I am getting back into modeling after 10 years. I have purchased an older kit along with a resin and white metal upgrade kit, and have tried to use Krazy Glue and have not been able to get the pieces to adhere. Any suggestions on the proper glue for white metal to white metal, resin to plastic, and white metal to resin? Help!
Normally I use CA (Cyano-Acrylate) glue for both the jobs. I like the gel type above the thin (like water) because the drying time of the gel type is a bit slower, so you have a bit more time to correct if placed a part wrong…
HTH, John.
I use two, depending on the need.
The first is good old CA. It’s excellent for holding things together as long as there aren’t any shearing forces being applied.
The second is Gator’s Grip acrylic glue. Handles like a thick white glue, but it holds much better and has EXCELLENT shear properties. If you “break” a small piece that’s held on with the stuff, you can literally bend it back into its original position, where with CA that part would probably be long gone.
The only places where I’ve found I don’t like the Gator’s Grip glue are on…
1 - Gluing pins/wire into friul tracks…the stuff’s just a touch too elastic and I think CA does the better job here.
2 - Rigging work, if you’re attaching under tension. I had several eyebolts literally pull out of my Pup’s cockpit frame from GG’s elasticity. They never actually broke loose, a testament to the stuff’s durability, but if it’s going to be pulled out by whatever forces, CA works better.
There may be some remaining mold release on the parts which affect glue adhesion. Before proceeding you should wash the parts in warm water with dish detergent. Scrub lightly with an old, soft toothbrush. Rinse well in clear water and allow to air dry (towel drying may transfer fibers).
Then wash your hands before you work on the kit again and minimize handling (i.e. fondling) it to minimize transfer of skin oils which again will affect glue adhesion.
Superglue is your friend, but the surfaces need to be clean and free of contaminants.