FAQ

Who runs Paint and Glue?

• That’s me, Garry. I’ve been running Paint and Glue since April 2019. However, this isn’t my full time job; I run it in my spare time as I have a full time job in one of the emergency services with which I have been for 44 years, 30 in uniform and 14 as a member of support staff. I am a wargamer, a sports photographer, ran my local camera club for 5 years and also run a workplace choir, so I’m pretty busy!

How do 3D printed models compare to normal plastic kits?

• I'm not going to lie. 3D printed kits are not as finely detailed or sharp as commercial injected moulded kits like those made by Airfix, Warlord Games, Rubicon, Tamiya etc. They are made by building up layers of very thin melted plastic and the layers can be seen on some models more than others, however, at normal "wargaming" distance of three feet they look absolutely fine and many people would be hard pushed to tell them apart from other model kits, especially with a couple of undercoats and a decent paint job. They cost a lot less than the kits you might be used to, and of course, as they come in only a few parts, you can start painting them much sooner than having to build a model kit.
• We now offer resin prints, these have a different printing process to plastic in that they are made up of layer upon layer of liquid resin each layer of which is 'fixed' and hardened under a UV light. They show finer detail with less evidence of layer lines. Some people prefer the cleaner looks of resin but it comes at the expense of resin models being more fragile than plastic; whereas if you knock a plastic tank off the wargames table it will likely bounce and not break, a resin model is more likely to break.
• Please note: due to the vagaries of the printing process, while we make every effort to produce perfect pints, a model may have minor defects, marks or striations, any minor faults will usually be in areas not normally visible on the games table.

What are the miniatures made from?

• Our 3D printed models are made with PLA or Polylactic Acid. PLA is made from corn starch and sugar cane and, under certain conditions, is biodegradable (i.e. it requires heat and moisture to degrade. It is the same material as those biodegradable plastic cups).
• We now also offer resin printed vehicles. These are usually finer in cosmetic quality with less evidence of printing layer lines and smoother surfaces. Resin prints, while looking better, are usually a bit more fragile and can break easier than plastic models if dropped. Another benefit of resin models is that they generally come in less separate pieces. Often a model which comes as several parts in plastic will; come as only one complete model in resin

Where do you get your 3D files from?

• All models sold on this website come from designers with whom I have a licensing agreement. In most cases this means that the original designer receives a fee based on a percentage of the sale price for each model sold. Two of the designers I use prefer a payment to a charity for each model sold.
• If you are a designer and would like to work with me in selling printed versions of your design through this website, please get in touch via enquiries@paintandglue.co.uk

How long does a model take to print?

• Typically a single tank might take anything between 6 and 18 hours, the bigger the model, the longer it takes. The finer the layer height of the heated filament, the longer it takes. On the highest detail level a single model might take in excess of 24 hours to print.
• please note that printing is not the whole process; once printed the model needs to be cleaned up and all the support material is removed. Unlike some other companies, I do not charge you more to clean up the model. So once printed it joins the queue to be cleaned up. Time taken to do this depends on how busy the orders are so might take a few days to a couple of weeks.
• Resin models take less time to print and post since any clean up is done at the time the print comes off the printer so they don't wait to be cleaned up like the plastic prints

What will I get?

• You are purchasing a 3D printed model. Many of our models come as one piece, fully formed. Others come in parts. A typical tank might come as four separate pieces, the hull, turret and two tracks. You may need to glue parts together. (I use mainly superglue with an activator spray. Revell Contacta, the same glue I use to build commercial plastic kits also works with plastic models. Other glues may work. Models with separate turrets slot into a hole in the hull so they can fully rotate. While every effort is made to remove all the plastic support structures necessary for printing, there may be occasions where you might need to tidy up some tiny areas. This can easily be done with a craft knife, modelling file or sandpaper. There may be some small cosmetic issues but any major issues will result in a re-printed model before it is sent out. Resin models come in less parts, often they come as a whole vehicle.
• Unlike some other sites, I do not show renditions of the original 3D files, which often show a perfect digital rendition. All images you see on the website are actual 3D prints which I then undercoat with primer spray and photograph, so you are seeing more or less what you will get, not the idealised version of a 3D file. Though please note, the photos are illustrative purposes and you may receive a model slightly different as occasionally some files are replaced with better versions or alternative versions.
• Most photos are of plastic 3D prints, resin versions will often look better and smoother though with over 800 models on the site, I can't show both plastic and resin of every print.

What colour will my model be?

• Most of my models are produced with white or grey PLA. On occasion I print in other colours such as blue, yellow or green. The colour of your model may be a colour other than white or grey depending on what spools are on the printers at the time of the order; sometimes supplies of grey are short.
  It shouldn't make any difference as you will need to undercoat your models before painting, just as you would do with any normal plastic kit. All colours take an undercoat spray easily. My undercoat of choice is Wilko's grey primer (about £7.00 a can), many others are available.
• The same applies with resin, I currently use grey, black or white but occasionally other colours may be provided.

When will I get it?

• I  send the models out as soon as they are available but please bear in mind that each model needs to be printed on request, I don't keep stocks of models. Depending on workload this may take up to four weeks, however, I aim to print and send much sooner than this on the majority of occasions. Most orders go out between 10 days and 3 weeks, occasionally sooner or later. Remember, I don't do this full time and delays should be expected. At really busy times an occasional order may take longer than 28 days though I do try to limit these.
• Resin models need to be cleaned up as soon as they come off the printer, all support material is removed at that stage and then the resin is 'fixed' under a UV light, so there is generally less delay once printed and no need to join a queue to be cleaned as with plastic. Of course, orders with mixed resin and plastic will be subject to the same delays as plastic.

What scale are your 3D printed miniatures.

• You can order the following scales direct from the website: 1/48, 1/56, 1/72, 1/76, 1/100 & 1/144. Though please note, some models aren't available in all scales, for instance some may be too small to print correctly at 1/144 while some larger models are too big to print at 1/48 as they won't fit on the printer plate. Some models are only available in resin due top their complexity or small detail.

Can I have a model made in a different scale?

• Of course. Six scales are available on the website. If you prefer a scale that isn't available then please order via email. Some models aren't available at 1/100 (motorcycles) or 1/144 as they break easily when scaled down so small.
• Typically, for non-standard scales, you would place an order via email and I’ll send you a PayPal invoice. Please include a delivery address with your email.

I don't see the model for sale on the website, can you print one for me?

• Very possibly, The designers I currently work with have something in excess of 1,000 vehicle designs. It's not possible to list all the different models and variations and they often add new designs, so if you don't see the exact model you are searching for, contact me. I may already have a design I can print for you.
• I don't generally print models where the customer supplies the 3D file, unless the customer has written permission from the original designer for me specifically to do this. This is to avoid accusations of infringing other people's copyright or making money from others' work without their knowledge or permission. All models you see on this website are produced under licence agreement with the designer of the files. If you want me to print something you have obtained, please ask the designer if is OK for you to have me print it and make a charge to do so.

What about Postage?

• All our kits are sent out by Royal Mail. I am now only sending UK packages via Royal Mail Tracked. First Class is sent Tracked 24 and Second Class is sent Tracked 48. This costs £3.85 and £4.95 respectively and represents standard postal rates plus 50p for the packaging. Tracking numbers are added to your order update page and also emailed to you.
• I am happy to post abroad. Typically postage to Europe is around £7.00. Postage to the USA has increased since America pulled out of an international postal agreement in the summer 2020. Postage starts around £11.70 to USA.
• Please note that since Brexit, some packages from the UK to some European countries are being held at customs until additional Customs or VAT rates are paid. If you are ordering from outside the UK, please be aware that there is a possibility of additional fees and that Paint and Glue Miniatures will not pay any such fees. (As of May 2021 I have been notified by only 4 European customers that additional fees were levied and that was in Belgium, France, Spain and Sweden)

Do you have a Returns Policy?

• Yes. If you are not satisfied with your miniature, please let me know ASAP and I will do my best to resolve the issue. You can read more about returns here.

What's the best way to contact you?

• The best way to contact me is via email. While I do have Twitter and Facebook profiles, I am not often logged on to them as Paint and Glue. Facebook makes seeing messages from my Paint and Glue profile awkward and I may miss Twitter messages as I don't go there often. My Mobile number is available but please be aware, I work a full time job during office hours so whichever method you use, I may not be able to answer or reply straight away.
• Please allow up to 48 hours for email enquiries as I may not be able to respond if I am at work or away from home.