear. It isn't needed anywhere else, and it will ruin the plastic parts.

[alvinlwh]

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[Collectible Cars]

Great advice from the guys above.
I do use superglue for Photoetched parts but never from the nozzle. I always dispense it onto a dish and use a toothpick to apply it.
Finally I use Kristal Klear or canopy glue for clear parts. It's a water based, really clean glue that can takes ages to dry, but dries clear and works great.

[Juggular]

I used to use the glue with a needle. Like that Revell stuff, only it was Testors, I think.   

But 9 years ago, I've switched to limonene glue.  It's supposed to be non-toxic.  As I get older, I don't want to invite health problems. 

Tamiya has regular and thin.  I got pen types in both regular and thin.  These tend to be slower setting, instead of 1 minute cure, it'd take like 3 minutes.  But I haven't found that to be a problem at all.  If a day goes by and you discover that you glued a wrong thing?  You might have a slight luck taking it off, if you used limonene. It's tiny bit weaker.  Again, I never found that to be a problem either.   (But don't get these if you have small children. These smell like oranges. No matter how non-toxic these are, it can't be good for swigging.) 

(Tamiya Extra thin Limonene below)

I've used limonene on helmets, and they are plenty strong for this too. 

If I need a structural strength (like a broken ankle of a robot kit or something), I use very toxic and very smelly Plastruct Plastic Weld. 

This lives far away from me. Even with 3 layers of zip-locks, almost all of it evaporated after 3 years or so.  

 

[tim.senecal]

i second both @Elbowloh's statement about loctite eating plastic, and i also second @Juggular's use of plastruct plastic-weld, although i do not find it smelly or necessary only for structural.  It is the only glue i use for 99% of my plastic model kits.  Like all the tamiya and testors and revell glues, it literally melts the plastic (weld) together.  It is just using a much stronger chemical called MEK.  it is highly toxic, and is probably banned in places like California, so it might be hard to find.