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ive just gotten quite a few models, im supposed to play for the first time in years this saturday, i used to prime build then paint my models, now i prime paint and build. The last time i went to a gaming store i saw armies with expertly painted guys, and on the same list guys part primed part painted. which is the best route to go?

Truthfully whatever works for you. Some people like to prime and paint prior to building so that they can ensure that each part is fully painted. Others fully build then paint as they believe that those bits that they can't fit a brush into won't be all that visible anyway.

Myself - I prefer a mix of the two. I part build my models, leaving off any bits that either obscure large areas of the mini or would be particularly cumbersome to reach once the model is finished, and paint them separately before a final assembly. Best of both worlds really.

L. Wrex

I perfer building first then priming as i use plastic glue to melt parts together. it takes more time to scape off some paint to join again though i supose the primer would make it safer incase of accedents. ( i havnt tried plastic glue on primed plastics yet though im sure it wouldnt work.)

What Wrex said, part build until it will become difficult to paint.

atleast alot of mine are DV snap together

 Desubot wrote:
I perfer building first then priming as i use plastic glue to melt parts together. it takes more time to scape off some paint to join again though i supose the primer would make it safer incase of accedents. ( i havnt tried plastic glue on primed plastics yet though im sure it wouldnt work.)

I'm in the Prime, Paint then Glue camp. There's no need to scrape off primer or even paints before gluing if you're using any kind of glue with CyanoAcrylate in it (ie : plastics glue).

In fact, I prime still on the sprue, paint (still on the sprue) and then clip off the sprue and assemble .. then touch up spots that need to be touched up, and finally varnish.

 Rorschach9 wrote:

 Desubot wrote:
I perfer building first then priming as i use plastic glue to melt parts together. it takes more time to scape off some paint to join again though i supose the primer would make it safer incase of accedents. ( i havnt tried plastic glue on primed plastics yet though im sure it wouldnt work.)

I'm in the Prime, Paint then Glue camp. There's no need to scrape off primer or even paints before gluing if you're using any kind of glue with CyanoAcrylate in it (ie : plastics glue).

In fact, I prime still on the sprue, paint (still on the sprue) and then clip off the sprue and assemble .. then touch up spots that need to be touched up, and finally varnish.

thats exactly what i do.....whats varnish though?

I mostly assemble, then paint. If you paint on the sprue you have no idea where the light hits on the model, and you can't paint shadow from other parts of the model.

 Pwn'd You wrote:

 Rorschach9 wrote:

 Desubot wrote:
I perfer building first then priming as i use plastic glue to melt parts together. it takes more time to scape off some paint to join again though i supose the primer would make it safer incase of accedents. ( i havnt tried plastic glue on primed plastics yet though im sure it wouldnt work.)

I'm in the Prime, Paint then Glue camp. There's no need to scrape off primer or even paints before gluing if you're using any kind of glue with CyanoAcrylate in it (ie : plastics glue).

In fact, I prime still on the sprue, paint (still on the sprue) and then clip off the sprue and assemble .. then touch up spots that need to be touched up, and finally varnish.

thats exactly what i do.....whats varnish though?

Varnish -> Clear Coat -> protective clear coating in either gloss, semi-gloss or matte .. what product you use to do so varies of course (Spray-can, brush on, etc).



Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Bossasaurus wrote:
I mostly assemble, then paint. If you paint on the sprue you have no idea where the light hits on the model, and you can't paint shadow from other parts of the model.

Highlights and shadows I do after assembly. When I paint on the sprue I paint the base colours and details only, then assemble, then do my wash(es), touch ups and highlights.

 Rorschach9 wrote:
CyanoAcrylate in it (ie : plastics glue).

Wait cyano acrylate is super glue

And I know you can bond on primed surfaces for that

But what I use is model master plastic cement glue, which is a solvent that melts the plastic pieces permanently

I always though that was what plastic glue was lol. I guess I meant to say plastic cement

 Desubot wrote:
I perfer building first then priming as i use plastic glue to melt parts together. it takes more time to scape off some paint to join again though i supose the primer would make it safer incase of accedents. ( i havnt tried plastic glue on primed plastics yet though im sure it wouldnt work.)

you don't need to do that since plastic glue will melt through the paint.

 Desubot wrote:

 Rorschach9 wrote:
CyanoAcrylate in it (ie : plastics glue).

Wait cyano acrylate is super glue

And I know you can bond on primed surfaces for that

But what I use is model master plastic cement glue, which is a solvent that melts the plastic pieces permanently

I always though that was what plastic glue was lol. I guess I meant to say plastic cement

That will also dissolve through primer and paints. Typically plastic bonding is done with glues containing CA, but it's not the only chemical that does the job.