Are all Gundam models snap together?
Most Gundam kits that have been produced since the mid-1990s are made with runners (trays of little parts) that are put together by snap-fitting.
Almost all of the Gundam models that are sold today are snap-together kits, and they have small notches and pegs where the pieces can easily and firmly connect.
Older models might have required glue, but these “newer” models snap together seamlessly, making the process of building much easier.
Are all Gundam models and grades snap together?
Yes, the different grades and models of Gundam kits all come snap-together.
The only difference is the number of parts that need to be snapped together, depending on the complexity of the model and its scale.
Gunpla manufacturers have included this snap-together feature in many different models to ensure that you can build them quickly and with ease.
Bandai’s snap-together method
Building Gunpla with the snap-together method is a very pleasant experience as the pieces snap together with a satisfying click sound. The pieces fit together perfectly as each piece is engineered and designed specifically for your model.
Bandai has made the process of building Gunplas extremely easy and you can now snap the parts together without using any glue. All you need is some sandpaper, an X-Acto knife, and a pair of nippers.
Snapping the parts of a Gundam model saves a lot of time
When you first open the box containing your Gundam kit, you might be a bit discouraged because of the large number of tiny pieces that you would need to put together.
However, you should note that snapping the pieces together helps a lot in saving time and stress because it is simple and very intuitive, even for people that have absolutely no experience in building Gundam models.
One of the main features that make these kits so easy to work with is that they do not need any glue to stay together and the model can easily be built right out of the box.
If you have ever put together an IKEA bed frame or even a lego set, then building a Gunpla should be pretty easy for you. Even more complex models are not much more difficult to put together. They just have more pieces and require a bit more time.
Thanks to the snap-together you can even take your gunpla apart
One of the main things you stand to gain from snap-fitting instead of gluing the parts together is that you can disassemble your model by taking the pieces apart. Although, why would you take apart a kit that you’ve just built?
A lot of experienced Gundam modelers disassemble the kits in a process known as test fitting. This helps you view the Gundam model completely put together before you spruce it up by painting or adding stickers and decals.
However, you should be careful when disassembling your Gundam model to prevent the much-feared “snap”. You might damage or break a part or two on your first attempt (didn’t we all?), but just like how you got better at building the models, you’ll also get better at disassembling them.
The Snap Method means you mostly dont need glue
Generally, you do not actually need any glue when building a Gundam model.
These models usually come snap-fit so they can easily snap and stay together without any help from adhesives like glue.
However, there are a few special scenarios where you might want the help of some glue, especially if you want to make your model more durable and even possibly boost its aesthetic.
You must note though, that applying glue to your Gundam kit can damage the joints of the model, and also lead to a complete loss in the flexibility of your Gundam (which is very bad for “poseability”!).
Do older Gundam kits snap together?
Back in the 1980s when Gundam modeling first started, you needed to have some glue to fit the kits together.
So, these older models did not have the snap-together feature.
This meant that you needed some super glue or modeling cement to hold the parts together and that often led to the models having bad seamlines, and terrible proportions, and you could not even pose them.
