Thanks guys, and to quote my own words 'slow and easy' came to a blinding stop this weekend, I was thwarted at every turn and in the end gave into inevitable interruptions for a couple of days.
Did manage to get a squirt of paint on all seams this arvo and found a couple of flaws. These have been covered over with a dab or two of thick glue and will be cleaned back later, ready for the first paint coat. I hope!