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Author Topic: Which glue for 1/72nd soft plastic?  (Read 1168 times)

Offline Orctrader

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Which glue for 1/72nd soft plastic?
« on: 21 August 2022, 05:04:24 PM »
Specifically Zvezda where material is described as "Plastic (Fairly Hard)" on Plastic Soldier Review - if that makes any difference.   ::)

Which glue to attach the material to itself?  (As "some assembly is required...")

Which glue to attach to Victrix hard plastic bases?

Which glue to attach to metal (1 penny coins) bases?


Offline Daeothar

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Re: Which glue for 1/72nd soft plastic?
« Reply #1 on: 21 August 2022, 06:52:57 PM »
I've converted several of them some time ago, and I found the only reliable option to be superglue; I found no other types that would cement the plastic like polystyrene cement does with polystyrene...
Miniatures you say? Well I too, like to live dangerously...


Offline Fitz

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Re: Which glue for 1/72nd soft plastic?
« Reply #2 on: 21 August 2022, 09:05:26 PM »
There's a two-stage system by Selleys called "All Plastics" which has yet to fail me when gluing plastic to plastic. It consists of a felt pen primer, used to prepare the two surfaces, and the glue itself which is very much like cyanoacrylate (superglue).

I've done head-swaps on soft plastic figures from Revell, Airfix and Strelets with this stuff, using a simple butt-joint (no pinning or anything) and got a join strong enough that I can swing the figure around by its new head without the join parting.

As far as gluing soft plastic figures to a base of another material, a gap-filling glue that you can use to encapsulate the figure base works, even if the glue won't stick to the soft plastic. Just use a toothpick or something to push a strap of the glue over the figure base, between its legs, from side to side. Or even just push the glue up over the edge of the base slightly, so that when it cures the figure is held in place. Plain old white glue will usually work, but I prefer 5-minute epoxy, or superglue sprinkled with baking soda.

Offline Moriarty

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Re: Which glue for 1/72nd soft plastic?
« Reply #3 on: 22 August 2022, 06:43:22 AM »
I’d second pva for basing, use Uhu in its ‘contact’ adhesive mode to. Glue the figure to the base (mdf circles), then the figure base and circle with pva and add decoration.

Have yet to find a ‘reliable’ glue for joining parts, but have used a soldering iron to fix Airfix horses to their bases. TMP has a recommendation for ‘Unibond Repair Extreme’ (might be worth checking the page yourself).

Good luck!

Offline Cat

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Re: Which glue for 1/72nd soft plastic?
« Reply #4 on: 22 August 2022, 01:45:38 PM »
Plasti-Zap, by the makers of Zap-a-Gap, works as adveritsed!

Offline Orctrader

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Re: Which glue for 1/72nd soft plastic?
« Reply #5 on: 22 August 2022, 03:47:23 PM »
Thanks all.

There's a two-stage system by Selleys called "All Plastics"

Googling seems to be from Australia and I'm UK, but there is a Loctite product that sounds equivalent.   ::)

Offline Captain Harlock

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Re: Which glue for 1/72nd soft plastic?
« Reply #6 on: 24 August 2022, 11:27:15 PM »
Loctite has also a two stage glue with an activator and a (I guess regular?) superglue. Those vinyl plastic soldiers are really tough to paint and convert.

 

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