Silver Paint

[cliff strachan]

I believe that someone sometime expressed concern about painting silver colours. I'm having a heck of a time airbrushing silver enamel. What seems to be happening is that silver when applied over balsawood - should there be even a hint of oils from one's hands being on the surface - causes a difference in the final surface shade of silver! Even further sanding - and even sanding before applying the colour coats - results in the same situation. I'm currently experimenting with a couple of alternative methods to rectify the problem but have almost come to the conclusion that firstly never even touch a model without painter's gloves on , and; secondly ignore the results. This last solution isn't very satisfactory.

Cliff.

And all you guys are sure doing nice work.

[Joe]

Cliff,

I had a similar problem whilst painting my recently-built F-86.  I seemed to have solved the problem by overpainting the effected area with a primer called Zinsser.  It seeming has a lot of solids in it and is very thick.  I thinned it ever so slightly with water and it worked well.  I used a small brush to prime only the area in question and I used two coats. 

I hope this helps. 

Joe

[cliff strachan]

Thank's Joe.

I'll try to get some of that primer. Presently I'm trying another type of wood filler. It's water based and I'm hoping that if I apply it not too thin then when it hardens and I sand it down again it will accept another shot of silver enamel.
If not to h... with it!

Let you know what happens.

Cliff

[cliff strachan]

Further to: Joe just exactly what type or brand of Zinseer primer did you use? I looked on the internet and there are dozens of Zinseer products.
Thanks.
Cliff.

[Joe]

Cliff,

Mea Culpa--Zinsser is the name of the company.  It is called "Bulls Eye 1.2.3. Primer Sealer Stain Killer".  Here is the URL:

http://www.thepaintstore.com/Zinsser_Bulls_Eye_1_2_3_Primer_Sealer_p/02004.htm

I have played with it quite a bit because it is fairly thick directly from the can.  Thus, I have diluted it with water and find that it can be diluted all the way to a water-wash concentration.  In fact, what I prefer to do is paint on several layers of thinned primer rather than one thick coat.  I usually sand the penultimate coat until smooth, apply one more thin coat, finish off with 0000 steel wool before painting.

I hope this helps.

Joe

[cliff strachan]

Thanks again, Joe. Thats a fine detailed description of how to go about it. If that doesn't work then . . .

Cliff.

[Joe]

Cliff,

This product may be what the Dr. ordered:

Duplicolor Prep Wipe

You can purchase it on Amazon (and other sites, I would guess, too):


http://www.amazon.com/DupliColor-Prep-Grease-Remover-Wipes/dp/B002965BWK

I am going to order some to experiment with.   

Regards,

Joe

[cliff strachan]

Thanks again Joe. I've sort of got my hands full at the moment trying to finish a couple before year end.

However think I'd like to take an early opportunity to wish all the Best Of The Season. This early wish is partly prompted by the fact that the temperature up in Edmonton was -46C - without the windchill. That converts to -51F! That's where Kenny Horne lives - if he still admits to it that is. Good Luck Ken. Stay warm.

Cliff.

[Joe]

Cliff,

The Dupicolor Prep Wipes are a potential disaster:  check my note on Dupicolor.  Basically, there is solvent on the wipe and it dissolves Tamiya paints--nearly instantly!

Joe

[cliff strachan]

Thanks again Joe. You're a real Group asset in the sense of your contributions to trial and error testing. At the moment I'm having all the painting problems that all of our members have surely experienced at one time or another: paint pealing when I tried to remove the masking tape  - on top of the canopy of all places for example!! Guess my intended production will be delayed - again.

Cliff

[dave_t]

I haven't had a problem recently with lifting paint, usually that is caused by masking with too much tack. I don't leave the tape on the model very long either, just a few minutes. Acrylic based paints dry quickly. The Tamiya masking tape has worked well for me.

[Joe]

Hi, Cliff and Dave,

Thanks for the kind words, Cliff:  I am such a novice at this hobby that I am glad to contribute where I can.  However, most of the information is coming my way. 

Dave, I learned about Tamiya tape on this website from Paul and it revolutionized my painting.  It works so much better than regular masking tapes or Scotch Magic Tape.  I have not used it over metallic paint, though.  I probably should try, but metallic paint seems so "fragile" to me.  It is very easy to ruin the finish.

Thanks, again, gents...

Joe

[cliff strachan]

I'm using Tamiyia Masking Tape. But the problems I'm having appear to involve the enamel silver. It seems to be the silver colour itself that presents most of the difficulties. After I test and then try Joe's solution regarding the Zinsseer Sealler/base, repaint with silver (Testers) I'm going to try to seal in the silver paint with "clear coat enamel" then mask and paint enamel black windows. This will be finished sometime in 201... !!

Cliff

[cliff strachan]

Hi Joe et  Al:

I did appreciate your advice concerning the problems with silver paint. In fact I purchased a can of Bulls Eye.  But my intention was to try to stick as close to the  tryed and true, or the older methods as possible. Therefore, more by accident than design, I hit upon the following method that seems to solve the problem of silver enamels always revealing any prior faults such as finger prints showing through several subsequent coats of silver enamel:
     After an initial coat of silver, I used #1960 Model Master Flat Lacquer (the clear flat finish from the spray can) before again re-coating with the Testors Silver. This apparently covered any blemishes in the initial application of silver while also providing a better foundation or "under coating' for again applying the silver. Seems to work. Sticks within the hobby provider's field. And, touch wood, will be a solution for the long run. Still more testing will be required.
Cliff.