# Great kit Monarch but is it ABS plastic instead of injection styrene plastic?



## SUNGOD (Jan 20, 2006)

First of all let me say that I received Monarchs Nosferatu the other day at last and it's a great sculpt. One thing I noticed though is that it doesn't seem to stick very well at all using the normal plastic glue that I use (Humbrol polystyrene cement). I've made many model kits over the years and have always used this glue (and Revells) without any problems. I always put glue on the both surfaces that I'm sticking together to make sure the plastic is welded together strong and can't be pulled apart. I recently completed Polar Lights Sleepy Hollow, an AMT Gigantics Mantis, a Polar Lights Creature plus many, many others and they're all stuck solid (again with Humbrol polystyrene cement).

What I've noticed with Nosferatu is that even though the parts stick together slightly, they can be pulled apart fairly easily again and that's after they've been left for a day or two to dry. 

I thought to myself...........I've experienced a similar problem to this before. I bought a model a few years ago that was made of ABS plastic but because I didn't have ABS glue I tried using normal polystyrene model cement on it. It stuck together slightly but like Nosferatu could be pulled apart easily and the plastic didn't seem to have welded together at all. This is exactly what's happened when I tried sticking Nosferatu. 

So, anyway to cut a long story short I tried some ABS plastic glue (which I purchased a while back from the B&Q superstore..which is a large chain over here in Britain) and bingo...........it seems to have stuck solid. Anyone else noticed this?


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

Yes, the first kit was ABS, I hear they are switching to polystyrene for all future releases


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## kit-junkie (Apr 8, 2005)

So it's only CA for Nossy, or is there a better solution?


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## SUNGOD (Jan 20, 2006)

otto said:


> Yes, the first kit was ABS, I hear they are switching to polystyrene for all future releases



That explains it then. I thought there was something slightly different about the plastic as soon as I had it in my hands. I've seen a few places advertising it as injection plastic which is misleading. I'll have to try and prise the main body apart as I stuck that with polystyrene cement (I don't want it falling apart on me in the future) plus scrape away the excess glue on other parts that I stuck, which looks like it will take a while. I would have finished it by now otherwise.


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

From memory, some of the earlier P/L kits were ABS.
The hotter model glues(Contacta,Tenax, Tamiya liquid,etc) would glue OK, but I use superglue on them just to make sure.
Strictly speaking, Nossie is injection molded plastic. It's just a differently formulated styrene. I'm surprised though that no one mentioned any problem with gluing before. I haven't started mine yet, and it would have been nice to know. Not that it matters too much- I almost always glue my kits with CA.

Chris.


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## the Dabbler (Feb 17, 2005)

I just finished my Nossie and I used Tenax-7R. I had no problem. I've been using that almost exclusively lately.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

I used my old tried and true Testors plastic cement and had no problems whatsoever ...wondering if the factory in China screwed up on some batches of kits using abs instead of styrene? The kits I'm working on now ( 2 of 9) sure are acting like styrene to me and glue up like a charm.
Mcdee


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Wow, I'm glad I read this thread. I use good ol' Testors for styrene; if it doesn't do the job, now I'll know why. Thanks for posting this info!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

What's up with using ABS? That seems like a rookie mistake that PL made over ten years ago (with the robot) and everyone should have learned from.


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## pugknows (May 28, 2002)

Testors, worked great for me.
Rob
Monster Model Review


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

Makes no difference with me. I work with ABS all the time. Any of the 'pro weld' liquid cements (Ambroid, Tenax, Plastruct) will join the parts just fine.


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## wolfman66 (Feb 18, 2006)

Just use either Zap a gap ca glue or jetset ca and you wont have a problem at all.:thumbsup:


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## scotpens (Sep 6, 2003)

IIRC, the first runs of the Polar Lights LIS Robot and Jupiter 2 came with printed inserts explaining that the models were molded in ABS plastic rather than conventional polystyrene, and would require either CA glue or a strong solvent glue like Tenax or Ambroid Pro-Weld for assembly. It seems to me that, in the interest of good customer relations, future production runs of the Monarch Nosferatu should include a similar advisory. Unless they're going to be using regular polystyrene from now on.


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## StarshipClass (Aug 13, 2003)

Hmm! I'll have to test mine. I much prefer being able to use standard solvent glue. CA is nice but I've found it sometimes can be brittle and may need reinforcing with epoxy putty. The sideways pressures against the seams play on the weakness of CA glue.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

pugknows said:


> Testors, worked great for me.
> Rob
> Monster Model Review


Ditto
Mcdee


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## Dave Metzner (Jan 1, 1970)

MEK works on ABS no problem, That's all I use for gluing Plastic kits.
Tenax and the old liquid Testors in a bottle also work fine.
Testors tube glue and the Testors in the little black applicator don't work too well!

Dave


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## toyroy (Jul 17, 2005)

Dave Metzner said:


> MEK works on ABS no problem, That's all I use for gluing Plastic kits...


I'm glad _you_ said it! BTW, it works with those throw-away brushes they sell on bubble cards.


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## Ravenauthor (Jan 24, 2004)

I only use Testor's Model Master glue in the black odd-shaped bottle with the metal applicator. Didn't seem to have any problems using that one.


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## RHINO#1 (May 19, 1999)

I USED ELMER'S.........HAHA!:jest:


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