Picking up where we left off last week. Here's the banner, ready for the next step. Time to start assembly...
First up: The tools of the trade.
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| Tin o' glue, box o' tools. Bits n' tools & Tooth picks n' glue. |
So In the pics above you can see what I'll be using to prep the model. If you've painted your model in bits and pieces you should scrape the m clean where they will eventually be glued together. Never glue paint to paint or paint to plastic/resin as eventually the paint will let go. Plastic to plastic use plastic glue super glue is okay but will eventually weaken. Resin to resin use super glue as most resin is fairly porous and will "absorb" a bit of the glue.
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| Yes, that's a make up brush. Best tool ever for dusting/cleaning minis! DON'T use your lady's make up brush - ask her to get you one and ignore the weird look she gives you;) |
Pin your parts if you can - especially for gaming pieces. If you can't for whatever reason, simply take a sharp hobby blade and score the two surfaces with a criss-cross pattern before you glue the parts together. It'll help the glue seep in and form a stronger bond! Below are a few shots of the cleaning process with the tool I used to achieve it in each shot. A light scraping with a hobby blade is just as good, but this is a fine excuse to get more tools - a right tool for every job and all that.
Now your model is ready for gluing. When using super glue a little goes a long way. If you get that white haze as it dries you know you are using too much. I put a small drop on a tooth pick and apply it sparingly with that. Dry fit your cleaned parts a few times to make sure they'll sit flush and are cleaned in the right places - especially with resin and super glue because you will only get one shot with this! Plastic glue takes a bit more time and gives you some wiggle room. Have I mentioned I love plastic? Yes? Good - 'cause I do!
Here's some shots of final assembly...
Now I did mention that I might do something else if my order came in right? It did! Seeing as how this was my first model with the new Citadel paints and the subject of my first blogging adventure, I decide to give him a space in the old display cabinet. I know it's not a master class job but that would take months to paint and it will take me even longer to get used to the new paints. None the less this guy marks a milestone - for me anyway. Again, tools of the trade...
I got the resin plinth from Dragon Forge Design. Best resin casting I've ever seen. Literally a soapy bath, quick sand and on to the painting. I sprayed it with 2 thin coast of flat black from Rustolium's Painter's Touch line ( I use that fro priming too and they make a great grey primer as well). Then it was 3 thin coats of Painter's Touch gloss spray. On to working with the brass etch...
Brass etch is awesome. Highly detailed so it looks great when you paint it but you can use it decoratively too! Lay some tape behind the piece you want so when you cut, it doesn't just fly off into the warp and disappear with that soul destroying *ping!*. Take some 600 or 400 grit sand paper and clean up the edges. Put it back on the tape. Now to bend it. Heat it up with a hair dryer for about a minute and then roll it across something that is like the surface of what you want it to hug. I gently rolled it over the make up brush handle to bend it. I repeated a few times to gradually build up the curve. If you rush it with too much pressure it could fold instead leaving an ugly line and you'll have to try again with another piece.
Finally, we glue it in place...
You can use super glue but again, not the most forgiving stuff so you'd better get it right the first time (plus that frosting thing sucks on finished surfaces). I prefer a 2 part epoxy for this part - it dries clear and glossy like the surface I'm putting it on and gives me a bit of wiggle room;)
Bonus step and completely optional...
I cut out a circle (slightly smaller than the diameter than the base) of sticky backed felt and placed it on the bottom. You could sign/date it too with a paint pen or stamp if you like. No one will see it, but its nice and looks finished. You could also use rolled cork which has more grip on glossy surfaces so if your display area is open The Agent of Chaos or Best of Doom (my cat) can't easily slide it off the shelf;) I'll have pics of the final model mounted on the display base for you next post.
Let's look to the future shall we? I got my Dark Vengeance set and I am stuck as to how to paint them. One option is as Pre-heresy Dark Angels (like from the cover of Fallen Angels) & Night Lords...
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| I really like what Hellrender is doing over at Bolter and Chainsword.... |
Or I could do 'em up as Angels of Redemption and Alpha Legion on account of the cultists models in the set...
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| Love what is going on at The Unholy Harbringer blog too... |
So I'm torn. Do I go for the easy paint job and leave the sculpts as they are (I happen to think they are just beautiful BTW) with the Dark Angels vs Night Lords? Or do I remove the DA icons and freehand on Angels of Redemption ones, while also trying to tone down the mutations on the chaos sculpts for an Alpha Legion look? Maybe I'll put up a poll you can click on to help keep me from getting dizzy chasing my tale.
Thanks for having a look and remember; You can't spell paint with out a little pain ;\
