Workbench Guides · Assembly
How to Glue Resin Miniatures
Gluing resin miniatures is simple once you know which glue to reach for. We recommend plain super glue, and nothing else. Here's why, what to avoid, and what to do when a part just won't stay put.
Some of our miniatures come in parts: a knight and his base, an arm and a sword, a rider and a horse. Getting them together neatly is the difference between a model that looks like one piece and one that looks like it was assembled in a hurry.
The good news is that gluing resin miniatures doesn't need a cupboard full of products. One glue does the job, and a tiny bit of prep sorts out the stubborn parts. This guide covers which glue to use, which ones to leave on the shelf, and why UV resin isn't the shortcut it looks like.
What you need
- Super glue. The plain kind, not gel.
- A fine grit file, for roughing up parts that won't stick.
- A mask for when you're roughing up, and soap and water for your hands after.
Not on the list: activator, gel glues, any other type of glue, and UV resin. Chapter 1 and chapter 3 explain why.
Use super glue, and only super glue
One glue for every resin part. Leave the rest on the shelf.
We recommend super glue for our resin miniatures. Plain, ordinary super glue, the runny kind.
Try to avoid activators and gel glues. They can expand as they set and leave you with a gap between the parts, and each has its own extra mess. Activator leaves a white residue anywhere the glue touches, so you end up with a frosty white patch around the joint. Gel tends to squeeze out and leave a blob sticking out from the part or the base.
And please don't use any other type of glue at all. It won't work on resin.
Tap the diagram to open it full size.
One tick, four crosses. Super glue is the one to use. Gel glue leaves blobs, activator leaves a white mess and both can leave gaps, any other glue won't hold resin, and UV resin can stay uncured inside the joint.
Tap the diagram to open it full size.
Two parts, three glues. Plain super glue sets as a thin line and the parts sit flush. Activator leaves a white mess wherever the glue touches and can push the parts apart. Gel leaves a blob sticking out of the joint. You'll see both once it's painted.
If a part won't stick, rough it up
A scuffed surface gives the glue something to grip as it dries.
Now and then a part just won't stay put, however long you hold it. That's usually because the two surfaces are too smooth for the glue to get a grip on.
The fix is simple. If you're gluing a miniature to a base, rough up the bottom of the feet. If you're joining two parts together, rough up both of them. Those little scratches help the super glue grip as it dries.
Tap the diagram to open it full size.
Two jobs, same trick. On a base, scuff the bottom of the feet. Joining two parts, scuff both faces that meet.
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Mask on
Roughing up is sanding, so the rule from our prep guide applies: always wear a mask when sanding or cutting resin.
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Scuff the surfaces
Gluing to a base, rough up the bottom of the feet. Joining two parts, rough up both faces that will meet. A few strokes with a fine grit file is plenty.
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Glue and hold
Add your super glue and press the parts together. The scuffed surfaces give the glue something to grip as it dries.
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Wash your hands
Once the part is on, wash your hands to get rid of any resin dust.
Workbench guide
Parts not lining up?
If a part won't sit right because it's bent or warped, straighten it before you glue. Our bent resin guide shows you how with nothing more than warm water.
Fix a bent part
A note on UV resin "glue substitutes"
Great for some jobs. Not for joining parts.
You may have seen UV resin sold as a glue substitute: a dab of resin between the parts, a quick blast with a UV torch, done. While these products are great, they can leave a miniature that isn't properly bonded, with uncured resin trapped between the parts where the UV light couldn't reach.
That causes two problems. The joint is likely to fail later, often long after you've painted it. And uncured resin sitting inside your miniature is a health hazard.
Tap the diagram to open it full size.
The light can't see inside the joint. UV light cures the resin it can reach at the edges, but the resin in the middle of the joint can stay uncured. From the outside it looks fine, so you can't tell.
Stick with super glue. UV resin can leave a miniature not properly bonded, with uncured resin between the parts. That's likely to cause the part to fail later, and it's a health hazard.
Before you glue
- Plain super glue in hand, not gel?
- No activator anywhere near it?
- No other type of glue and no UV resin?
- Parts straight and lining up properly?
- Stubborn part? Feet or both faces roughed up, with your mask on?
- Hands washed afterwards?
Never do this
Glue yourself to the knight
He's very handsome, but he doesn't need a permanent companion. Keep your fingertips out of the joint and the glue on the parts.
Use the whole bottle
More glue doesn't mean a stronger joint. It means a puddle, and a knight wading through it.
Reach for the PVA
School glue is brilliant for macaroni pictures. It won't hold resin. Neither will anything else that isn't super glue.
Bring out the hot glue gun
Your knight was going for heroic, not glazed in a blob of melted plastic. Put it back in the craft drawer.
Hit it with activator to save time
It sets fast, sure. It also frosts everything it touches white and can leave a gap you could post a letter through. Your knight was meant to look battle-hardened, not lightly dusted with icing sugar.
Trust the UV torch
The outside looks lovely and solid. The middle is still a sticky surprise, waiting to fall apart at the worst possible moment.
Quick answers
The short version
Super glue, nothing else
Use super glue. Try to avoid activator and gel glues: they can expand and leave you with a gap, activator leaves a white mess wherever the glue touches, and gel leaves blobs sticking out. Don't use any other type of glue, because it won't work. If a part won't stick, rough up the bottom of the feet, or both parts if you're joining two, so the glue can grip as it dries.
And skip the UV resin glue substitutes. They can leave uncured resin inside the joint, which is likely to fail later and is a health hazard. That's how to glue resin miniatures.
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