Gluing Guide

Some of our kits require glue to assemble. The plastics we use for 3D printing all are friendly to glue but will require additional drying time, and different kinds of glue for different plastics. Super glue works well and also model cement works well. Some glues release a vapor that stains the surrounding material, others dry clear. Always follow the safety instructions of the glue you are using and do your gluing in a well ventilated area.

Model Cement:
At DioWarriors we often use simple model cement from the local hobby store, but it's usually Testors Model Cement in the orange/red tube. This glue tends to melt plastic and will melt/fuse the PLA we often use with our printing. However, it has a slow drying time and many parts might slip. Use a clamp to help prevent slipping.

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Super Glue:
We also use super glue. However, super glue tends to just bond two parts together, not fuse the plastics like model cement would, and this is good for most things 3D printed. If you don't have model cement, super glue will work. Gluing PLA may take longer time to dry than the instructions say. Do not trust the part being glued. Let it sit a long time to dry. Use a clamp to keep the objects in contact with each other. Use a tape mask to shield against vapor stains.

Some items we laser cut and use for displays, such as monitor "glass" and keyboard displays. These items tend to be acrylic. For these, and to help prevent a vapor stain, we often use a Locktite brand that dries clear. There is always a risk for some sort of vapor stain, so take caution and use sparingly.

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Wood and White Glue:
Some props are laser cut in wood. At DioWarriors we often use simple Elmer's "Glue-All". Seems to work well for wood. The Glue-All seems to be a stronger formulation of Elmer's white glue. It dries quicker and stronger. Sometimes we are testing a plastic assembly and want to temporarily glue something. We'll use Glue-All and later weaken the glue with some water.