One of the most fun things out there is the making of models. Whether you’re making model boats, airplanes, houses, action figures, or anything in between, it’s something that takes a whole lot of skill.
Moreover, when you are making models, you need the right kind of glue or adhesive, something that can be applied with great precision and something that you won’t be able to see once it is dry.
Now, this is what we’re here to do today to help you find the best model, glue that your money can buy. We have some great information for you to check out, as well as nine of the best glues out there. Let’s get to it.
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- Strong
- Very resistant to solvents
- Fast drying
- Easy to work with
- Very thin formula
- Ideal for all sorts of plastic
- Good working time
- High bond strength
- Ideal for plastic and Styrofoam
- Water resistant
- High bond strength
- Cures almost instantly
- Great bond strength
- High impact resistance
- No clamping required
- Not much clamping required
- Great for plastic
- Ideal for models and toys
- Easy to use
- Thick formula
- Ideal for plastic models and toy repairs
- Easy to apply
- Thin formula
- Very strong bond
- Fast setting
- Precision applicator
- Forms a super strong bond
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
Testor Corp Plastic Model Glue
If you are looking for very fast drying glue that can bond all sorts of plastic together, as well as Styrofoam, something that is ideal for plastic models, then our number one overall top pick for the best model glue is Testor Corp Plastic Model Glue. If you need solid glue that will hold together models of all shapes and sizes, then this is one of your best options.
- Great for all plastic
- Quick drying
- Very strong bond
In terms of overall bond strength and resistance towards a variety of solvents, this is one of the best types of glue you can use for models. Remember that this is a type of rubber cement, which means that it is extremely strong. Water, heat, and a variety of solvents won’t degrade this stuff, at least not for many, many years to come.
What’s really nice about this product is that it is very quick drying, so you don’t have to clamp models together for very long. This means that you can build your models much faster because you don’t have to wait for individual components to dry. Let’s also keep in mind that this stuff can be used to join Styrofoam to wood.
One of the only downsides of this product is the fact that the cap does not have a thread on it, so it can just be pulled on and off. This can be good, but it can also be bad because it can be quite messy. Not to mention the fact that you also don’t get a precision applicator cap with it. That being said, in terms of overall glue quality, this is your number one choice.
Model Glue Buyers Guide
Before you go out and buy just any old glue for building models, there are a few important things that you need to be aware of. First off, we want to start with talking about the different types of glue that you can use for plastic toys and for model building.
- Testor Corp Plastic Model Glue
- TAMIYA 87038 Extra Thin Cement Glue
- Devcon 90225 Duco Plastic and Model Cement
- Starbond EM-02 Super Glue
- Gorilla 7700111 Super Glue Gel
- Faller Super Cement
- Games Workshop Citadel Plastic Glue Thick
- TESTORS CORPORATION Boys 3502XT Plastic Cement Liquid
- Revell 25g Contacta Professional Plastic Glue
Types of Glue for Plastic Toys
As mentioned above, there are a few different types of glue that you can use for model building, so let’s take a look at all of them right now.
Model Cement
One of the best options you have to go with for repairing toys and building models is simple model cement. Model cement is a gel like substance that contains a chemical, usually toluene, that when applied to the surfaces of a plastic model, forms a membrane that bond the two surfaces together.
This stuff is a good option to go with because it’s very inexpensive, you can find it in most places, it generally dries and cures pretty quickly, and it does form a very strong bond. With that being said, this stuff can be very messy to use, not to mention that yellows with age, and a can lose its adhesion properties over a long period of time.
Super Glue
The next option that you have at your disposal here is super glue. Now what you need to know about Super Glue is that it’s best used for porous surfaces. So if you have broken toys then they should be porous In order for super glue to work. Although super Glue may work on smooth plastic in some cases, there is no guarantee.
With that being said, due to the fact that super glue dries and cures within about 40 seconds, you will find out quickly enough. Moreover, Super Glue is also extremely water resistant, and it can hold up a good deal of weight as well.
Moreover, Super Glue is very easy to apply and it’s cheap too. That said, Super glue is in no way temperature resistant. It’s not really solvent resistant and it doesn’t do well when pressure or tension is applied to it either. Therefore, it’s probably best used for only very small toy repairs. Super Glue is honestly not the number one choice that we would use for model building.
Rubber Cement
Another option that you have to go with here is rubber cement. Now what needs to be said about rubber cement is that the bond is not overly long lasting with the reason for this being that if you are very careful once rubber cement is fully dried and cured, you can actually peel it off. Now, with that said, this makes rubber cement an ideal option for repairing toys or building models where you need to form a temporary bond that needs to be pulled apart later.
Rubber Cement is also very flexible, which is another bonus. Now what does need to be said is that rubber adhesives, such as rubber cement are ideal for bonding plastics together, as they do bond plastic of all sorts very well. That said, this stuff is best used for indoor purposes only, as it’s not very resistant to UV light, extreme temperatures, or water.
Did you know that opposed to what you might think, rubber cement does not actually contain cement at all? It’s just a term used due to the way in which it works.
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Model Cement vs Super Glue
The other thing that we quickly want to touch on in terms of model building and toy repair is what the difference between model cement and super glue is. When it comes down to it, super glue, although it can hold a lot of weight, does not do well with any type of movement.
Moreover, Super glue does dry and cure extremely quickly, which is convenient, but it can also be quite messy to apply, not to mention that it will definitely bond with your fingers.
On the other hand, model cement is generally a bit thicker when you apply it, which means that it is a bit easier to apply. Model cement does usually take a bit longer to cure, but the bonded forms is very strong. It tends to be slightly more flexible than super glue, which means that it handles movement better. However, model cement is more temperature and solvent resistant than super glue.
Safety Tips When Using Modelling Cement or Hobby Glue for Plastic
To help keep you safe when using any of these products, let’s go over a few important safety tips.
- If you happen to be using super glue, something you definitely want to do is to wear gloves, because this stuff can bond your skin very easily.
- With some cement adhesives, the fact of the matter is that they can create quite strong fumes, so you do probably want to work in a well ventilated area.
- Always make sure to use some kind of layer over a table when using glue, because you don’t want to get model glue on the table.
Best Model Glue
The top best product [hide]
Testor Corp Plastic Model Glue
What's really nice about this product is that it is very quick drying. This means that you can build your models much faster because you don't have to wait for individual components to dry. Let's also keep in mind that this stuff can be used to join Styrofoam to wood.
One of the only downsides of this product is the fact that the cap does not have a thread on it, so it can just be pulled on and off, n to mention the fact that you also don't get a precision applicator cap with it.
- Quick drying
- For all plastic
- Can join wood to Styrofoam
TAMIYA 87038 Extra Thin Cement Glue
- Very thin
- Easy to apply
- Good for gap filling
Devcon 90225 Duco Plastic and Model Cement
- For model building
- For plastic toy repair
- Good handling time
Starbond EM-02 Super Glue
What is important to note here is that this is of course super glue, so it dries extremely quickly it cures within about a minute. Beware that it will also bond to your hands so be careful. What's cool is that this stuff can handle a whole lot of weight, and it's fairly water resistant too. But that said, it cannot handle tension or movement very well, nor does it do well with heat or solvents.
- Thin formula
- Ideal for gap filling
- High gloss finish
Gorilla 7700111 Super Glue Gel
Moreover, you don't even have to clamp this stuff because it dries and cures within about 45 seconds. Just beware that it will bond to your hands, so be careful with it. This is quite the versatile option to consider because they can bond plastic, wood, metal, ceramic, rubber, leather, paper and more materials. That said, it should not be used with polyethylene or polypropylene plastic.
- Bonds virtually all materials
- Fast setting
- No run formula
Faller Super Cement
What you might also like about this product is that is very quick drying. It takes only a few minutes to dry, which means that it doesn't take much clamping. The fact that it dries fast also means that you can get back to work quickly too.
- Precision applicator
- Fast drying
- Ideal for plastic
Games Workshop Citadel Plastic Glue Thick
- Good Tack
- High bond strength
- Perfect for plastic
TESTORS CORPORATION Boys 3502XT Plastic Cement Liquid
- Easy to apply
- Fills gaps
- Ideal for many materials
Revell 25g Contacta Professional Plastic Glue
- Precise applicator
- High bond strength
- Fast curing time
Conclusion
Due to the fact that is extremely strong, very easy to use and combined virtually all types of plastic are number one choice for the best type of model glue is Testor Corp Plastic Model Glue. With that said, all of the choices that we have taken a look at here today are fine ones to consider.
