# Alternative to GW Glue



## Rye (Sep 22, 2009)

Don't get me wrong, GW glue is great even if it is a tad pricey. I for one love the smell of glue, it brings fond memories to mind. 

However, my family does not agree. They often complain about the fumes and ask me to open a window and, close my door, and turn on my fan. That is quite reasonable, and is now standard procedure whenever I'm doing a bit of gluing.

Unfortunately, it's getting a bit cold out with the inexorable approach of winter, and in Canada, "cold" is very cold indeed. Naturally, when things get cold, you close your windows in order to keep the heat in your house, as opposed to out. This kills my only source of ventilation, and I have been asked not to do any modelling until winter is over.

D:

So I need a temporary alternative to GW plastic glue, one with either few or no fumes. Can anyone suggest something?


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## Amra_the_lion (May 26, 2008)

testors makes a fume-less glue, I believe its in the blue tube. Even the red tube doesnt have an overpowering smell


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## ogrebane (May 3, 2009)

Any hobby shop will sell plastic glue. There a several hundred varieties. Just do your gluing in the bathroom with the exhaust fan on.


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## morfangdakka (Dec 31, 2006)

Regluar brush on super glue also has low fumes or use the fan in the bathroom as suggested.


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## Creon (Mar 5, 2009)

The Testors Blue is a good, fume-free glue. It smells nice, don't know what they scented it with. 2 Caveats: 1. It doesn't tack on as quickly as Testors Red/GW glue. 2. The fusion is a little weaker. But it works fine.

http://www.testors.com/category/136637/Non-Toxic_Cement_For_Plastic


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## Rockdacasbah (Sep 29, 2009)

I have always been an advocate of the Testers red tube cement stuff. Has never been to much or to little for a job. I do the majority of my modeling sitting out on my back porch, got a screened in porch and a dutch door, for those of you who dont know thats the door that is actully 2 half doors so the top can open independently of the bottom. I sit there, watch TV or listen to music through the dutch door, and the fumes just waft away.


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## aardvark (Feb 19, 2008)

*Non-smelly glue?*

I've been making plastic models for about 40 years, and I've yet to come across a plastic solvent that doesn't smell. Plastic "glues" are actually solvents, not true adhesives, and are thus petroleum-based hydrocarbons. Smell is inevitable as the solvent evaporates.

Must admit that I've never tried the blue-tube Testors product, though.

Also, don't use cyanoacrylate ("Super Glue") on model kit plastics, as suggested above. It doesn't form an effective and durable bond. And it pongs too.

Best bet as also suggested above - find a room in the house where no-one else will be disturbed by the smell, or keep a can of air freshener handy!


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## bitsandkits (Mar 18, 2008)

i use only super glues (loctite 435) or brush on super glue, bonds everything to everything, used correctly the joint strength can be better than plastic cements. As with anything you get what you pay for with super glue. Loctite 435 is £20 for 20g but its designed to stick waxy plastics and resin to other things so works really well for GW and FW kits,when glueing i try to "key" the surface by sanding it or scratching it with a craft knife, that increases the surface area and provided the glue with something to grip(works on metal too) i also add a little water or spit to one of the surfaces to glue as super glue is moisture cured,again this speeds up and gives a stronger stick.


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## Rye (Sep 22, 2009)

bitsandkits said:


> i use only super glues (loctite 435) or brush on super glue, bonds everything to everything, used correctly the joint strength can be better than plastic cements. As with anything you get what you pay for with super glue. Loctite 435 is £20 for 20g but its designed to stick waxy plastics and resin to other things so works really well for GW and FW kits,when glueing i try to "key" the surface by sanding it or scratching it with a craft knife, that increases the surface area and provided the glue with something to grip(works on metal too) i also add a little water or spit to one of the surfaces to glue as super glue is moisture cured,again this speeds up and gives a stronger stick.


Hmm, thanks for the tip about the moisture curing, I didn't know that. And thanks for everyone else's advice as well, it's appreciated!


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## tk421 (Feb 2, 2008)

I've been using Testers "Model masters" glue in a black container with a metal needle like spout which lets out only what you want and where you want it. It has very little noticable aroma if any and works great for GW plastics and FW Resins as well. However it doesn't work with metals at all.


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## chromedog (Oct 31, 2007)

For plastics, I use Revell Contacta Professional with a steel needle applicator tube. Lets me put the glue where I need it (and is similar to the testors model master black bottle in this regard). I use contacta in a jar with a brush for selected other tasks. I've managed to glue clear acetate canopies to the airframes of many models without whitening or fogging (which is the result of too much glue). As noted, many plastic glues are not 'adhesives' in a true sense, but solvents (which soften the plastic at point of contact and which evaporate at room temp) the key one being toluene (around 1% in plastic glues). 
In sufficient concentrations, toluene will allow the same weld joins for resin as the bond in plastic models - but the stronger concentrations WILL dissolve plastics.

For resins/metals I use (depending upon size and desired bond strength) either Zap medium CA or Loctite, or a two-part epoxy adhesive (aka araldite) mixed up as required.


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