Baking soda ... a boon from the hobby gods

Gluing very tiny parts with small surface areas to a figure or model kit is one of my main pet peeves as a miniature hobbyist. At best of times it requires a huge test of patience, a trait that I do not have in abundance. In a worse case scenario, the very thought of having to get a tiny part to bond strongly at a correct position/angle is enough to put me off the figure or model kit in question. A crying shame considering how some cool miniatures require you to work with extremely small parts.

Pure baking soda or otherwise known as sodium bicarbonate

A recent project i.e. Knight Models Logan (aka Wolverine) threw up the very challenge that I dreaded as it involved gluing thin blades to Logan's hand. Solution to my fears? Pure baking soda.

Attaching Logan's claws was made easier with the baking soda-super glue combo

Now baking soda (otherwise known as sodium bicarbonate) is usually used with cyanoacrylate glues (in my case Shellys Supa Glue) to create a hard but lightweight adhesive filler. Based on this concept, I was mainly interested in two characteristics that this mixture has namely a very fast bonding time (almost instantly) and the relative strong bond that is created. Both characteristics appealed to me, especially the first one, as a longer bonding time when dealing with tiny parts will invariably result in the said part not adhering correctly to the figure/model kit. A faster bonding time is always preferred.

When mixed together, pure baking soda and super glue form a strong bond that hardens almost instantaneously

It is important that you use pure baking soda and not those that have been mixed with flour. It shouldn't be too hard to get a hold of as I got mine from a wet market of all places. As to the actual process, what I found worked best for me involved the following steps:

1. Place a small drop of super glue on the figure/model kit
2. Dip the tiny part into the pure baking soda so that some sticks to the end that you want to glue
3. Attach the tiny part to the figure/model kit and hold carefully in place for about 2 seconds

Warning: The steps above prevent your fingers from coming into direct contact with the mixture which releases heat when reacting with each other.

And there you have it. An effective way to glue tiny parts on to your miniature figure or model kit. For me, pure baking soda is certainly a time saver and manna from the hobby heavens.