I was just reading about acrylic paints at http://miniatures.about.com/od/miniatureprojects/bb/acrypaintstart.htm and the article said not to use acrylic paints on plastic. I already painted numerous plastic kits with acrylic and now I’m wondering if it will last. I painted one kit with caned spray paint and it appeared to soften the styrene plastic so I quit.
What do modelers normally use to paint their plastic models with? [%-)]
I use acrylic paints mostly. The smell of enamel paint really bugs me so any enamel paint (usually spray paint) is applied outdoors.
It might be that article was referring to a specific brand of acrylics. The only real problems I’ve ever had with acrylic paint was it’s inability to adhere properly to styrene. The new generation of acrylics seems to have conquered this problem.
It’s getting harder to find enamel paints these days, Testors [my preferred brand] is going acrylic and the companies like Humbrol have raised their prices significantly. I have tried Badgers acrylic paint and it works well and clean up is much easier.
The softening of styrene you described might be from a laquer based paint, those type of paints like Floquil, will soften plastic if applied too thick.
I use a Paasche airbrush to paint my models, the cans are impossible to regulate and squirt paint out at unacceptable volumes.
I brush on Modelflex(Badger) Paint…
depending on the project, I either use Badger Modelflex, with it’s wide selection of railroad specific colors and it’s airbrush ready, stir and spray.
In my experience, it really needs a primer coat, and the air pressure need to be just right, so practice on a test piece until comfortable.
I have a tyco boxcar that has been primed, painted and stripped a hundred times or more.
I also use Krylon “Fusion” spray enamel, it’s designed to be used on plastics, is a very high quality paint, and produced excellant results, however the color choices are somewhat limited.
the only laquer that I use are dull and gloss clear coat.
I came across this article because I’m thinking of buying an air brush from Harbor Freight and I was looking for information on thinning acrylic for spraying. I started using acrylic because I liked how easy it is to custom mix colors. I was never so lucky with mixing Testers enamel. I’m not familiar with Badger Modelflex. Does it mix well?
I just mixed some red, yellow and flesh acrylics to give the appearance of a Tile roof for this Atlas Depot. I’m happy with the way it came out. Can I get the same results with Badger?
ah paint… Something I know a lot about…
Well first of all for styrene (trains), DON"T FIGHT IT!, if you’re gonna airbrush I highly recommend using Modelflex (Badger) or one of the other acyrills meant for airbrush. Most of these you do have to thin with water to use with airbrush but the Modelflex you won’t have to. AND you can just screw in the bottel to the cap, (pretty standard size)
-I’m not familair with the paint that is attacking plastic.-
WHY??? The acrills meant for modeling are made with a finer molecular structure than other paints. When you thin them they will hold together better.
****If you thin too much you will get watery runny results which may make you hate acryllic paint so experiement to thin properly AND…
****Strain your paint. I use an old water bottle in which the cap has a hole drilled through the center. I place an ordinary piece of stocking over the mouth of the bottle and then put the cap on which holds the stocking in place. Turned upside down and cut in half this looks like a funnel with a strainer in it. -cheap and works perfectly!
hhhmmmm Nice job on that!
I haven’t tried to mix the Badger, I’m alway painting diesels, and I’m happy with the RR colors they have.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95810
Is this the brush your looking at? I was thinking about trying it too. Can’t beat the price.
I don’t think you have to thin the Modelflex paint. I just use acrylic craft paint for my structures. It thins and airbrushed just fins. I like using Floquil (or even Polly scale) for my rolling stock and stuff that gets handled a lot. They seem to have a tougher finish.
Thats the one I was looking at it today and it looked ok. I have never used an Air brush before so I did not want to spend too much until I learn what I want in an air brush.
I just had to chime in again… listen, for $15 you can’t go wrong with that brush! It’s put together much better than the other cheapo single action spray guns, and you’ll actually get a feel of what it’s like to use the more expensive Badgers since they have the same body style. If you just want to spray even flat color, this or maybe one a little bit more expensive (this one will eventually leak) is great. If the feel of the brush is too thin, maybe try the pasche, about $70 - pearl paint online store.
Once you learn how to use the single action, you may want more from your brush ie. dual action. Mucho fun to wheather rolling stock with!
Well you’ve convinced me! I had this one in my hand today and I almost bought it. I’m going back tomorrow and buy it. I don’t know were to buy the paint yet, but I’ll have to call around tomorrow.
For painting styrene I use Scalecoat 2. Even though they say no primer needed I use their MofW Grey then the colour desired. Floquil is the other choice but it can attack plastic if applied too heavy. I thin both about 40% and apply with a Binks Wren that is about 40 years old.
I don’t airbrush the water based paint as it dries in the airbrush even while flowing. I do use acrylics for brush painting details and small items.
The finish coat is Testors Dullcote or Gloss cote thinned 50% with Scalecoat 2 Thinner
In case you didn’t notice, you can get different size spray tips for that brush. There’s 3 different sizes including the one that comes with it.
I didn’t see the spray tips, but I did see the extra bottle pack which I might also buy, if they fit.
Tamiyas. By the Brush. Sometimes Model Master out of a can.
Maybe airbrush someday, but there isnt really the need for it. Just have a gallon or two of Windex to clean those brushes and replace em when they get too much dried paint in em.
I do paint the tamiyas inside and spray paint outside in temps of 75 degrees and 60% humidity or less. If it needs me to be up at 5 am before work painting by flash light in the summer? So be it.
Once you open a bottle of water based paint like the Tamiyas you just started a clock on drying time on everything. The paint, bottle, brush the model yer painting etc. If you take too long, you can watch the paint dry on the brush before you finish the layer on the model peice.
Another acrylic model railroad paint is PollyScale, made by Floquill, (another Testor’s brand name):
Testors Website:
http://www.testors.com/default.asp
Floquill:
http://www.testors.com/brand_category.asp?brandNbr=2
PollyScale color chart (pdf doc)
http://www.testors.com/fileshare/color_charts/404000_PScale%20RR%20Acryl.pdf
PollyScale paints are all flat, (matte), and must be thinned to use through an airbrush. PollyScale colors can readily be mixed, as can Badger’s Modelflex and they can be mixed with each other. The rr paints can also be mixed with acrylic craft paints (avail. @ Walmart & craft stores), If I’m painting rr models, I only intermix the railroad colors, (PS & Mdlflx), they have more finely ground pigments than the craft paints, but for buildings and scenery I intermix them all,
To thin acylics, you can use factory thinners (gets expensive), or an 80/20 mix of distilled water /70% Isopropl alcohol, or some people use widow washer cleaner. The main to remember for airbrushing is that you want the consistency of milk.
Acrylic paints do require a clean, oil free surface to adhere well. clean with degreasing detergent like Dawn and warm water, rinse well.
I always prime with a medium gray for most colors, (use lighter primer for brilliant colors), for buildings I use cheap gray auto primer . Acrylics do dry quickly, but can take as much as a month to fully cure hard, depending on humidity.
As for acrylic paints drying in the airbrush, that is usually operator error, either too low airpressure, or not enough paint flow or both. Airbrush painting with acrylics requires different techniques from enamels/lacquers.
My persoal preference is to use a paint cup rather than the bottles; there’s a lo
I’ve never painted with acrylics–I’ve brush-painted Floquil lacquers and Polly-S (which I believe is a latex paint) and airbrushed Floquil lacquers–but it’s always been my understanding that acrylics are plastic compatible. The original reviews of, I believe, Badger acrylics, said it sticks to everything with a very thin coating–including flexible plastic Diesel railings!–without “crazing.” I’ve never used Floquil Barrier before airbushing their lacquers and with proper control haven’t crazed plastics (I’ve airbrushed hundreds of freight and passenger cars and plastic locomotives with Floquil lacquer), but every time I brush-painted plastic items with their lacquer I got some crazing, even if just microscopic: okay on “wood” structures, but NOT okay on motive power and r
I have used Floquil (Spelling) for decades and even recall the Dio Sol as well. But switched to the new paints this year due to odor problems with the wife. It has made peace in the home when alot of work has been constructed on the workbench without the fumes.
The airbrush at the Harbor freight link looks like a double action airbrush. Because it says “adjustable air flow control” or something to that effect.
I am a spray-can painter, but I tried a double action airbrush. I am having a hard time with it because you not only press down the trigger, you also have to pull it back at the same time. You may think this is easy, but its not. The more you pull it back, the more paint you get. If you can control it, the DA brush is a good one. However, I am considering getting a single action airbrush because it acts more like a spray can.
I use Model Flex paint.