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Am I doing something horribly wrong? Someone told me to paint my bits before I attach them to the model (Shield to Custodian) and I did, but when I used glue, the paint just smudged off, or didn't allow the glue to set. I am using the citadel paints and the GW glue. Paint is dry long before I glue. Am I just using too much glue? I try and put a spot of glue wherever the parts are touching.

Super or plastic glue? Plastic wont really bond painted parts as they are painted. Try some good super glue. Or, try and scarpe away a bit of paint where you plan on gluing it.

It's the GW plastic glue. I'll try super glue, thanks!

GW glue melts the plastic it touches and then it’s sets again holding the pieces together. So that’s why it’s smudging your paint.

I don’t really like using gw glue because if you get it somewhere you don’t want it it can really damage the detail and there’s no fix. But it does create a better bond than super glue.

I have been trying both putting the model together entirely before painting and painting then assembling and there are pros and cons of both. However with the new sculpts the later isn’t much of an option anyway to assemble after painting.

Custodes are super hard, they have so much intricacy that is hidden by cloaks or weapons/gear. I felt bad seeing my guys with grey patches behind the shield and my friend pointed me towards before hand painting.

FezzikDaBullgryn wrote:
Custodes are super hard, they have so much intricacy that is hidden by cloaks or weapons/gear. I felt bad seeing my guys with grey patches behind the shield and my friend pointed me towards before hand painting.

Yep that’s one of the cons I was mentioning.

If you use an airbrush the primer should get but if your not priming black those areas will still
Look odd

Its the solvents in the poly cement that are desolving the glue, try superglue gel next time

Yeah poly will gum that paint right up. There's nothing wrong with painting in sub assemblies, but you need to leave the areas that will be joined with glue free from paint, or remove the paint before gluing them. Also being careful with the glue is a must. Keep it to a small controlled dot of glue on the area to be joined, avoid letting it get anywhere else.

Use either super glue (but note, parts will breakoff if you drop the model as plastic glue welds plastic, super glue does not) or protect the glue contact surface with masking tape, liquid masking or blu-tack.
Alternative, you can scrape off the paint from the contact surfaces with a knife in order to get some plastic on plastic so you can use plastic glue.

As others stated.

Primer on the other hand bonds pretty well despite the added non-plastic surface.

Try to leave the areas to be joined/glued as free of acrylic paints as possible if you're opting for plastic glue.

Also, on the note where plastic glues are harder to use - it helps to dab away excess with cotton swap before joining the parts together. The plastic glue and common applicator always dispenses more glue than you need.

I have been using liquid mask applied to the future glue points before I spray prime. Just a dab to cover the posts and holes.
After I finish painting the subassembly "far enough" I scrape those areas with my knife to get the mask/paint layer off and it usually comes off pretty easy before gluing.

Don't leave the liquid mask on the model for weeks as it tends to get harder to remove as time goes on. But scraping out post-holes with a twist of the knife works pretty well.

Apply as little glue as possible, and use a paper clip. Nozzles apply too much glue. What I'll do is use a bottle, unscrew the top, and put aluminum foil between the bottle and top to help keep the top from adhering to the bottle.

Also, GW glue is not the best poly cement out there. I use Revell Contacta or Humbrol Poly Cement (which I apply with an old brush not the plastic brush in the cap). I think in the US, Testors is the popular choice.
Note that I don't have to clean the brush. Once the glue dries on the bristles, it becomes like a dusty residue that you can just flick off.