Whats your method?

I've nigh on completed my first model in about 8 years or so and my first ever car one. There was a couple of bits that cropped up in my assembly that i wished to get another modellers insight on.

Firstly i made my model, sprayed all the individual body parts and once fully assembled cam across my first hurdle. Adding wing mirrors that are painted to a painted body. I was using tamiya acrylics so the glue melted the paint a little.

I'm now on my second model and i've tried to get all the mirrors on and that from the off so i can do a one off spray. Is this the right thing to do?

Question 2 if i may - I need to know a good clear glue that wont fog lights etc under application and /or melt the paint ( when applying the lights on an r33 skyline the lens is applied onto a black base so this was a problem spot). Something i can buy in the Uk.

Question 3 - How much of a model do people airbrush. I did all the shell etc but hand hand painted the interior ( again all tamiya acrylics ) but noted different levels of thickness and application ability (some thick, some thin).Does anybody mask a little bit of interior, spray it, mask another spray it etc.

Thanks to anyone in advance that can help with this. I've just bought an r32 and r34 aoshima kits and dont want any issues.

They do on a side note look a little nicer to build than the tamiya R33 i bought.

I've nigh on completed my first model in about 8 years or so and my first ever car one. There was a couple of bits that cropped up in my assembly that i wished to get another modellers insight on.

Firstly i made my model, sprayed all the individual body parts and once fully assembled cam across my first hurdle. Adding wing mirrors that are painted to a painted body. I was using tamiya acrylics so the glue melted the paint a little.

I'm now on my second model and i've tried to get all the mirrors on and that from the off so i can do a one off spray. Is this the right thing to do?

Question 2 if i may - I need to know a good clear glue that wont fog lights etc under application and /or melt the paint ( when applying the lights on an r33 skyline the lens is applied onto a black base so this was a problem spot). Something i can buy in the Uk.
white school glue, if testors is available they sell canopy glue

Question 3 - How much of a model do people airbrush. I did all the shell etc but hand hand painted the interior ( again all tamiya acrylics ) but noted different levels of thickness and application ability (some thick, some thin).Does anybody mask a little bit of interior, spray it, mask another spray it etc.
i airbrush 95% of the car,i only mask when im doing 2 tone interiors but yes you can use tamiya tape it works best with contours so does sillyputty
Thanks to anyone in advance that can help with this. I've just bought an r32 and r34 aoshima kits and dont want any issues.

They do on a side note look a little nicer to build than the tamiya R33 i bought.

hope that helps

For best results, mask off and spray EVERYTHING. then pick out the details with a 10-0 brush or even tooth picks. but some times just a small brush can be used to paint very small areas that are to small to mask/spray. I figure if it's 5mm square or larger, mask and shoot.

It also depends on what color you are painting with. If it's a gloss color and you have a good paint that levels nicely, with the right brushing techniques, you could paint very large areas with a little practice, but flats...always spray for best results.

Metallics, such as silver, aluminum and steel always spray, always, except for tiny dots and stuff like fog lamps and such.

Applying clear parts can be tricky. Depending on the part being fixed to the model you could use clear epoxy, white glue (primary school glue), clear paint (my favorite for headlight lenses and such,) but NEVER use super glue (c/a) or model cement. I like to stay far away from CA and any kind of solvent type glues when attaching parts to painted surfaces.

One thing I like to do with mirrors is to "pin" them to the bodies. I will drill a small hole where the mirror is supposed to mount, then a matching hole in the mirror on it's mating surface. I'll then use epoxy or ca to secure a small piece of wire into the hole in the mirror. Then a small amount of epoxy or ca on the end of the wire (usually only about 2mm protruding from the mirror's mounting surface) and press the wire into the hole in the car's body. I've not had a single mirror fall off when attached in this manner.

For best results, mask off and spray EVERYTHING. then pick out the details with a 10-0 brush or even tooth picks. but some times just a small brush can be used to paint very small areas that are to small to mask/spray. I figure if it's 5mm square or larger, mask and shoot.

It also depends on what color you are painting with. If it's a gloss color and you have a good paint that levels nicely, with the right brushing techniques, you could paint very large areas with a little practice, but flats...always spray for best results.

Metallics, such as silver, aluminum and steel always spray, always, except for tiny dots and stuff like fog lamps and such.

Applying clear parts can be tricky. Depending on the part being fixed to the model you could use clear epoxy, white glue (primary school glue), clear paint (my favorite for headlight lenses and such,) but NEVER use super glue (c/a) or model cement. I like to stay far away from CA and any kind of solvent type glues when attaching parts to painted surfaces.

One thing I like to do with mirrors is to "pin" them to the bodies. I will drill a small hole where the mirror is supposed to mount, then a matching hole in the mirror on it's mating surface. I'll then use epoxy or ca to secure a small piece of wire into the hole in the mirror. Then a small amount of epoxy or ca on the end of the wire (usually only about 2mm protruding from the mirror's mounting surface) and press the wire into the hole in the car's body. I've not had a single mirror fall off when attached in this manner.
pin method works great on door handles too

Thanks guys.

Some really useful tips for me here. I will put into practice on my next project.

Just to clarify do you guys use the white kids glue to attach painted things to a painted vehicle if your not using the drilling method.

Does it hold up well?

Thanks guys.

Some really useful tips for me here. I will put into practice on my next project.

Just to clarify do you guys use the white kids glue to attach painted things to a painted vehicle if your not using the drilling method.

Does it hold up well?


No no, you use the white PVA glue for gluing clear parts such as light lenses, it is white when it is still setting but then it dries clear. It requires holding in place for a little bit of time though.



Using Tamiya cement is supposed to melt the plastic, this is how it sticks and creates a strong joint. It fuses the two plastic surfaces together to create a strong bond.

To use model cement correctly you have to remove the paint off the contact points as it will only work on bare plastic unpainted surfaces.



I airbrush almost everything and only use a brush for picking out small details such as dials etc on the dashboard. I also use a brush for performing little washes with Tamiya Smoke on the exhaust etc.

I find that with an airbrush you get a perfect even finish, and when you mask areas up you can get perfect lines and coverage as it can get a bit messy when free hand painting with a brush.