While super glues can be used on plastic, it is not recommended to use them for a whole kit build. They are however useful for gluing metal and resin, either to each other or to plastic parts. Super glues come in 3 main viscosities
- Thin, which can be used in a similar fashion to extra thin cement (link to relevant question). It is a quick setting glue with some strength, especially useful for photo etch parts.
- Medium viscosity is a staple, and very useful for areas that need strength, or hard to bond areas. It can be used as a tacking glue for difficult joins to help create a stronger bond. Once set normal glues can then be used to full the gaps as an excess of superglue can be tricky to clean up or cause damage over time to parts.
- Thick super glue is useful for large areas that require a strong bond, and is also a handy gap filler when parts don't line up quite right. It is also our glue of choice for resin models.
Avoid using super glue on clear parts as most CAs will cause fogging, unless otherwise specified. An activator can be used to speed up the drying time of super glue. These are available as a spray or brush/dropper. While helpful for faster drying, activators can affect clear parts and react with some paints. Wash off any excess activator with soap and water before painting over the area.
Super glue debonder is also available, however breaking bonds becomes more difficult the longer the glue has had to set, so this is best used early on.
Finally, once opened super glues have a fairly short shelf life. This can be extended by keeping them in a cool, dark place. Some of us even keep them in the fridge, if you do this just make sure it is in a sealed bag or container, as leakages can occur.