Glues, fillers, and eliminating Part 1

What separates a poor model from a good one? Anyone? Right. Blobs of glue, gaping seams, streaky paint, up¬side-down markings, and broken and missing parts are telltale signs of a dis¬appointing model. Yes, we've all made models that look like that, so how do we improve? Discovering new skills isn't enough; you have to practice them. The more you practice, the more natural these skills will seem, and the more comfortable you become building models, the more you'll enjoy the hobby.

Glues. Since most of the models we build are plastic, we'll discuss plastic solvent cements first. The two types are liquid and "tube" cements, Both work on the same principle; they dissolve the plastic at the mating sur¬face, and when set, create a bond by welding the pieces together. Liquids are usually applied while holding the pieces together. A small quantity applied to the seam between the parts runs along the seam by capillary action. Holding the parts together while the solvent action takes place ensures a good bond.
Tube glue is liquid solvent cement with a polymer added to give it body and make it easier to apply. Tube glue takes longer to set and is applied to the mating surface of one of the parts, then the parts are joined. Let's go back to one of those badly action that cures the glue in as little as five minutes.

Super glues (cyanoacrylates) also are good at bonding dissimilar materials, and they set up instantly. Slow-setting, gap-filling, and gel super glues work well as fillers (more on that later).
White glue (polyvinyl acetate) such as Elmer's Glue-All is good for bonding porous materials such as wood and pa¬per. We'll also use white glue to attach small parts where bond strength isn't important. Since white glue dries clear, it is best for attaching clear plastic parts such as headlights, canopies, and windshields.