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Quick question :

I'm currently painting my first batch of models. They are Eldar guardians . Do you recommend gluing on the the arms and gun before priming that way I can paint across the chest much more easily? Or should I just assemble the whole model and paint the chest as best as I can.

That's really up to you. For tabletop purposes painting with the gun on is fine. For show pieces I would paint separately.

It really depends on whatbuou are trying to accomplish.
Painting with the guns off let's you paint behind the gun better but adds a host of new problems.
Making sure your paint blends between the hands and gun.
Making sure the glue doesn't overspill to ruin paint on the gun or hands.
It gets easier it just takes more time and care to do them seperately
If its just tabletop you can generate a very good result with them fully assembled and save some time.
If you cant decide use some blue tack to hold the model together and look at how much will be covered by the gun and make your decision from there.

Or, blue tack the arms on, prime, and them remove and paint seperately.

I do this and it works pretty well, although I also prime all of my stuff seperately now anyway on little mounting pins and boards that I've made up so its evolved over the years.

I always paint all the parts before gluing, but that's me.

I find it easier and faster to paint with the gun off. Put a little drop of white glue on all the contact points and then you can pop it right off after painting to allow for a good plastic-on-plastic bond.

 Ifurita wrote:
I find it easier and faster to paint with the gun off. Put a little drop of white glue on all the contact points and then you can pop it right off after painting to allow for a good plastic-on-plastic bond.

This! Good tip.
I have seen many a person try to use model glue but the paint prevents the bond.
Even worse, they use crazy glue and then they get a white smear from the vapor around the area.

It is much better painting gun off but I would only recommend if you do not play with primed models.
I notice I tend to slop around paint like the wings on the chest plate that just does not happen with the gun out of the way.

I generally paint with gun off , paint the chest detail to finish and the paint basic base layers to arms before attaching gun , this way i can ensure i get same colour blend from arms to hands etc then finish off painting arms and gun.

amended version of my plan, I paint the entire thing, then file down the parts that will be in contact allowing the bond to occur.

I play Space Marines mostly and they have that aquilla on their chest so I leave the guns off until after painting. Any time a bit can cover up detail or make it difficult to maneuver the brush, I like to leave it off until the end.

I don't know about other races, but I magnetize all my SM weapons.

1) Get smallest earth magnets you can find, I believe 1/16" diameter (1/32" thick)
2) Get a 1/16" drill bit
3) Chop the pistol grip off the weapon, and drill a hole where the marine's hand would touch the weapon
4) Drill hole into hand to match weapon's hole
5) Put a dab of glue in each hole and insert magnets

Important note: Make sure you keep the polarization consistent across models/weapons. Last thing you need is to hand a Space Marine a melta gun only to have it fly out of his hands and kill friendly units!!


Seriously though, it's pretty awesome to be able to change weapons on the fly. Also, do the magnetizing before paint. You can paint right over the magnets and not even worry about them. I experimented with magnetizing arms, but that gets too tedious, isn't worth it. Magnetize the heads, if you want. And, if you get bigger magnets, 1/8", magnetize at the hips if you want on a few models. Fun stuff!