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Hi, I wanted to get some advice on glueing and priming, the two areas giving me the most problems. I started off using GW chaos black, but I've noticed that on some of the corners and edges the paint has rubbed off, in some cases down to the primer and other down to the plastic. I neglected to wash the mini before priming (noob mistake) so I am hoping that will make a difference next time. I decided to try Halfords grey plastic primer, but it came out bumpy and dusty, so I think I will go back to GW and wash to see if it makes any difference. It was overcast and rained shortly after using the Halfords primer, so I am not sure If that was the reason that it didn't go so well.

Also with plastic glue, the joints I made after painting are horrible. I am thinking that I will assemble most of the model before painting from now on. And glue on bolters and visible joints with super glue instead, as I am just not good with plastic glue. Not sure if I'm pressing the joints together too hard but it always seems to melt away too much of the plastic. I use tooth picks to apply it and I thought I was being pretty sparring, so I don't know what I am doing wrong. How long/firmly are you meant to hold the joints together with plastic glue? I am using Humbrol Precision poly cement.

Here are some pictures of the plastic glue fails:

If you are 'melting' too much of the plastic, odds-on you are using TOO MUCH glue on the join to start with.

Liquid poly should begin to hold within 30 seconds with good contact.

If your primer is dusty and bubbly, you haven't shaken the can enough and you might be a tad too far away (or the humidity is too high - or low).

Yep, if it was overcast and rained shortly afterwards, you probably had humidity high enough to mess with your primer. I've learned that primer is sensitive to JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING and humidity can easily screw up your spray. If you get a very grainy/bumpy surface with your spray, it's likely because the conditions you sprayed in were not that great for priming. Cold messes with it too. Also make sure you shake that primer a lot because that can mess it up as well. It can also depend on the type of nozzle used on the primer can, I used Army Painter primer and the spray comes out thick and wide which I'm not a big fan of. I find Tamiya primer sprays in a fine almost misty like spray that goes on well. I'm not sure how Halfords works.

Also, if you're using plastic cement, you really don't need as much as you think. That stuff will bond with the plastic so use the glue sparingly because as you said, if you get it on other spots it will deform the plastic.

Thanks for the reply. I guess I'll experiment and try to put on as little glue as possible. What about glueing on guns and such after painting? Do people still use plastic glue or is super glue better?

As for the primer I'm going to try GW chaos black again, as I had a decent finish last time. It just didnt seem to hold the paint very well. I've considered using Tamiya primer but it seems expensive, is it good stuff?

Tamiya primer is pricy, but worth it. But it can be a matter of preference. I like a finer spray. I've also found Testors to be a pretty good for primer as well.

I used to do plastic glue, but I've learned after getting into this hobby and playing a bit more with building models that I prefer super glue now. But the benefit there is that I prefer painting parts before I put it all together and super glue works in that situation. Plastic glue will not work well if you've got paint on the surface you want to glue.

I am more used to super glue to be honest, most of my old minis were metal and the plastic ones were slot together Bretonian kits, a bit like AOBR. I had some practice with plastic glue earlier, with more of my sniper scouts and it didn't go to bad.

I think I'll try out that Tamiya primer sometime, haven't seen Testors in the UK. Anyhow thanks for your help both, much appreciated.

I live in the Pacific Northwet...err, west. It's cold and humid here from September to May; not the best climate for someone with arthritis but here I am, so I make it work. I prime in my basement, so it's normally a bit cooler than ambient to begin with. I prime with Krylon. It's always worked fine. Back when I lived in Silverdale, I primed outside. It worked fine there too. I keep the can about a foot away from the models and make repeated light passes, as this is what it says to do on the back of the can. How are you applying yours? I'm not trying to be snarky here but way back in the day, I conquered most of my primer problems by following the directions. Wash your models in soap and water if you aren't already. It helps.

I glue everything up, or nearly everything, before painting. I've tried it the other way and the effort saved in easier painting was more than offset by the pain involved in gluing everything together afterward and manipulating the smaller pieces. Superglue sticks fine to paint but paint doesn't always stick to plastic as well, and the weaker of the two is the strength of the joint. In my experience, painted pieces superglued to each other break apart occasionally and at the worst time. I put everything together with plastic adhesive and paint my way around. If I can't reach something, chances are that no one can see that area either. As for the plastic adhesive, I apply a thin layer with the included applicator to each surface; sometimes I apply a heavy layer to only one side if that's easier or quicker. The adhesive melts plastic, so if the parts don't fit quite right, I make sure that both have a good layer and I press them together and rotate the joint back and forth a few times to flatten out the high spots. If there's a huge gap afterward, I'll wick a bit more in there to make sure. It's not unusual for plastic models to not fit together quite right and plastic adhesive can help out here a lot. Superglue really doesn't.

If you're using a good plastic adhesive, it should be significantly faster than superglue and you should have a minute or two afterward to move parts around and tweak them without them falling off. If your adhesive doesn't do this, try another. IME, some are good and some are not. I'm a devotee of Plastruct Plastic Weld currently, having tried several others and found them to be wanting in one way or another.

i tried tons of spray primers and hate them all and same with glue so much glues are terrible

but zap a gap is amazing comes in a few different consistencies and bounds almost instantly and becomes near impossible to remove the joined pieces

on the primer note alclad light grey primer through an airbrush is atm my favorite primer its super smooth finish and takes paint nicely and its hard as nails

about paint chipping down or rubbing down to primer or bellow first off after priming your model let it sit for 30 min at minimum so the primer can get nice and hard then start to paint and when your painting try not to touch the areas you have painted perhaps try pinning it to a cork or just rotating it on its base only paints are dry fairly quickly but are not hard for a few hours so you must be careful until they are hard

also remember to seal your models properly when they are finished to give it a good solid invisible case to protect it

zap a gap is awesome stuff just be careful not to get it on your hands super annoying to get off but a little dab of it goes a long way i usually put a little bit on one piece im glueing then tap it with a cloth to remove some of it and then stick it to my target spot


hope it helps sorry my writing is dreadful

If you want to paint models before assembly you need to mask the areas which will become joins, or else scrape the primer and paint off them before cementing.

Liquid plastic cement (like Pro Weld) or low viscosity polystyrene cement (like Revell Pro) is the best for sticking polystyrene models together.

Super glue can also be used but its characteristics are different to polystyrene cement so you have to learn how to handle it.

If you are bonding clear plastic parts such as cockpit canopies, a thin layer of PVA on each side of the join is the best way to avoid misting the clear plastic.

Thanks everyone, some great feedback. I've just taken delivery of an airbrush so hopefully I will be able to use that to prime/seal indoors, which gets rid of the variable of the weather. I'm 95% sure that was causing the problem, as It was pretty crappy. I managed to strip the model with nail varnish remover pretty easily and it is now ready to paint again.

I've been playing about with the plastic glue some more and I think I'm getting the hang of it. Not perfect but much much better. I think I will be assembling most of the model before I paint though, so that I can cover up mistakes easier. Didn't the old GW plastic glue come in like a tip ex bottle with a brush built into the lid? I seem to remember having an easier time way back when.

Can anyone recommend a reliable varnish that can be airbrushed? looking for UK brands if possible. Only one I know of is Vallejo, and Winsor and Newton possibly do acrylic varnish. Anyone used these?