paint and assembly

[joeymazz]

aight guys this is probly a dumb question for most but i just recently got back into model cars and i have a few questions that i hope i can get some tips on. first off when doing parts such as the engine is it best to paint the parts before glueing engine together or after engine is assembled? which leads me to the next question which is when painting parts such as the engine should you prime the parts and whats the best method to paint engine parts or any parts for that matter with a brush and not get brush marks? should all parts in kit be primed before any kind of airbrushing or bush painting them? i have a ton of other questions but ill end on this one which is there any other kind of glues to assemble with that are better then your average testors assembley glue. i.e. stronger? quick setting. any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[blueoval92]

i may not be the most experianced builder but i always prime any part before i paint it and i use airbrushes for all my painting. As far as engines go if i am painting the block and heads the same color i glue them 1st, other than that i have never had trouble glueing them together after i paint them . And for glue i use hobby town brand CA glue, the one i use the most sets in 15 sec. but the make some with more working time so you can set the piece just right.

Hope this helps. somebody may post other than me but this is just my two cents on it.

[Jantrix]

Welcome to the forum Joey.

That's a lot of questions. I'll do my best to answer some and these are just my opinion. Put away the brush paints. They should be for detailing only. Airbrush or rattle can everything you can. If a part like an engine is in two halves, by all means glue them first. Primer is always a good idea, because it will help you spot any flaws before you lay paint. For engines, chassis, interiors I'm a big fan of Krylon rattle cans. Shoot me a PM if I can help.

[Harry P.]

Just as a basic rule of thumb, and to make your life easier, always glue parts together that will be painted the same color, or are supposed to represent a single piece, before you paint them.

For example, if the engine block is molded in two halves, glue it together first, then paint as a unit. (If the cylinder heads and intake manifold are also going to be engine color you would also glue those on before painting). If the front seat and seat back are separate pieces, glue together first and paint as a unit. If the mufflers are two pieces, glue them together, then paint. You get the idea.

You can use brush paint for small things... personally I almost always use brush paint for things like shocks, axles, suspension parts, engine components, etc., because with brush paint all the paint you apply winds up on the part. If you spray small parts, 90% of the paint winds up in the air, not on the part. And for small, irregularly shaped parts like engine bits and pieces, brush strokes aren't a problem-you'll never see them (most paints flatten out and "self-eliminate" brush strokes pretty well if you're applying them correctly).

I would definitely stick with sprays for large areas like bodies. Brush painting a body is possible, but why mess around when it's so much easier to spray.

[Foxer]

First, let me welcome you back into building.

There are many different answers to your questions and they come down to building style. We've all developed the ways we build and there's no wright or wrong for the most part.A lot of things do make a difference, though.

On engines I paint all the separate pieces before assembly. I do glue block halves first and heads also if they will be painted the same colors. Color is in fact what separates the sub-assemblies I might have. I try to many different metal paints and spray as much as possible. Testors Metalizer spray paints are a good start for good looking metal finishes.

I usually only use primer on the body parts because almost everything I do required bodywork. Also, I use lacquers a lot and those paints need a primer to protect the metal. The primer also insures a uniform tone to the final paint.

As far as glue, a liquid plastic glue, such as Ambroid Pro Weld (and others), a medium Ca GLUE (I like Zap-A-Gap CA+ because I use the whole bottle before it dries up), a 5-minute epoxy and a glue for windshields and clear parts ( I use a watch crystal cement but Testors has a windshield cement)

Enjoy yourself and look at all the others ways of doing things that I'm sure will get posted here. Then chose what seems right to you.

[joeymazz]

thanks to all for the quick replies and insight. i always have primerd my bodies before paint but that was the only thing i would prime. i also always sprayed interiors but i always brushed engines which i think i will take your advice blue and try to spray one for the simple fact that i cant stand seeing brush strokes. i alway followed directions for applying brush paint such as not overlaping strokes but always seemed to not matter. sometimes the paint looks uniform and other times it doesnt. glad to know i was on track already about assembling things that were going to be painted the same color.

as for the glue i guess to better describe what im looking for (if it even exists) is a glue that will not make the paint bleed and will dry clear. and if anyone has any tips or tricks of applying glue that would be great input as well. i usually use the toothpick for small parts and i have even tried qtips. didn't know if any of the glues out there were able to be applied by brush or anything. if so that would be great.

sorry for all the rookie questions but i have 2 projects that im just starting tonight and its the first models i have messed with in 12 or 13 years. i have a model a tudor sedan that im going to chop and channel as well as attempt a scratch built frame just for the simple fact that i wanna see if i can do it. i build custom motorcycles for a living and i can do that with my eyes closed but a model car is a whole nother animal. if you cant tell i like fabrication and making my ideas come to life. again thanks for all the replies and have only been a member on here for an hour or 2 and already had so much help thanks

[southpier]

Pro Weld is good in its place. i have good luck with thicker ACC glue* and use it like the old model cements. i squirt a bit on a square of waxed paper, tip a toothpick in it, and dab it on whatever i'm trying to stick together. i am always fighting the urge to use more adhesive. any amount, and less of that, is usually plenty. i put the adhesive in or on the female part of the assembly if possible, and then any excess is squeezed into the joint instead of out of the edges.

*i've used several kinds and have finally settled on Gorilla brand. it's fairy thick gel - like the Ambroid of the olden days- readily available if i run out on a sunday afternoon, and about half the price of hobby brands. works for me - YMMV

Edited September 10, 2012 by southpier

[Ace-Garageguy]

Quoting joeymazz......."as for the glue i guess to better describe what im looking for (if it even exists) is a glue that will not make the paint bleed and will dry clear. and if anyone has any tips or tricks of applying glue that would be great input as well. i usually use the toothpick for small parts and i have even tried qtips. didn't know if any of the glues out there were able to be applied by brush or anything. if so that would be great"

.About 4 months ago I started using the Touch-N-Flow liquid glue applicator from Micromark. It's a glass pipette with a stainless needle tip, and it lets you put exactly as much glue as you want, exactly where you want it. I didn't like it much at first, but after getting the hang of using it and keeping the tip clear, I think it's the absolute best way to apply glue, period.

http://www.micromark.com/touch-n-flow-applicator,7841.html

[joeymazz]

thanks that looks like what i need

[crazyjim]

The Touch-n-flow might be cheaper straight from Flex-i-File. I love some of the items at MicroMark but they're so darn expensive.

I glue engine halves & heads together with Testors glue in the red tube and then brush them - usually from the little Testors bottles. Interiors and suspension parts are also brush painted. I tend to color match engines, interiors, and suspensions. One of my minor issues. Chassis are rattle can paints and the bodies are HOK airbrushed.

[MoparWoman Jamie]

Joey, you mention you build bikes for a living? In a way so to speak, the process of building a model car is the same way, but only in way smaller scale is all. Just use the same steps like you would in real life for in the modeling world as well.

For myself, I always primer everything, and the glues I use is Super Glue and Future Glue which is a Crazy Glue as well.