What is the difference between thin and thick plastic cement?

Thin cement (like Tamiya Extra Thin) wicks into joints by capillary action and creates clean bonds. Thick cement (like Revell Contacta) is brushed on and can fill small gaps. Most modellers use thin for assembly and thick for gap filling.

When should I use CA (super glue) instead of plastic cement?

CA glue is needed for resin, metal, photo-etch, and mixed-material joints. Plastic cement only works on styrene because it melts and fuses the plastic. CA bonds almost anything but does not create as strong a bond on styrene as cement.

How much glue does a typical kit use?

A standard 150-part styrene kit uses about 3-5ml of thin cement. A 40ml bottle of Tamiya Extra Thin lasts through several kits. Complex multimedia kits with resin and metal parts may also need CA glue and epoxy.

When is epoxy needed?

Epoxy is best for heavy metal parts, load-bearing joints, and where you need a very strong structural bond. Two-part 5-minute epoxy is ideal for model work. It is rarely needed for simple styrene kits.

ModelCalcs

Glue Calculator \u2014 Adhesive Quantities for Model Kits

Calculate how much glue, cement and adhesive you need for your model kit build.

Kit Complexity

Select an option for kit complexity

Parts Count Estimate

Total parts in the kit

Primary Material

Select the material type

How We Calculate This

Calculation Method

Joints needing glue = Parts count \u00D7 80%
Glue per joint = Base rate \u00D7 Complexity \u00D7 Joint size \u00D7 Cleanup factor
Glue type selection depends on material (styrene uses cement, resin uses CA, metal uses CA + epoxy)

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: March 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before purchasing materials.