I am having trouble with excess glue and I can’t seem to find any information about “controlling” excess glue. It’s all coming together really well and I’m taking my time but I keep having glue running away and I don’'t know how to clean it up. Any tips? I tested painting over some glue areas but I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I don’t really like the results. Some parts I can’t get my knife in at the right angles to cut it away. When I glue I have tested using a brush or tissue to wipe it away but then I find I move smaller parts out of place and sometimes even the bigger ones. I working on Revell models, 1/72 scale, skill level 4 and 5.
If it’s liquid cement you’re using, try blowing on it to evaporate the excess. This will leave a mark where the cement crazes the plastic but you can sand that out once the glue is completely evaporated. If I’m trying to cement a seam (a long seam such as a wing or fuselage seam) I usually touch a drop of cement to the seam about every two to three inches apart. Remember that with liquid cement, a little goes a long way.
The glue you need is Testor’s plastic cement in the 1 oz glass jar. Its a clear jar with a purple and white lable. There is a lill’ brush inside the lid for use. Its thin like water and like said above a lill’ goes a long way.
Its actually a chemical plastic solvent, not technically glue as it melts the plastic so it will harden to itself. The longer you wait to assembe the more soft the seam will be and even extra plastic will fill seam once you are familiar with its properties.
If no plastic filler or hobby shop try automotive filler instead. ‘Fine red oxide’ looking paste in tube works. The drywall filler probally will crack and not stick well to the plastic. If really hard up I heard liquid paper will fill a fine seam.
The main thing is to dry-fit and keep seams and gaps to a minimum. Even if it means cutting off the factory line-up tabs. 10 min. extra dry-fitting and sanding can save a hour filling and repairing a bad seam.
What do you mean by liquid paper? Is that a product or do you mean literally wetting paper to a “mash” and filling it that way?
I can’t really afford at the moment to buy any extras, I know I should but money makes restriction. That’s why I wondered if any household products like wall filler would do the trick. Is there any household items that can fill gaps?
As for the glue, how can i remove what is already been glued and dried, especially those hard to get places where I can’t get the knife in easy without doing more damage? And what can I do to remove glue whilst it is still wet?
‘Liquid paper’ or white out? you know the stuff to correct ink and paper errors.
If its the gooey tube style glue only a sharp hobby blade once its dry will touch it. A file will just smear it around, as sandpaper. It will be a learning curve untill you get liquid solvent cement.
Thats the great part of the hobby, you are always learning new techniques and tricks.
The only way to get rid of excess glue is to shave, file or sand it away. Careful application is required for success. You can use a paint brush to apply glue, but don’t try using it for any other purpose.
My preferred glue is Tamiya Extra Thin which comes with a nice brush.
Household wall putty won’t work for filling gaps in plastic, for that you need a putty like Squadron or Tamiya. Automotive bondo will also work.
Not being able to afford supplies is the bane of many starting modelers. All I can say is stay patient and slowly build up your supplies.
Ok thanks, I will just have to put up with the excess glue I have on there now, might try and find a cheap file or a thinner bladed knife cheap somewhere.
I checked out the Tamiya Extra Thin with the brush on ebay and got one for just £0.99. Thanks for the tips…
Get exacto style blade holder and a pack of #11 blades. New ones are best saved for special applications and used ones for everything else. Pictured is #11 hobby blade and holder in purple.
Keep thinking model building and aquire materials and tools from all sorts of places. Some hobby stores have trade-in kits that are opened or partially complete that you can get for less than 5 pounds.Check the instructions to make sure its all there before purchaseing.
Most of all have fun, each kit will improve your skill set.
First step is to throw away the applicator brush that’s in the cap… It’s too big to be accuarate… You can use a nice, sharp-pointed paintbrush, like a 1-0 to apply liquid cement like that or Testor’s bottled… The trick is to hold the parts together, then touch the cement-filled brush to the joint and let capillary action take the glue into the joint… Coulpe things, though… Make sure that you have your fingers COMPLETELY clear of the joint. If the glue touches your finger, it will do the same thing it did in the joint and run out onto the part surface, following your fingerprints… The other is make sure that you’re not holding the part at any recessed panel lines, as the glue will head for those too…
Don’t worry about cleaning the brush, the solvent will evaporate long before any bristles are stuck together…
Another trick is that the glue can be used to disolved a previously-glued joint and allow you to separate the parts. It’s a rather handy trick if you have ever glued a fuselage or the like together, and forgotten the tailwheel, or even the cockpit…
Still another use for liquid cement is for rough-up a surface… If you’re modeling something that calls for a cast-steel or iron appearance, simply dip a flat brush with short (1/4" or so) bristles into the glue, then apply it to the surface, then using a stabbing, stippling motion to melt the very top surface… Set aside to dry, and you got a really good-looking pice of cast steel… It also will thin some putties, like Bondo Red Glazing putty…
Actually, the cap brush in the Tamiya Extra-thin is pretty good and fine-tipped, about the same as a size 0 paintbrush. The one in the Testors cap is pretty big though.
Talking about fine brushes, I need one for detail work, really really thin for those spades etc on tanks and dials in the “cockpit”. Can anyone give me some brand names to search for on ebay or even specific brush names?
Going to read through all the comments later on in more detail (have 2 small kids running around here) so I might have some other comments/questions.
Brushes can be trimmed and customized as needed. I put a sharper point on my Testor’s plastic cement brush. Lay brush flat on wood or hobby matt and use new #11 blade to cut away from the base outward to remove bristles or alter tip.[8-|]
Fine details you see are usually washes and drybrushing. Expensive brushes are ones featuring natural hairs not synthetic. Keep good care of that investment, also never store any brush tip down always tip up.
In my opinion, Good tools are a MUST in modeling, and a good set of red-sable (I prefer Grumbacher) brushes is a must. There’s cheaper “synthetic hair” out there, but ya get what ya pay for with modeling tools…
What you want to look for in detail brushes are a sharp point, elasticity of the hair, and it’s ability to hold enough paint to do what you want to do in one stroke…
Basic set for a beginning “Serious” modeler? I recommend a set of red sable # 2 or #1, a # 0, and #00 round. The #0000 and even smaller #00000 hold so little paint they aren’t worth what they cost… Keep in mind also that it’s NOT the size of the round brush you’re paying for… It’s the brush POINT… They have to be taken care of, cleaned properly, and stored right… You’ll also want a set of decent Flats, #'s 2, 4, & 6… That should hold ya until you get “REALLY serious” about modeling & painting… These should have a nice, well-defined “Chisel-tip”, so look for that…
For applying dry-brushing pastels, you’ll want at least one filbert, two would be better, although you can use flats just as easily…
If you want a decent set for not a lot of money, Testor’s Model Master brushes are ok… They are synthetic, but they’re cheap enough to last a fair amount of time before you’ll have to replace them, if you take care of them…
So… My list of brand-names (No particular order after Grumbacher):
Grumbacher
Testor’s Model Master
Master’s Touch
Atlas
Simmons
There’s more, but that’s all I have on my bench…
If you have an arts & crafts store near you, the brushes will likely be cheaper than what you’ll find on Ebay or your Local Hobby Shop…
