Tight test fit on resin parts leads to panic... help

Captain Riker · Post by **Captain Riker** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 10:03 pm

So I am putting together a WARP models Whitestar and it's my first resin kit. So far so good I've gotten a good chunk of the kit put together and am getting better with CA and Aves, both of which this kit represents the rookie attempt.

So I'm test fitting two parts and have to sand the edges as the one part has to slot into the other. after sanding away some material I try to seat the part and (proabably due to too much pressure) they fit tightly together.

Very tightly.

So I'm panicking, a little force has no effect and I don't want to put too much pressure on and risk cracking either part. I'm able to seperate them a sliver so I furiously squeeze CA into the seams and to any -lae where the parts mate. Even over the edges. Am I screwed?

Dark Star · Post by **Dark Star** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 10:14 pm

Warp's brittle GRP resin can be a nightmare. I've broken a lot of parts on one of my Nebulas and had to just about rescribe half the secondary hull.

The only thing I would ask is why did you apply CA just after you got it to move even if it was slightly? Did you slide it back into place and then apply glue? If you have it already glued in and it fits...and you can paint it, I'd leave it alone. Trying to pry glued GPR out would be resin suicide. But that's just my take.

Captain Riker · Post by **Captain Riker** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:56 am

Well, by pull it apart I meant I could get like a mm of seperation. Enough to shoot some glue down between the parts and press thm back together. Then I shot some glue along any seam that wasn't compleately tight. I have no desire to try to pry these two apart as I've heard (after purchase) about Warps resin.

Dark Star · Post by **Dark Star** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 12:03 pm

Sounds like those parts are happily married then. I'd leave them alone as you seem to be slanting towards. Good luck and how about some pics of your build? We don't get to see very many Whitestars.

Captain Riker · Post by **Captain Riker** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:06 pm

Yeah, I've filled the remaining gaps with AVES and overlapped the seams anyway so that should help keep it in place upon drying.

I'm going to get some pics together before I do the next stage, I'll definately be posting in the painting forum next since This will also be my first airbrus project (most likely.)

ajmadison · Post by **ajmadison** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 9:57 am

Here's a tip when you've got partial adhesion, but there are gaps, or its a detail piece that's not sealed down on the corners.

I prefer to have a puddle of superglue on a disposable container, like the bottom (now top) of a flipped over yogurt container. I never take an "unmodified" superglue bottle and apply to my model.

For slipping a little glue under a detail part, I take a slip of paper and let it soak up some thin (non gap filling) superglue. Carefully slide the soaked slip of paper into the gap in question. Wiggle it a little to coax the glue off the paper, remove the paper, apply pressure.

I like the 'super-tips' or whatever they call them for the Pacer line of superglues. Sure, they clog in no time, and sometimes they're use once and throw away, and some modelers poo-poo them for that. But for a very specific application, they're perfect. If I have a hard to reach gap, I apply the tip to the gap, and squeeze in enough gap filler to fill the void.

And of course, there is the stick & drop method. I take a wooden skewer, pick up a drop of superglue from said yogurt container puddle, and apply it to the model. Eventually you get a blob of superglue on the skewer which can be useful, because the more surface area, the more glue you can pick up. But if its a pinpoint problem, I just take my utility knife and slice off the offending blob until I have a suitable 'pointed stick'.