how to avoid getting glue on models.

Use Less 

Seriously,what kind of glue are you using ? tube,super,or liquid ? if its liquid,just use a small brush or scriber to run the liquid glue down the seam.

.......and do your gluing away from the rest of the model kit.

Very easy to let a random drop fall - happened once to me  and now I segregate the parts being glued from the remaining parts.

Sounds like you are using tube glue if you are having control issues. Use a toothpick to apply the glue and do not squeeze from the tube. You may find it helpful to squeeze an amount of glue onto a small piece of cardboard or a flat piece of unused plastic from the sprue (like the area where the part number or brand name is).

Then use that cardboard or scrap piece of plastic as a pallet to scoop glue from with the toothpick and apply to the surfaces to be joined.

I use the back of old business cards as an intermediate step. I also generally use the gel CA. I squeeze little drops on back of card.  Then I use the end of a toothpick to pick up a small amount from the drop on the card and transfer it to the piece of the model I am working with.

Needle applicators are a modellers best friend I use the revell (germany) glues exclusively. they come in very handy little bottles with a needle attached. Really helpful.

If possible i would invest in such a bottle or one with a little brush. Tube glue gets messy.

Richard

thanks guys for the help

im using revel glue. Its not so much of the glue getting on the model its the

tank parts that get glue on them like putting a hatch on and then glue coming under the hatch

thanks again

You are using too much glue then. Just apply a little bit in a few spots on a piece like that. No need to coat the entire surfaces to be joined for something small like a hatch.

I keep cotton swabs at the ready to swipe up any CA excess. I get the sharp, pointy tip swabs... the kind you find in women's cosmetics supplies in grocery stores. They are tightly bound, and the sharp tip is great for obvious reasons. I also have a small bottle of acetone to dip the swab, for some tougher clean up.