The Best Glue for Plastic Miniatures

The best glue for plastic miniatures is a plastic cement such as Tamiya Extra Thin Cement, because it welds the parts into one piece instead of just sticking them together. Keep a super glue beside it for resin and metal, and a white PVA glue for bases and terrain. Those three bottles cover almost every job on a hobby desk.

Why is plastic cement better than super glue on plastic models?

Plastic cement is a solvent, not an adhesive. It softens the surface of polystyrene plastic on both parts, the softened plastic flows together, and when the solvent evaporates the two parts have fused into one. That is why a good cement joint ends up as strong as the plastic around it, and why it does not snap off at the seam the way a super glue joint can when a model gets knocked over.

The catch is that it only works on polystyrene, the hard plastic most multi part miniature kits are made from. Cement will not bond resin, metal or 3D printed parts, because there is nothing for the solvent to melt. For those, you need a super glue.

Extra thin or standard density cement?

Extra thin cement is the one to learn with. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement is so fluid that it runs into a joint by capillary action. You press the two parts together first, dry, then touch the brush in the cap to the seam, and the cement wicks along it on its own. Nothing gets smeared across the detail, and you can hold the parts exactly where you want them while it works. You get five to ten minutes of handling time to nudge parts into line, and the joint is fully cured within 24 hours.

Standard density cement is thicker and slower. AK Plastic Cement Standard Density has more body and a wider brush, and it is made for gluing by contact: brush it onto the part, then press the pieces together. That suits big flat joints like vehicle hulls, large monsters and terrain panels, where extra thin can evaporate before it has covered the whole seam. Its square bottle has an anti rolling base, which matters on a crowded desk.

If you only buy one, buy extra thin. Most miniature joints are small, and the control is worth it.

When do you need super glue for miniatures?

Use super glue, properly called cyanoacrylate, for anything that is not polystyrene: resin miniatures, metal models, 3D printed parts, and joins between different materials such as a metal weapon on a plastic arm. Super glue does not melt anything. It sets hard between the two surfaces, so the parts need to fit cleanly and the glue needs to be a thin layer, not a blob.

AK Magnet Cyanoacrylate Glue is a standard density super glue that gives a durable, strong bond in a few seconds, and AK makes it for small parts with a small contact surface, which describes most of a miniature. If holding a part still while it grabs is the hard bit, a spray of AK Flash Accelerator cures the glue almost instantly, taking the drying time from seconds to virtually nothing.

What glue should you use for bases and terrain?

Bases and scenery are mostly cork, card, foam and wood, and a white PVA glue is the right tool for all of them. AK Wolverine PVA Glue is a high strength white glue with a drying accelerator, so it behaves like the PVA you know but sets faster. It spreads smoothly, thins with water when you want a runnier mix, and cures fully in about six hours depending on the room and how thick you lay it. AK makes it especially for clear parts and for strong, invisible joints, so it is the one to reach for on canopies and windows, where super glue fumes can fog the plastic.

How do you fill the gaps after gluing?

Even a well fitted kit leaves the odd seam or gap, especially where two halves of a torso or a cloak meet. A two part epoxy putty fills them. Milliput Standard comes as two sticks: mix equal parts by hand, press it into the gap, smooth it with a damp tool, and it sets hard in three to four hours. Once cured it can be filed, sanded, drilled and painted like a hard resin. Our Milliput 101 guide walks through the technique.

A simple glue kit for your first army

• Tamiya Extra Thin Cement for every plastic to plastic joint.
• AK Magnet Cyanoacrylate Glue for resin, metal and mixed materials.
• AK Wolverine PVA Glue for bases, terrain and clear parts.
• Milliput Standard for the gaps.
• Optional: AK Plastic Cement Standard Density for large flat joints, and AK Flash Accelerator if you want super glue to set on contact.

One last thing that is printed right on the Tamiya label: plastic cement is extremely flammable and its vapor is harmful. Work with a window open, keep the cap on between joints, and keep it away from open flames.

Everything above lives in our paint and hobby supplies, next to the paints and tools you will want for the next step.