Vinyl kit glue and diorama vegetation

[bonnjer]

What is the best type of glue to use for vinyl kits? It's been so long since I've built one that I don't remember what I used on my last one.

Also, for a jungle ruins diorama, where can I find some jungle/forest vegetation? I've been looking for a supplies site, but no luck yet.

Thanks for the help.

Jeremy

[Mr. Badwrench]

I don't know about vinyl glue, but for jungle vegetation, try Woodland Scenics stuff. Hobby Lobby carries some of their stuff, but for a larger selection try model train stores.

[Owen E Oulton]

Go to your local Michael's or other "craft" store and check out the range of plastic and silk ferns. Many of the smaller varieties are perfect for modelling with a little trimming and painting.

[Shinnentai]

What is the best type of glue to use for vinyl kits? It's been so long since I've built one that I don't remember what I used on my last one.

I like CA/superglue these days, but then I also reinforce vinyl kits from the inside W/ epoxy putty and/or resin. Superglue makes a good bond, but it's brittle, so CA'd vinyl kit joints can come apart if the model warps or flexes a little. I started reinforcing my vinyl kits becase I'd seen way to many instances of warpage from weight and/or heat, as well as and heat-fixed parts slowly creeping back to their original (warped) shape.

Before I started internaly reinforcing as construction SOP, I experemented with lots of different glues. Epoxy glue can bond very well (but sometimes unpredictably badly), and handles flexion a bit better than CA, but the same liability is still there. That said I use CA now because it's easier, and allows for a closer fit. In the end I'm really just using it to tack the joint, while the epoxy resin or putty inside forms an unshakable mechanical continuity between the parts.

For straight vinyl to vinyl bond the MOST effective adhesive I ever tried was Devcon Vinyl Mender, which is sold for repairing vinyl upholstry. The bond it creats is as indestructable as one could ever hope for, and it handles flexion & warpage with no proplems. It's one BIG problem though is that it's got a thick and fussy consistancy out of the tube, kinda like half-coagulated silicone caulk. Laying it down thinly and evenly is a teriffic PITA, and it commonly makes for thick & goopy seams.

That blue liquid stuff sold for joining PVC pipes works well too (and applies much thinner & easier), but can be peeled off if enough force is applied. It's better than CA for vinyl, but it takes a loooong time to set up, so CA still wins for me because I can just hand-hold the parts for a few seconds and move on to the next step. In the time it takes one joint to solidify with either of the above, I can assemble the whole kit using the CA and epoxy-inside method.

I'm kina OCD about durability issues, so I favor this method because the resulting model is rock-solid as if it were resin cast. Others may be more accepting of what I percieve as shortcomings in some glues though. It all depends on what you personally want from your work.

[Bomech1]

What is the best type of glue to use for vinyl kits? It's been so long since I've built one that I don't remember what I used on my last one.

Also, for a jungle ruins diorama, where can I find some jungle/forest vegetation? I've been looking for a supplies site, but no luck yet.

Thanks for the help.

Jeremy

Jungle vegitaion - a lot of people use paper.while this make suitable palm fronds and broad leaf plants, I take awalk in the woods around my place and look for moss. I tried fern leaves but they dried out. tried clear coating them also -still no luck. ck the armored fighting suit dio for the moss I used. had to glue them one at a time but I think it looks great.
http://photobucket.com/albums/a64/Bomech1/
hth
Brian

[JamesDFarrow]

For Jungle Vegetation a good place to check out is a pet store. One that has a lot of aquarium supplies. There is a load of artificial aquarium plants of all shapes and sizes and colours out there. You can probably find what you are looking for if the place you go to has a good variety in stock.

James

[Bomech1]

the wife brought home a flower arangment yesterday - it had the moss I refered to. check your local florist or garden center. In the words of Shep Paine - real vegitation is best.

[USSARCADIA]

Don't forget the grocery store. Herbs like oregano and parsley make great leaf litter, etc.

[caveslug]

Also the dried flowers at craft stores are great, I know I picked up some dried thing, that looks just like pines.