This is a gluing question for you modelers out there. As I’ve built the first couple of buildings for my model railroad, I inevitably get a thin shiny line of glue at some joints. I’m not sure how bad this is except for how it does not have the appearance I’m trying to get. I seem to get this whether I apply a lot of glue or a little and I do my best to get capillary motion to minimize the amount of glue being applied. I generally use the Testors blue tube glue or their glue that come in the black plastic square with their long nose applicator. Is there some big secret (like a glue that dries flat) I don’t know or is this just expected and I should just count on using dullcote to finish off seams when this happens? Thanks.
The short answer is paint.
The long answer, is to look at the assembly of your building as a process. It’s neither paint first then build, nor build first then paint. It’s better to approach it as a series of sub assemblies.
For instance, you can either paint your wall sections, then assemble each section with windows, glazing etc, then assemble the walls. You’ll have your shiny glue residue at the corners, but it should be pretty easy to touch up using the wall paint.
Or, you can look at the exterior of the building as a sub assembly, build up the box with no windows or details, then paint the whole structure to cover any glue film. Once that dries, go back and install your windows and other details.
Lee
I believe all models should be painted anyway,with a coat of Dullcote being the least. BILL
So if I take the subassemblies approach I need to look at the particular building to see what the parts are. If there are a lot of windows, awnings and exterior trim it might make more sense to paint/weather the parts of the wall, attach them to the walls and then put the walls together. If there are only fairly bare outside walls, then building the basic structure and adding in painted windows with glazing, etc. might make more sense. Am I getting this?
I don’t use any of Testors glues so I don’t know if it is a thicker or solvent type. I would venture to say that most of use a solvent type glue applied with a brush or hypodermic syringe as it minimizes the effect you are talking about. It will also melt the syrface if it gets between your fingers and the model leaving a permanent finger print in the plastic. That can be minimized by whereing some latex gloves like a doctor uses for your (ahem!) annual exam.
Hmm
I hold you can assemble most buildings first, and then paint. Also a good idea for assembling first is to catch problem areas:
Standard building kit advice (assuming you are not kitbashing)
1.) Check all the pieces, file and sand for good fit, and test fit to ensure minimum amount of gaps/spaces
2.) Assemble! Clamp! Glue (well, in stages of course) - find any gaps remaining, fill w/ putty. Hopefully no adhesive will leak out, but if it does - wait till really dry (a couple of days), then sand and fill and sand and fill etc. Perhaps shine a light inside of the building sub-assembly to check for more gaps/ill-fitting joints. Note, before this step, if a large enough structure ascertain if it needs any interior bracing (usually thick strip styrene, run along the corners or along the roof like rafters)
3.) Paint the subassemblies, interior and exterior
4.) Add windows, doors, details, glazing etc to subassemblies
5.) Add all subassemblies together - if you need to glue them together, makes sure you are very careful with this step to minimize the chances of adhesive ‘oozing’ out and ruining the finish.
6.) Finally, weather the structure to taste (weather after assembly when possible, as the building in real-life more or less will recieve the same overall weathering, with maybe somewhat different patterns on the bottom (ground) sections depending on wether it abuts a dirt lot, a paved lot, grass lawn, junk pile etc, or maybe a section of roof covered in soot that’s downwind of an old pre-clean-coal furnace’s chimney).
For reference I consider sub-assemblies of building obvious sections - say a building consisting of a corrugated main section, a concrete block front office, a set of storage tanks, and the associated roof sections for each sub-assembly (if any). I also like to keep the roof removable, if possible, to make it possible to add interiors, fix a light, detail, etc.
Thanks - very helpful. Clearly I need to break the project down into subassemblies - a new way of thinking for me.
Hi!
I’ve been building model planes/boats/cars and trains since the mid-50s. It has been and continues to be a whole lot of fun, and in the last 15 years or so I have built a number of kit and kitbashed HO structures and cars.
I can’t honestly say “one process fits all” models. Some I painted before assembly, some after, but most were a combination of the two. The same goes for sub-assemblies, with some models making that a natural part of the process, and others not.
The glues are typically Testors liquids and ACC - although a couple of models needed some major adhesive in a spot or two. I’ve found that if you get the parts sanded or filed as needed to fit as good as possible, there is little or no shiny glue showing. If there is, I’ll touch up with paint, and of course dull-cote the whole thing when all else is done.
Oh, I seriously doubt that I have any structures that have not been painted completely.
For what its worth,
Mobilman44
I have had good results with Tenax liquid glue. As much as possible it should be applied on the inside of all joints so the capillary action does its job without oozing out and creating a mess. Apply it sparingly with a brush for best results. Kit building is an art. The more you do the better you get, no matter which glue you use. It just takes some time to determine your own best methods.