The only thing plastic cement bonds well is styrene plastic, which is what plastic model kits are made from. It was developed for that purpose. It melts the styrene. When you put two styrene pieces together with it, they fuse where the glue has melted them and they both touch. (Bill refers to styrene plastic kits as mold injected, by the way.)
Most other materials will not react this way with plastic glue. It doesn't melt those materials like it does styrene. So, you don't get a good bond (if you get any bond.)
Resin kits that you find on the market are made from a 2-part resin material. When the 2 chemicals are mixed, poured into a mould, and allowed to dry, they harden to form the model parts. Plastic glue does not work on these because resin is not styrene. Plastic glue is only meant for styrene.
3D printed parts come in a large variety of materials. Some metals can be 3D printed. The most common materials found in 3D parts made for this hobby are resin, acrylic, and nylon. None of these is styrene, so styrene glue (plastic glue) is not for them. Super glue will bond all of them, and will also bond styrene as well. I have not tried Elmers, but as noted elsewhere for you by someone who has used it, it seems to also bond "universally" to all the common materials found in this hobby nowdays.
I note how you have said you don't want to use super glue. Some decades back, I was in exactly the same place...I did not want to be using it myself. However, all plastic cement is good for is the styrene plastic in a plastic model kit. These days, with all the other materials out there, you will need to go to super glue. I have actually used plastic cement to assemble my metal 1/2400 models. It does not melt/fuse the pieces together, but it will hold them in place. It is a weak bond. If I touch the parts, they fall off. Last Christmas, my new cat tangled with my 1/2400 collection, held together largely by plastic cement. Lots of little pieces resulted. I spent a couple weeks reassembling things with super glue. Still not "indestructible," but Much sturdier.
You should know that super glue comes in a variety of "thicknesses" (viscosities) from runny/watery to a thick gel. Most folks first/only experience with it is with the watery stuff. Certainly mine was. That stuff will turn people off to super glue pretty fast. The thicker gel, though, is closer to the the styrene glue you are used to. It dries slower, and does not flow in a mess all over the place. It has taken me some practice, but I now routinely use gel-type super glue contentedly enough.
Here is an article on CA (super) glue:
https://starbond.com/blogs/tutorials/difference-between-cyanoacrylate-and-super-glue Previous Message
Need to know if either Blue Ridge and/or Bunker Studio's parts are compatible with "plastic" cement or the choice to use if not. Previous Message
What can I say but highly recommend the Bunker Studio 1/700 USN 40mm quads and twins. Nicely printed, captures the detail including surrounding rails. 40mm quads come with shield and without. 40mm twins with open railing and solid railing. 8 quads per sprue and 12 twins per sprue. In black resin which could be a problem for lighter paints.
With the demise of 3D Model Parts and the three part assembly challenge Fine Molds offered in 1/700, nice to just paint, cut sprues away and install. No more cutting or bending shields to fit the quad mount or the intricate process of installing guns in the mount. Best no more stupid placement of attaching sprues to the detail you just purchased. Cut the sprue and lose the detail. Bunker Studio seems to have given some thought to this for attaching sprues are from beneath the piece.
I wish I could give praise to their 20mm singles and twins. Excellent printing and superior to that of Blue Ridge but they do have a fatal flaw. They placed sprue attachment points on the shoulder harnesses. Too much stress in cutting away those sprues and you lose the shoulder harness. Even the Fujiya cutters would have a problem with this. But same could be said of Blue Ridge who put attachment points on the crew footings of their 1/700 1.1s and 3”50s. So I guess hobbyist choice if the detail is worth the effort and expense in 1/700 scale. Myself I will stay with the 20mm singles and twins from Blue Ridge. 2 attachment points and none in a critical position that you will lose detail.
In my humble opinion Bunker Studio raised the bar in 3D printed weapons and will be tough to beat in quality or simplicity. They would be a power house for 1/700 USN hobbyists if they corrected their 20mm single and twins attachment points.
Waiting to see if they will offer 3”50s 1.1s, 5”25s and open mount 5”38s in 1/700.
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