First armor kit - many questions!

and a 3rd way. i do what BISH does except i put the tools on before weathering but after painting. i too assemble and paint all the road wheels off the vehicle and even pin wash them prior to installation.

i will use CA to attach some plastic to plastic but mostly plastic cement. after it dries gently scrape off the excess and budd the area with 400 sandpaper. probably not recommened for an airplane or car bit armor is a tad rougher. for CA put some debonder on a Q-tip and wipe it off being careful it doesn't flow onto the contact point.

i have a 3x5 card with wax paper taped on half the front side. i can put my tube glue or CA on it, grab the piece, dip the attachment points in and put on vehicle. i move the card and tank as close as i can to lessen "travel" distance and am VERY aware of holding the tweezers. a Q-tip and spit works good for PE. i also wear an apron or put a towel across my lap..

Painting tools already attached is easy if you slide bits of typing paper below the tools to act as a mask in case of any slips with your brush.

Rob gives some good advice, but as often there not a right and wrong way to do these things, just a way that suits you best.

My own method is to paint anything that not the hull colour while still on the sprue, I cut as many of the attachment points as I can, trying to leave only one. I am not sure what sort of weathering your doing aside from dry brushing, I am guessing this might come after you have a few kits under your belt. But I would also weather the tools while on the sprue, namely chipping on the metal and what ever you want to do on the wood.

I then add my tools after the model is painted dry brushed and I have done any washes. If your using standard model glue, then you will want to remove the paint where they go, I think masking where the tools will go is more effort than its worth. You could use CA but many use a weld rather than glue. I use an old fine brush to apply mine and just apply it to the join between tool and vehicle.

Some people apply things like road wheels and tracks to the model before painting, but again I do these prior to fitting them.

My advice would be to try what seems right for you, and then maybe next time try another method and then decide which you like best.

Thanks guys!

Painting the items while they are on the model, that requires very steady hands doesn't it? I'm sure I would end up with paint onto the model itself.

Depending on the connection points, sometimes I glue the unpainted tools to the actual model and detail paint them after the entire kit has been painted. I've also used Elmer's white glue as a masking agent to fill in the holes while spraying the entire vehicle. I then use a toothpick or pin to pick out the dried glue and then I'm able to glue the pre-painted tool onto the bare plastic hole.

I rarely use CA unless I'm gluing metal or resin.

I like the applicator brush that comes with the Tamiya Extra fine liquid cement.

If you get a big ziplock freeer bag and clip your pieces off while your hands and the sprue are inside the bag, it will reduce the amount of tiny parts lost.

Drybrush gently.