"glue" Topic

what is the strongest adhesive to attach shields and spears

Any generic CA!
Done.

Superglue may be the most convenient but it isn't the strongest bond. A 2 part epoxy would give a stronger bond but you need to support the parts in place while it cures.

Answers to your query are entirely dependent on what the substrates are.
If it's plastic to plastic, superglue or epoxy is a poor choice. You need to use an adhesive dedicated to plastic.
If metal to metal, superglue is ok, but superglue joints are very prone to shear stress.

I like what John said, definitely. I use superglue and have to re-glue shields (metal-to-metal) once in a while when I forget NOT to put pressure on the shield when handling the figure.

As others have said the superglue does the job but the one I prefer when I want things to held better is Gorilla Superglue Gel.

OK, this may be akin to the stories of alligators in the sewers, but . . . From time to time one hears of some guy, a friend of a guy the speaker knows, who used some special glue that creates such a strong bond that the figure and shield can be pretty much destroyed by force, while the join remains intact.

Any comments on this sort of thing?

Grelber
Who has to re-glue shields and weapons with superglue from time to time.

I use %@& glue I get at Michael's. Clear & adheres pretty quickly.
Paul

%@& ? Huh?

Jim

Aleene's Flexible Stretchable Fabric Glue. Takes a few hours to dry, but it will hold…

527 Glue…had finger on caps…Paul

I like E6000 Glue for most applications. It is flexible, clear, and it bonds most substrates well enough for typical in-game handling. It typically cures within 30 minutes. I've used it to bond multiple types of plastics together, as well as metal and resin figures. In the event that it fails, I can typically peel the cured glue off, without destroying the substrate, and re-apply for another go. Peeling it off will, however, remove paint if the glue is covering it. It is quite viscous/thick, so it is difficult to use in small places, or with small pieces.

For hard plastic, solvent glues are ideal: they melt/weld the plastic pieces together. It only really works on styrene plastics, however. For softer plastic figures, it is more difficult. I game with plastic Army Men figures. I use Low temperature Hot Glue (thermal plastic) to bond them to vehicles (rare, but I have done it: machine gunners poked through open vehicle hatches), as well as to mount them on MDF bases. It is mostly permanent; it is very good, very strong in holding them to both MDF and thin plywood bases. I can break them away, if necessary, without damaging the figures (happens, but rarely). I used vinyl floor tiles for bases for a while, then I re-based them on MDF/Plywood. Only a couple of figures, out of 100+, were damaged in removing the vinyl bases.

Super Glues have very weak sheer strength -- unless used on human skin! It was originally designed for use on human skin, by surgeons, to close skin incisions, reducing scars. I've used it, myself, to close Oopsies when the X-acto knife slips, and cuts my finger! Used it a couple of times in the kitchen, as well… Not recommending it, just sharing experiences.

I am also a fan of 5-minute epoxies. The shorter the cure time, the weaker the epoxy is. For miniatures, and terrain, however, anything with a cure time longer than five minutes, is not really workable, due to the amount of time the parts need to be held in place, for curing. Cheers!

I have a couple of white metal 2-pdr anti-tank guns with fiddly little bits and not too great a fit.

Recommendations for a type of glue that will hold a gun together? These models can be built in the towing position, which is what I want to do. So in a game they may be in for some rough handling.