resin body paint

[rjdadrf@yahoo.com]

I am having problems with paint on my resin bodies.
the paint never seems to dry.
I clean and dry my bodies with a good cleaner.
I use testors paint on my bodies.
I let the pint dry for about a week before I try to mount any parts
.the paint always seems to be tacky to the touch.

any help would be very nice
thanks

[RichD]

Testors now has both enamel and lacquer paint, I have been using the enamel for many years and not had any drying problems with either resin or regular injection molded styrene bodies. Testors only sells clear lacquer, so I top off my paint jobs with that, but to be safe I first coat decals with a water based clear, like Future. Getting back to your drying problem never spray solvent based paint when it is very humid, water will get trapped in the paint and it may take a very long time to dry. I have a dehumidifier and a humidity gauge in the area where I paint, I make sure that the humidity is under 30%, but even lower is probably better.
I give a raw body one coat of primer and wait 15-30 minutes before I put on a color coat, a second color coat goes on 15-30 minutes after that. If any masking needs to be applied I let the body dry overnight first. In some cases a second color might be applied using the same routine as before. If any masking needs to be removed I do that while the paint is still a little tacky. Once again I like to let things dry overnight or for at least eight hours before I apply decals.

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Use Bleche-Wite whitewall tire cleaner, rinse thoroughly, let dry for overnight. Apply primer, then two to three misting coats of lacquer, After two days, brush on a thick coat of Future. You can not do wrong with this plan. I recommend Tamiya lacquers, but I have used Testor's lacquer to get an exact color I wanted.

[dreinecke]

I know a few things about this...

1. Wash the body and parts in soapy water or Wesley's Bleech White. I keep a resealable container full of the Wesley's and usually just throw the body and parts into it for about a 15 minute soak. I then rinse the body in cool water and allow it to dry.
2. Prime the body and parts before painting. It is very important to get a good base down for the remaining paint work to be done. I use Duplicolor Automotive Spray Paint, however, many other paints such as Tamiya, Testors, Humbrol, etc. are available. Just be sure to get one that is compatible with the type of paint you are planning to use, such as Lacquer or Enamel. I spray all sides to each part and let dry according to manufacturer's recommendations. The great thing about the Duplicolor paints is that they dry very quickly. I can usually handle a primed part in about 15-30 minutes.
3. Paint the body and parts. At this time I also paint and detail the interior tray.
4. Decal the body.
5. Final Detail. At this stage, adding trim paint around windows, vents, windshield wipers, and gas caps is a good idea if you are painting them. This way, the final clear coat will protect these areas. If you are using Bare Metal Foil, I recommend not doing so until after the clear coat, as it tends to fog and dull if you coat it.
6. Clear Coat the body. I use two clear coats depending on my needs: Duplicolor Clear Lacquer or Future. Note: clears can be too "hot" and wrinkle your decals if not done correctly.

In all honesty though: I stopped using ANY enamel years ago after trying the lacquer. The lacquer is just faster drying and less problematic in my experience.

[RichD]

Resin body makers use a mold release agent that must be removed from the body before it is painted. The agent could be vegetable oil or silicone. Silicone is more difficult to remove and sometimes it actually gets stuck in the resin and becomes even more difficult to remove. If there is silicone in the resin you will get fish eyes in your paint no matter how many coats you apply. I have not tried Wesley's, but whatever you use try spraying some paint on the inside of the body first to see if there will be any problems. By doing that you will avoid having to strip off the paint before you rinse some more.

[strangebrew]

Like RichD said.....Mold release can become impregnated into the casting itself.
I cast several bodies I could NEVER paint because I did not wash out the mold well enough
before pouring in the resin. I don't know if all the washing techniques mentioned here will work.
I noticed if I used a heat gun on the raw casting, the mold release would ooz out of it in droplets.
I would wipe it down with thinners & solvents, dry & the heat gun would draw out more droplets.
I could repeat this process dozens of times & never get it all out. I tried every type of paint
imaginable stripping off each failure. I finally sprayed some primer enamel & set it outside in
bright sunlight & possibly the UV element cured it.....sorta....
Good luck.

[model murdering]

For resins I like to start by breaking the glaze with 1200 wet and dry sand paper with some Dawn dishwashing liquid in the water. Afterwards I have good luck using "Super Clean" as a general degreaser. Im old school, so my prepaint ritual also includes a thorough scrubbing with a cleanser rouge and a stiff toothbrush to ensure the shuts, seams, and finer details are scuffed clean.

*******
dreinecke:

"In all honesty though: I stopped using ANY enamel years ago after trying the lacquer. The lacquer is just faster drying and less problematic in my experience."

*******

Same here, I havent botched a slotcar paintjob since I kicked enamel to the curb. My painting improved exponentially! I always tell the story about the Testors Enamel I shot in 1967, it's almost dry now. :doh:

Now my paintfilms stretch out tight without burying the finer detail. I get good coverage using minimum material. Multi coat applications are no problem. Additional coats lay down reliably without ridiculous recoat intervals. I like to seal any color transitions or artwork with clear before moving ahead to the next step.

Bill