Reply To: Hobby Weekender 14/04/2019 – Waking up before we get to sleep

[Anonymous 0xp 0]

@evilstu Many years ago, on this very site, in an actual weekender thread, Uncle Jimmy, recommended to me a great superglue activator – licking one part of the model that you want to stick!!!!  It is actually the water that reacts with the superglue causing it to harden very quickly!  I think superglue was developed, or first used, as a battlefield repair for soldiers, so they could put it on wounds to get them to stop bleeding immediately.  The water in the blood activates it causing it set very quickly.  Though I may be wrong on the history and blood bit, the licking bit works and I actually use superglue when I cut myself with a hobby knife… all because of the great Uncle Jimmy’s advices!

While I don’t recommend licking models, I have used a brush and a little water to wet an area to get it to stick before… and being truly open and honest, I have, in frustration, also licked models to get them to bloody stick and even got superglue on my tongue. It hardens straight away and doesn’t taste or feel pleasant for a short while.

Bicarbonate of Soda on its own will cause superglue to harden straight away and is a very cheap and effective gap filler.  I did it recently on a model as I had forgotten all about it working until it popped up on my YouTube feed.  My Dad used to use it when building wagons or coaches for the train layouts.  Again much cheaper than actual greenstuff or other putties.  Not sure of the white spirits needing to be added, never heard or seen that before.