Should I glue my models before painting?

Depends on what the part is, and where it will go on the model.  Generally, I assemble as much as possible, fill and sand any seams--then paint.  For some parts, like antennae, for example, I paint first, then glue.

Be aware that model glues (Testors orange tube for instance) won't  hold well to paint.  Superglues don't really hold on painted surfaces very well, either.  I often use white glue (like Elmer's) for attaching some parts that won't be stressed very much.

Yes,most of the time.But,

Small parts,wheels,tracks may need to be painted first

checkmateking02

Depends on what the part is, and where it will go on the model.  Generally, I assemble as much as possible, fill and sand any seams--then paint.  For some parts, like antennae, for example, I paint first, then glue.

i would second this.

Look through the instructions and establish sub assemblies, glue and paint them.

I would say NO . You should paint small parts first ,true , and subassemblies that you can't paint later . All the other stuff you can paint AFTER putting it together (planes for instance ) . For the most part ,paint first , then assemble .

Yes and yes.  By that I mean paint some parts before assembly, some afterwards.  Do a LOT of planning before you start building.  Are some parts glued together so a seam is visible? In order to clean up that seam, assembly must be painted after gluing. For other, one piece parts which will be a different color than the assembly they will be glued to, it is easier to paint them first and not have to mask a small, fragile part.  Do a complete mental build of model, and figure out what you have to paint which color and how easy it will be to mask all areas that need it. THEN start your build.

Some people are very good with building models and can produce great looking builds from day one.  I'm not, so my advice comes from that perspective.  

Start with a kit you don't mind if it looks really bad when you are done.  Not the $124.99 limited edition of the ship your grandfather was the commander of and you want to give to him for his 90th birthday.  Some $5.00 discount special from the store.  

Follow the instructions just as they are, paint when it calls for paint, glue when it calls for glue.  Then paint the whole outside.  And last, apply the decals.

When you are done, you will remember some parts of the assembly/painting that were difficult because of the order.  You'll be able to say to yourself "I should have skipped that bit and done it after the step later on".   I still do that.  Sometimes accompanied by excessive cursing and throwing something across my table, but that is another aspect of modeling you have to look forward too.

In short, I'm of the camp that you should start modeling like most kids do:  Slap it together and fly it around the room.  Have fun and you'll want to start another one right away. And with each kit, you try/learn something new and get a little bit better.

Paul

Welcome to the forum and welcome to modeling!  All I can say is embrace your mistakes.  You're going to make a lot of them.  How do I know?  Because I've been modeling since I was 7 in 1977 and, to this day, I still make tons of mistakes.  I say embrace your mistakes because that's how you learn from them.

As most everyone here mentioned, as a very general rule of thumb, the bigger items can be painted after assembly while the smaller items would normally get painted before.  Just remember that glue will not stick to paint.

How will you be painting your kit overall as well as the individual parts?  Paint brush?  Rattle can?  Air brush?  One thing I like to do when using a rattle can or an air brush is to plug up the holes of the areas that are going to be glued later before spraying the paint.  For example, I'll put a tiny bit of poster putty in the holes where the landing gear legs will be glued.  I then spray the parts.  After the paint is dry, I can then go back and remove the poster putty.  Now I'm left with holes free of any paint and now I can glue the landing gear leg in.

Happy modeling!

Eric

I agree with the others when they ask the size and where it will go in the scheme of things. For me I found that I can use super glue for small fast attachments and it will cover but I use Plastruct liguid solvent for large parts since it doesn't dry too fast and it will let you paint over it. The other glue I use for photo-etch parts is loon soft head epoxy. Its used to make fly's for fishing. But for me it works great. Dry's hard and will let you paint over it. And it washes off with water until it dry's.

I hope this helps since for me this is what I had to learn all over again my self when I came back to the hobby 3 years ago.

Walt

I prefer to paint everything first, especially since i spray can everything. I do everything in primer first. I will glue together some parts that will be the same color (important in auto as the body panels need to match) provided they don't need to come off to complete the assembly.

Paul,

I have to agree with you on the picking up a cheap (or two or three or however many are needed) models to practice on.  Thanks to the VA/HHV (Helping Hospitalized Vets) I am able to get some nice (and some "practice" kits) to work on.  Some are "Skill Level 1, snap together kits."  Most are Revell or Minicraft kits of Skill Level 2.  These kits are provided to Vets free of charge.

Depending on what kits they have when I stop in I will pick up a "Skill Level 1 'easy peasy'" kit to practice on and save the better kits for "later."

There is no shame in "going back" to "Skill Level 1" kits to use as practice fodder.  Even though most "Skill Level 1" kits are usually of the snap together variety they can (and probably should be) glued together and/or painted.

One can also use them to practice a new gluing or painting technic on before trying it out on a highly praised kit.

I tend to build as much as I can a d do as ma y sub assemblies before painting. I do a lot of masking whichworks well bit you need to be careful that you ddon't end up with raised paint edges where you have taped off. It takes some practice. Everyone finds their own ways which suit them best. However there are always those times that you have no choice but to prepaint certain areas first.

I never liked painting before assembly, due to seams and filling it seems like a waste as I end up painting at the end regardless.

Thanks everybody for your help.  It's very appreciated.  I think, like most people suggest, I will make some tests with my first models ;)