The enamels and acrylics Paint Debate

[DrBig]

Even if you like to use acrylic paints, it's not a bad idea to use an enamel primer. That would be my suggestion. Just make sure you give it a few days to cure before painting with acrylics.

[Cav Dog]

I experimented with baking acrylics. I used a both Polly S and Model Master over an enamal primer. I baked it at 300F for 30 minutes. The result was a slight darkening of the colors, panzer dunkelgelb, armor red brown and oluvgrun. The paint did adhere better because I have had issues with the original color "scrubbing" off during drybrushing. Didn't happen following the bake. I think that a lower temperature bake might result in less color change.

[Mk 1]

DrBig suggested:
Even if you like to use acrylic paints, it's not a bad idea to use an enamel primer. That would be my suggestion. Just make sure you give it a few days to cure before painting with acrylics.

A few days to cure? Hmmm. Never heard that bit of advice before...

I generally prime with Floquil spray (enamel primer). Much of my base-coating is done with Testor Model Master sprays (enamels again). But most of my camos, detailing and weathering is done with acrylics (mostly Polly-S and occasionally Tamiya).

I don't "bake" per se, but I do leave my models in the sun to "bake" on sunny days. Generally for about two hours if I can. They come out toasty hot, and entirely dry to the touch.

But I've never really left any particular curing time. Sometimes I spray in the morning, and detail in the evening. Sometimes spray prime one morning, spray basecoat that evening, and detail the next day.

What would be the artifacts of not allowing primer or basecoat to "cure"?

[tstockton]

What would be the artifacts of not allowing primer or basecoat to "cure"?

If the solvents in the paint do not evaporate completely, the pigments will not "bond" to the surface nearly as well. The paint will tend to remain "tacky" to the touch, and will "pull off" much more easily.

One thing I "miss" about using enamel- or lacquer-based paints -- the "smell" test. An "old hand" once told me to "sniff" the painted surface; if you could "smell" the paint, then it wasn't dried yet. I don't know if this "test" is 100% accurate -- but it makes sense, since if you can smell the solvents, then they are still present... and therefore, the paint is not completely "cured" or dry.

Regards,
Tom Stockton

[DrBig]

Mk1, I don't have any experimental results to tell you, as I never take the risk. But you have to remember it's kind of like mixing oil & water. The oil based paints are just that, usually greasy, & are happy in organic solvents. Acrylics are more like a detergent, very greasy too, but have a hydrophilic component to make it obey water. The hydrophilic element might misbehave with a mobile grease element (tacky enamel)

[Mk 1]

DrBig wrote:
Mk1... The hydrophilic element might misbehave with a mobile grease element ...

Good grief, I don't know if this fellow has just questioned my gender preferences...
... or insulted my family lineage!

[tstockton]

mobile grease element ...

Is dat doze guys in the leather jackets and ducktails, crusin' 'roun' in dat '57 Chevy wit all dat krome on it??

(sorry... couldn't resist!!)

Regards,
Tom

[Rusty]

Wow....been away for a while and this thread is still kicking.

Well im going to buy some more models and i have decided to concentrate on a large Soviet armour force to start with, what colour would you advise for a primer?

Then based on the full range of vallejo paints or even the GHQ paints which is a good one for the Green?

Thanks

[CountRingworm]

i have Russian Green Vallejo #894 written on a post-it note for russian armor.
for russian infantry there's a note for Field Drab/Khaki- #880