Painting 101 & custom figure questions

[Vince148]

1. What do you use for a basecoat or primer before painting figures?

2. After you paint, do you put a sealer on before you put on waterslide decals? If so what do you use for that?

3. Then after decaling, do you put on another coat of sealer?

4. I feel dumb asking this, but with all the different types of glue I'm seeing, which is the best glue for customizing figures?

5. How easily do arms come off figures? Can I just pull them off? Do they have to be heated first? Can I just cut them off with an exacto knife?

Thanks.