Questions about “alternative resources”

[Kaede45]

I recently got my first Warhammer 40K models & was pretty much blindsided by the fact that, unlike the free model I got from the store, the ones I bought online were not in twist-off frames, nor were the models snap-together & require cutting tools & (the biggest shock to me) glue. Obviously I was a little naive to think that all models would be snap-together or that assembly would be quick & easy, but in my defense I had never bought any Warhammer models before. Given that they sell cutting tools & glue, I should have figured as much, but that does lead to another problem I have: money or lack there of… I saw the cutting tool at my local game store selling for over $50, but I have been able to use nail scissors for cutting them out, but as cheap as the glue is (selling for about $8) I am already low on money & any expenditures could tip my account into the red. Until I get paid again I wanted to ask if there are any good alternatives (preferably household) that I can use instead. I have Gorilla glue, but I don’t know if that is a good alternative or if it might be unwise to try. I have heard that some people will use magnets for certain parts to make them interchangeable (something I would love to do when I can afford it), but I wouldn’t have the faintest idea of how to do this & frankly I can wait until I have the money to do this, so my main question is:

 

Are there any recommendations on what glues I can/should use & would gorilla glue be alright?

 

Thanks for any & all help & God bless!

[tychobi]

Gorilla glue a brand that makes all sorts of glue so it's hard to say if what you have is appropriate.

 

Dollar store crazy glue, electrician angle cutters, and a mini box cutter are all you should need to assemble your GW minis.  Plastic glue has its advantages but is not required (Tamia is my go to). I recommend not buying anything that is designed as a "hobby" product initially.  Usually they are products from elsewhere with a stamp and a massive mark up.  

 

GW modern minis are very well made and fit together one way only, with very low tolerance. Move slow, scrape those sprue nubs off and dry fit before you glue.  Usually if something is not going together easily it's a nub inside a join that you missed in cleaning. 

 

Happy hobby time!

[Wormwoods]

I tend to recommend plastic glue/plastic cement when possible, just because it's a little more forgiving when it comes to putting something together wrong. A lot of super glues will dry VERY quickly, and potentially lock an arm into the wrong position or whatever. A plastic cement gives you time to adjust, or fiddle.

 

Magnets are an advanced thing, I wouldn't worry about them for a while, and not on smaller infantry models in most cases. You tend to see them on vehicles, where you have room to work. 

[Brother Tyler]

Though it's over 10 years old and the images no longer appear (and they're no longer available at the source ), I recommend this article from @Subtle Discord (it's here at the B&C). The URLs of the [now missing] images give you the keywords you might use to search for similar images online.

 

As far as glues go, which glue you need depends upon what you're gluing, and there are plenty of cost-effective alternatives that are equal or superior in quality to GW's name brand products.

• Super glue/cyanoacrylate glue is fine for resin/metal or any mismatched materials.
• Plastic glue/modeling cement (not rubber cement) is best when assembling hard plastic. This type of glue "melts" the plastic surfaces, fusing them together as they harden.
• While you can glue hard plastic pieces using other types of glues (Gorilla doesn't make plastic glues as far as I can tell), the bond is different than if you use plastic glue.

Similarly, there are plenty of cost-effective alternatives to GW's tools, equalling or exceeding the quality of GW tools. You can see plenty of options online as well as at local art/hobby stores such as Michael's, Hobby Lobby, or whatever you might find in your neck of the woods.

[Firedrake Cordova]

First off, you don't need to feel that you need to explain your reactions - if your initial exposure to a product is something (the "easy to build" models), any variations on that in subsequent exposure (the "glue together" models) is necessarily a surprise and unexpected.

 

With regard to hobby tools, GW's tools are generally reasonable and aimed towards the hobbyist (e.g. their glues dry more slowly than some others, making them more forgiving), but you can generally find as good (or better) product for cheaper.

 

As the others have said, for gluing plastic the best option is a plastic glue. GW's models are made from styrene, so any polystyrene cement will do - I like Tamiya's "Extra Thin Plastic Cement" (the one with the green cap) because it's very easy to apply without getting it on parts you don't want it on (plastic cement works by dissolving the plastic, so you don't want to get it on details, or touch any "overspill" before it dries off). Other model companies make glue in similar containers to GW's (like Revell Contacta), but I find them harder to apply, and prone to clogging. For metal or resin models, super-glue or epoxy glue (Araldite) are the glues you want, but I'd avoid those types of models for the moment.

 

For clippers, I would recommend something like the Xuron 2175ET or 410s (or Tamiya's). Whilst you could use cheaper wire cutters from a hardware store, the problem is they don't cut very close to the surface, so you end up with a "nub" that needs trimming down, they may also not cut particularly cleanly which runs the risk of damaging detail, and they may struggle to get into some areas due to the thickness of the cutters (speaking from experience).

 

GW's mould line remover is pretty nice, but Warlord Games do one that's basically the same for half the price. You could also use a craft knife or surgical scalpel, but you need to be very careful not to apply any pressure when doing so because they're very sharp and are likely to cut the plastic - I actually use a very blunt scalpel (so blunt, it won't cut me).

 

I know the above isn't exactly what you asked for, but they're cheaper than GW's options and will last you a long time, and having decent tools will save some frustration (speaking from experience).

 

Don't know if that's any help  

[Grotsmasha]

Jump on Amazon and type in hobby tool set or some such. For $10 you'll get everything you need to start except the glue.

 

I'm sure you can source glue cheaper, but I'm quite partial to GWs plastic glue and find it "just right" to use

Edited November 11 by Grotsmasha

[LameBeard]

If you want a near-term, free solution, go to the Warhammer store and ask nicely if you can sit down and build your models there. They will almost certainly have a desk set up for “model of the month” with glue and mould line remover and clippers. They probably won’t have any blades out. Stores used to encourage this.  There may be other clubs you could join which share tools or supplies also.

if that’s not an option, I agree with the above. A superglue could work, but plastic glue (polystyrene cement) tends to be better. I use the revell stuff but have just bought Tamiya extra thin after finally finding it in stock.

 

One other short-term solution: some models suit painting on the sprue, and building later. Of course if you do that you’ll need good clippers to cut off neatly, and then still some tidying up.

Edited November 11 by LameBeard

[Kaede45]

Thank you all for your help, I deeply appreciate it.

 

I want to kind of pivot to another question that’s relevant to this, but I’m unsure if I should make a new topic or build on this one. The question regards “temporary holds” or ways to put figures together that can be easily (or as easily as possible) undone mainly as a way to get an idea of the work necessary for modifications, especially kit bashes. I know I’m still a noob at Warhammer 40K models & probably should not be trying to kit bash without more experience, but I wanted to know if anyone has suggestions on materials/techniques for holding models together to preview my visions & see how viable they are.

 

Again, thank you for your time & God bless.

[Firedrake Cordova]

Depending on the size/weight of the part and the amount of space available ... Blu-Tac?

[jaxom]

1 hour ago, Kaede45 said:

Thank you all for your help, I deeply appreciate it.

 

I want to kind of pivot to another question that’s relevant to this, but I’m unsure if I should make a new topic or build on this one. The question regards “temporary holds” or ways to put figures together that can be easily (or as easily as possible) undone mainly as a way to get an idea of the work necessary for modifications, especially kit bashes. I know I’m still a noob at Warhammer 40K models & probably should not be trying to kit bash without more experience, but I wanted to know if anyone has suggestions on materials/techniques for holding models together to preview my visions & see how viable they are.

 

Again, thank you for your time & God bless.

Blu-tac or poster-tac is an option. You can also get away with a pin head amount of crazy glue. It’s a more brittle bond and snaps easily.

[Dr. Clock]

1 hour ago, Kaede45 said:

materials/techniques for holding models together to preview my visions & see how viable they are.

 

This is the main reason to ALWAYS dry fit pieces before applying any glue... and to just go slow on carving pieces to make the kitbash. My experience is blue-tack or whatever is just as likely to gum up or conceal the nuances of actual fit requirements as it is to help illustrate the potential. For more advanced conversions a bit of blutac can help assess where or how to use modeling putty for joining pieces, but assuming you're working with plastic in the main, the need for greenstuff is usually limited.

 

FTR I use cyanoacrylate for all materials, because while it can be a bit frustrating to get the bond in the first place, it is more precise and rigid immediately, and doesn't get you any of the 'sag' that plastic glue can lead to. It also doesn't affect the plastic itself, meaning it's easier to pop off and clean up 'mistakes' without losing/melting any material.

 

95% of my modeling is achieved with a) detail xacto like the one pictured above, b) cyanoacrylate ('Insta-Cure' purple label) and c) paper clips for applying the glue. Obviously a cutting mat will save your tabletop, and clippers are also good.

 

Just like we don't paint straight from the pot, we do NOT glue directly from bottle, but use a paper clip to actually place the glue. Also get in the habit of 'clearing' the bottle tip after each application by squeezing it after you put it down and most of the glue flows out. If flow get obstructed a bit you can likely clear the block with the paper clip, but the biggest brake on blockage is just to avoid using the bottle tip as your applicator altogether.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

 

 

[LameBeard]

You definitely SHOULD be trying to kitbash, because it’s one of the most fun parts of the hobby!

 

You will often find a simple head-swap or weapon-swap will transform a model. If you are carving away then I think that deserves to be called a conversion.

 

My other tip for kitbashing (if on a humanoid model) is pose yourself - ie get your own body into the position you are planning. Is it natural? Is the gravity / movement / balance right? Where is your weight going? That will help you decide if it will work on the model.

[roryokane]

On 11/12/2024 at 10:32 PM, LameBeard said:

You definitely SHOULD be trying to kitbash, because it’s one of the most fun parts of the hobby!

 

You will often find a simple head-swap or weapon-swap will transform a model. If you are carving away then I think that deserves to be called a conversion.

 

My other tip for kitbashing (if on a humanoid model) is pose yourself - ie get your own body into the position you are planning. Is it natural? Is the gravity / movement / balance right? Where is your weight going? That will help you decide if it will work on the model.

Do you also keep a variety of boulders around to see which pose fits which tactical rock best? ;)

[tychobi]

I definitely have a stash of bark, rocks, slate, and such that could be declared tactical in a pinch.  Collecting bits is a lifestyle 

[Mysterion]

I use very few GW products personally, based on the prices they charge alone. I use Gorilla Super Glue Gel or Tamia Plastic Cement, Gorilla Glue dries quickly but once you're experienced with it, you can work with it easily. My clippers, hobby knife, file and all those sorts of tools are cheap DIY tools or non-brand items from Amazon or Hobbycraft (if you're UK-based) and they work just as well. I use Green Stuff World modelling putty and Amry Painter brushes, which are better than the Citadel brushes IMO. There is also All Game Terrain and Woodland Scenics who make some good stuff. For alternative paints, I'd consider Amry Painter and Vallejo.