What's the best glue for metal figures?

[Zozimus]

I've recently bought some cavalry figures from Ebor Miniatures and was surprised to find that the sword arm and  carbine are separate items and therefore need to be glued on. I'm not concerned about these items needing to be attached, because I like the figures and, even with my painting, they should look good(ish) when I get around to finishing them.

What I'm unsure about is the best glue to use. I've tried one of Loctite's superglue products (repositional gel) but that was useless. Is there a better glue to use than superglue, or is my inexperience to blame?

Thanks in advance for any recommendations /advice.

[Ran The Cid]

What you're missing is Zip Kicker.  Its a spray to instantly harden super glue.  Put glue on one side, spray the other side.  Push the parts together.  1,2,3.  Glue is solid and you can move on.

[HerbertTarkel]

100%, use an accelerant.

Don’t get glue on your skin and then spray the accelerant, though. It will feel like your skin is on fire 

[Daeothar]

Gel superglue has been my go to for metal on metal and plastic on metal glueing for over 30 years. I myself stay far away from those accellerants though. I bought a bottle once, because all the cool kids use 'em and hey; you don't want to be left behind, right? But one squirt was enough for me to take a good hard look at the safety labels on the bottle (after airing the room) and then binning it because that stuff is all kinds of toxic!

I realise there are different types out there, but most are actually quite harmful, and to me, the benefit of having my superglue cure a bit faster does not weigh against developing COPD in a couple of years' time.

An other effective kicker is either a simple spray of tap water (or even blowing over it), or baking soda. That has the added benefit of hardening in such a way that you can actually sand the glue down. It can even be used as a filler in this way.

But what you really need though, is also a good set of metal drills of very small diameters, either a handvice or small electrical drill (I use a WowStick almost exclusively these days) and a healthy amount of paperclips.

Because for actual stability and a secure attachment, you'll need to pin the parts together. Especially when we're talking about limbs or weapons that stick out away from the body. My assumption here is that your arms are flaining around waving some sort of bladed weapon and the carbine is slung from the saddle?

Then I would pin the arm and glue the carbine flat onto the side of the horse...

[HerbertTarkel]

I do wear a respirator  (P100 cartridge) when using the accelerator, pretty much wear one through the priming stage of painting, these days - yeah, it’s nasty! Also, I transfer it to a spray bottle that doesn’t blast it out in a cone that will fill the room, or, I will pour a small amount in a lid or spare base, and dip the part I want sped up in it.

[Zozimus]

Many thanks everyone for all those answers. I've seen videos of all of those techniques being used but they never sank in as I didn't envisage needing to use them. I'm going to have a think about which to use: it all depends which one is more achievable with my eyesight.

[Patrice]

What I often do is glue a very thin bit of toilet paper or newspaper between the parts. Perhaps it's just a belief but I feel it helps.
That, and/or drill a hole in both and put a very short bit of wire.

[mikedemana]

I use two-part epoxy (5 minute) and use blue tac (or the less effective white tac) to hold the parts together till then. Superglue and I generally don't get along. For more than a decade, the only thing I was able to successfully superglue together were my fingers... 

I can use superglue off and on, now. I prefer epoxy, though.

Mike Demana

[Zozimus]

What I often do is glue a very thin bit of toilet paper or newspaper between the parts. Perhaps it's just a belief but I feel it helps.
That, and/or drill a hole in both and put a very short bit of wire.

Thanks Patrice
The toilet paper idea seems a good idea and I might use that in whatever I do. The drilling of holes may be a little bit beyond my abilities now but I'm not ruling it out

[Zozimus]

I use two-part epoxy (5 minute) and use blue tac (or the less effective white tac) to hold the parts together till then. Superglue and I generally don't get along. For more than a decade, the only thing I was able to successfully superglue together were my fingers... 

I can use superglue off and on, now. I prefer epoxy, though.

Mike Demana

I was thinking of using epoxy glue although the only one I have isn't the 5 minute one. The blue tack is another good (and obvious) idea. That's always the worry with superglue, which is why I thought the repositional one might be safer

[carlos marighela]

1. ZAP, with our without kicker. Available in thin, standard and gel.

2. Icky Sticky Medium CA.

Both provide superior bonds to most CA glues like Loctite. The only time I use other CA's is for some basing and terrain work, where cheap is just as good.

[HerbertTarkel]

Here in Canada there is “brand Bob Smith Industries - BSI” that is nearly universally found. It’s NOT Zap brand, but does come in thin, medium, gel. With accelerant in the same brand packaging.

It’s all I use. I trust Bob Smith!

[Elbows]

I use either Loctite Gel, or if needed, the BSI five minute epoxy (which is a god send as it comes in separate tubes and not the terrible twin-tube-plunger mess that you see more often in hardware stores).

[Cholmondely Percival IV]

I've found JB Weld to be the most effective epoxy adhesive and have used it almost exclusively since I discovered it a decade or so ago. It contains steel and is optimized for metal parts. It forms a thick paste that sets very hard. The downside is its long curing time, which is several hours for maximum strength though this could be reduced by using a larger proportion of the hardener. It's not really practical to use it for small parts as this leads to wastage due to the need to mix a reasonable amount.

On the other hand, the long curing time and thick consistency mean it can be used as a filler, particularly when mixed with additives such as the particles from used water filter capsules. I  sometimes use this as basing material if I happen to have some left over after completing the job I've mixed it for.

[Jemima Fawr]

I must be weird, in that in 40 years I've never had a problem with just plain old superglue for sticking metal to metal (or metal to plastic).