Hello.
So I was playing this weekend and knocked my TIE fighter off the table. Well the stand base on the ship broke off. I can reglue it, but I was wondering what is the best glue to use?
I don't think I want to use super glue, because I found a partially used, but hard as a rock, tube. Super glue seems to dry out on me. Any other glue that's good, but don't dry out in the tube?
Thanks in advance.
2 part epoxy (e.g. Araldite, in the UK at least).
But the best way to do it is to drill out a socket into which to glue the stand (either the broken-off piece if you still have it, or cut off the end of a peg to replace it with) which will make the joint a lot stronger.
Just make sure the ship is facing the right way when you glue it in!
If you can get your hands on it, Gorilla Glue brand Super Glue *Gel* is excellent. Mine hasn't dried out in the six months since I bought it to remount the peg on my Mist Hunter, and the repair has held where Super Glue brand did not. I found mine in the local hardware store.
With cyanoacylate superglue there is also the risk that you get white fume residue on your model. I would avoid it.
1 hour ago, Managarmr said:With cyanoacylate superglue there is also the risk that you get white fume residue on your model. I would avoid it.
What do you use?
Put your superglue in the freezer when not in use. Sure, you'll have to wait for it to get to room temperature (or stick it under a warm tap for a minute or so) before you can use it, but it helps prolong the life of your super glues.
I secong gorilla glue super glue. ive even used it to repair delicate 3d printer=d minis ad it doesnt become brittle
Regardless of the glue type, anything glued together can break again. Magnetize the ships to pegs to avoid it.
Ah Ah Ah don't bother using super glue......
You need Plastic Weld.
FFG Models are injection molded ABS ( Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene )
Plastic weld is easily Available in the US and UK.
Now what the plastic weld does is " Weld or Melt " the two pieces of plastic together.
" Remember building model airplane plastic kits when you were little, there was a glue called Polystyrene Cement "
well this stuff is almost similar, just in liquid form.
it isnt like super glue, you dont need to surface prep and sand both surfaces.
Plastic weld can be applied with a pippet dropper or a simple brush. It uses Capillary Action " flows into gaps or two mated surfaces "
and then slightly melts the two surfaces together.
its a super strong bond as what happens is basically once the melted plastic hardens, you have a sealed welded join stronger than any other glue.
Infact the plastic weld itself evaporates leaving just the re-bonded plastic.
Here are a couple of links to the Plastic Weld.............
Plastic Weld US......eBay
Plastic Weld UK.....eBay
Dropper or pippet........
And here is a link to a section I did on using different glues some time back.
Hope the Info helps...........
All the best,
Barry.
Edited by Barry Harker
Not to contradict the master but... I've found that poly cement (the Revell stuff, anyway) doesn't work on FFG's plastic. It definitely doesn't work on the clear plastic of the base pegs.
Meant to question it as well, is this EMA stuff different to Revell's? I'm a huge fan of working with plastic cement, would be awesome to find one that actually works on my TIEs.
9 hours ago, thespaceinvader said:Not to contradict the master but... I've found that poly cement (the Revell stuff, anyway) doesn't work on FFG's plastic. It definitely doesn't work on the clear plastic of the base pegs.
Hello Spaceinvader,
I only mentioned Poly cement as it has a similar effect........it melts the two surfaces of plastic together.
I have never used it on FFG miniatures as they are small and the poly cement takes a long time to go off.
no, Plastic Weld is the key to getting a good, strong clean join on the Styrene ffg models 
8 hours ago, hilux said:Meant to question it as well, is this EMA stuff different to Revell's? I'm a huge fan of working with plastic cement, would be awesome to find one that actually works on my TIEs.
Yes Revell and Humbrol do make a Plastic weld, theirs is called Poly Weld.
It does work but they are not as strong as EMA Plastic weld or the American equivalent Plasti struct.
EMA is actually a company that set up on the Sheperton studios lot to supply model makers in the film industry.
They now provide services world wide,
I came across them in Collage back in the early 90's, used EMA supplies in my job as a model Engineer and
for the last ten years working in the Film industry as a Sculptor and Model Maker.
I have used many glues and when it comes to ABS, I have also used it for Acrylic, Lexan, and Polycarbonate.
I haven't found a glue yet that is cleaner, stronger and faster than EMA Plastic Weld.
Don't get me Wrong, Super glue is Fantastic and with the right Primer and Accelerators " Curing Applicators "
it can be very strong stuff......but in the right circumstances and applications.
All the best,
Barry.
Gonna hafta get some.
1 minute ago, thespaceinvader said:Gonna hafta get some.
Its well worth it and not expensive, just one thing.....well a couple.
it has one hell of a kick so DON'T sniff the bottle out of curiosity !
And it dries clear....well it evaporates but it is very fast.
you can put it on one side and then apply the two parts together, but you have to be quick.
what i tend to do is put the two parts together, then drip or run it in with a brush or dropper.
it will then flow into the join and melt them together.
I have fixed many Friends broken display stand pegs on the bottom of the ffg models this way too !
All the best,
Barry.