Best adhesive for clear plastic parts?

[Magos Takatus]

I have been painting some Aeldari War Walkers recently and I have encountered an issue with the clear canopies that I've never had before. Which sort of glue is best for fitting those parts in place? Those canopies are not new to me but on the Falcon and the Vyper they can be fitted without glue. I would normally use super glue for that variety of plastic but I hear that super glue tends to fog up the clear plastic parts unless you are very careful. Does anyone have any experience with this situation? I've not really had issues with flying stands that seem to be made from a similar plastic but I just thought I'd best ask here. The Eldar forum is pretty sleepy and I thought it was a general question about this type of plastic so I posted it here.

[Bryan Blaire]

I have definitely had the “frosted” plastic problem using super glue less than carefully (apparently that’s caused by off-gassing as the glue dries) - if I do anything with clear plastic now, I will be using some kind of clear parts/canopy glue/cement.  I know that Testors has some, I’ve seen it in hobby shops, and it’s marketed as cement, so I would think that is similar in bonding properties to the plastic glue/cement that melts parts together, but I haven’t had an opportunity to personally use it.  The rest of what I have seen just states canopy glue, so I’m thinking it is just some kind of clear glue, not actually additional melting of parts.  There’s also odorless super glue, which isn’t supposed to fog clear plastic.

[Mazer Rackham]

There's a product called canopy glue. I know a few military modellers that have used PVA in the past, but I bow to the experienced Frater.

[Stolid Fox]

https://www.amazon.com/Testors-3515CT-Clear-Parts-Cement-1oz/dp/B0006N6ZHS/ is the stuff.

[Imren]

I think the best option is 2-component epoxy glue. It is very strong, cures transparent, doesn't emit any vapours/fogs. Only downside is that you if you use the more practical 5-min version you need to hurry up applying it before it hardens. So it takes more preparation, need to have tootpicks/cottonbuds handy.

[Bryan Blaire]

@Imren, what are the advantages of the two part epoxy over the clear plastic cement?

 

(I’m going to need something for my Eldar kits at some point, figure might as well be best prepared)

Edited December 11, 2022 by Bryan Blaire

[Imren]

3 minutes ago, Bryan Blaire said:

@Imren, what are the advantages of the two part epoxy over the clear plastic cement?

 

(I’m going to need something for my Eldar kits at some point, figure might as well be best prepared)

 

If you glue plastic canopy to plastic model/hull then there is no advantage at all, contrary, I think plastic cement is always better and the way to go when gluing plastic to plastic.

 

But for plastic canopy to resin models I recommend thinly applied epoxy glue, Didn't have good results with those canopy glues, they seem like regular PVA glue and the bond was not good enough to hold the canopy since the interface area is so thin compare to the mass of the canopy, the  bond is flimsy, so I really prefer stronger adhesives such as epoxy in this case.

 

 

 

[Magos Takatus]

Thank you for all the replies. It looks like the canopy glue linked is out of stock currently but I have some leftover epoxy glue from my FW Knight so I will test it on a spare canopy. I will give it a go and report my findings. :)

[Bryan Blaire]

@Imren - thanks!  That makes a lot of sense, much appreciate the information!

Edited December 11, 2022 by Bryan Blaire

[duz_]

This stuff apparently 

I've only used it on flying stands but it seems to work

[MithrilForge]

I see it's been answered but in the past when i only had super glue, i would sparingly glue the canopy then point a fan on low speed at the canopy for a while and usually the breeze blowing past would not allow the part to fog - eldar war walkers are good for this method as it's not a sealed canopy, If i was gluing sealed canopies than I'd use PVA glue...

 

M. 

[StraightSilver]

I use Revell Contacta Clear, which is designed for clear plastic, such as canopies. they also do a Contacta Chrome for silvered plastic but that's less common in GW kits.

 

https://www.scalemodelshop.co.uk/20g-contacta-clear-canopy-adhesive-glue-revell-39609-p14338/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_cCRiv3z-wIVCp7tCh1zXAMbEAQYAiABEgLZFvD_BwE

[Bryan Blaire]

@StraightSilver Do you see that is more of an adhesive/glue, or does it do the sort of “melting together” activity that occurs with the Revell Contacta Professional?