What type of paint for laser cut building kits

[steve45]

I'm just about to start a JS Models warehouse kit and want to paint most of it before I assemble it with pva, I haven't assembled a laser kit before so I'm looking for advice on what type of paints to use. 

 

Many thanks

 

Steve

[Phil Parker]

Any paint will be fine. I've just built one of the warehouse kits for the July issue of BRM. If you aren't sure, test some paint on a spare bit of fret.

 

 

 

[pinzaboy]

4 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

Any paint will be fine. I've just built one of the warehouse kits for the July issue of BRM. If you aren't sure, test some paint on a spare bit of fret.

 

 

 

That looks terrific!

Tim

[Kylestrome]

5 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

I've just built one of the warehouse kits for the July issue of BRM.

 

Could it possibly be that one of the windows is upside down?

 

David

[Phil Parker]

23 minutes ago, Kylestrome said:

 

Could it possibly be that one of the windows is upside down?

 

David

 

Good spot - they are very slightly not symmetrical. It's far more obvious in the photo than on the real model. I'll stick a note in the article as it's too late to do anything on my version.

[steve45]

That looks really good Phil, without giving too much away before BRM is issued, what did you use?

 

I promise to buy the issue, when is it released?

 

 

 

 

[Phil Parker]

Sorry - Phil's special stone painting technique must stay under wraps until 12th June when the digi edition comes out...

 

All I can say is that there are several steps, nothing exotic in the way of materials and you shouldn't listen to Mr York's suggestions.

[AY Mod]

5 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

you shouldn't listen to Mr York's suggestions.

 

What's wrong with yoghurt and 12 months for a natural effect?

[steve45]

Hi Phil,

 

No problem, I will wait until then to see the magic formula

 

 

[Paul H Vigor]

5 hours ago, Phil Parker said:

 

Good spot - they are very slightly not symmetrical. It's far more obvious in the photo than on the real model. I'll stick a note in the article as it's too late to do anything on my version.

Rule No.1!? Windows can be oriented any way you like!

[jcm@gwr]

1 hour ago, Paul H Vigor said:

Rule No.1!? Windows can be oriented any way you like!

 

Agreed, but should be the same as others in the one building!

[Enterprisingwestern]

1 hour ago, Paul H Vigor said:

Rule No.1!? Windows can be oriented any way you like!

 

24 minutes ago, jcm@gwr said:

 

Agreed, but should be the same as others in the one building!

 

I can see through that argument, and it's a pane.

 

Mike.

[Paul H Vigor]

12 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

 

I can see through that argument, and it's a pane.

 

Mike.

One of my fav sayings: People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stoats!

[Enterprisingwestern]

People in glass houses should breath on the windows before having a bath.

 

Mike.

[boxbrownie]

Would not a dilute wash of PVA over the finished parts be good for sealing the wood grain and give a good key for paint?

[Paul H Vigor]

12 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

 

I can see through that argument, and it's a pane.

 

Mike.

And least we forget: All the windows in railway models built in Australia and New Zealand are upside down!

[boxbrownie]

1 minute ago, Paul H Vigor said:

And least we forget: All the windows in railway models built in Australia and New Zealand are upside down!

So we can assume this kit was built on Phil’s plane ride home from an Australian holiday?

[Paul H Vigor]

1 minute ago, boxbrownie said:

So we can assume this kit was built on Phil’s plane ride home from an Australian holiday?

To quote Hong Kong Phooey: "Could be!"

[boxbrownie]

2 minutes ago, Paul H Vigor said:

And least we forget: All the windows in railway models built in Australia and New Zealand are upside down!

So we can assume this kit was built on Phil’s plane ride home from an Australian holiday?

[boxbrownie]

Just now, boxbrownie said:

So we can assume this kit was built on Phil’s plane ride home from an Australian holiday?

Eh what....two holidays?   What happened there? 

[steve45]

2 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

Would not a dilute wash of PVA over the finished parts be good for sealing the wood grain and give a good key for paint?

Possibly, I understand that laser kits do need priming, and you are right in saying that PVA seals surfaces, thank you for your suggestion

[Georgeconna]

3 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

Would not a dilute wash of PVA over the finished parts be good for sealing the wood grain and give a good key for paint?

I'd probably use  a coat of Sand n Sealer on these. I do for me model boats anyhow.

 

https://www.homecareessentials.co.uk/products/rustins-shellac-sanding-sealer-300ml/sans300

[JSModels]

23 hours ago, steve45 said:

I'm just about to start a JS Models warehouse kit and want to paint most of it before I assemble it with pva, I haven't assembled a laser kit before so I'm looking for advice on what type of paints to use. 

 

Many thanks

 

Steve

 

Steve,

 

Sorry, I've only just seen this! I don't bother priming them myself, and just apply acrylic paints directly to the MDF. If you want to prime them, then a light coat of grey (or red, if it's brick finish) primer from a rattlecan will suffice.

 

 

3 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

Would not a dilute wash of PVA over the finished parts be good for sealing the wood grain and give a good key for paint?

 

I would not recommend this - unless it's a specific type of PVA designed for the purpose (which most modelmakers are unlikely to have knocking around, as they're not generally available) then PVA is generally a very bad medium for sealing anything.

 

9 minutes ago, Georgeconna said:

I'd probably use  a coat of Sand n Sealer on these. I do for me model boats anyhow.

 

https://www.homecareessentials.co.uk/products/rustins-shellac-sanding-sealer-300ml/sans300

 

If you really feel the need to seal the MDF, then this would be a much better product than PVA (though it is IMHO totally unnecessary).

 

 

Jonathan

JSModels

[boxbrownie]

51 minutes ago, jrb said:

 

Steve,

 

Sorry, I've only just seen this! I don't bother priming them myself, and just apply acrylic paints directly to the MDF. If you want to prime them, then a light coat of grey (or red, if it's brick finish) primer from a rattlecan will suffice.

 

 

 

I would not recommend this - unless it's a specific type of PVA designed for the purpose (which most modelmakers are unlikely to have knocking around, as they're not generally available) then PVA is generally a very bad medium for sealing anything.

 

 

If you really feel the need to seal the MDF, then this would be a much better product than PVA (though it is IMHO totally unnecessary).

 

 

Jonathan

JSModels

I didn’t know the lasered material was MDF I had assumed it would be a thin plywood, but I would be interested to know the reason normal (building) PVA would be not advised as a sealer, as we used it for years in the studio on architectural models?

Edited May 18, 2020 by boxbrownie

[JSModels]

55 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

I didn’t know the lasered material was MDF I had assumed it would be a thin plywood, but I would be interested to know the reason normal (building) PVA would be not advised as a sealer, as we used it for years in the studio on architectural models?

 

I'm not an expert on adhesives by any means, but as a cabinet maker I've had to use quite a few different types, and learn about them. Normal PVA (and by normal I mean generic 'wood glue' types, classed as D2 adhesives) dries by evaporation of the water content, or absorption of same by the materials it's bonding. That in itself is fine, but if that dried PVA is ever exposed to water or high moisture levels it re-absorbs some water & becomes 'live' again; once this happens, it can never fully dry out to it's previous hardened state again and stays slightly soft. An example of this is removing old track by re-wetting the ballast, it becomes soft & easy to remove (if you then leave the clumps of removed ballast to 'dry' again, you'll notice it's much weaker than before & crumbles in your fingers).

 

Moisture resistant PVA (D3 or 'weatherproof' PVA) is better in this regard, but still not great (there's an explanation of wood adhesive grades here).

 

So if you seal something with PVA and then apply water-based paint over the top (often in washes for weathering) then you're breaking down the structure of the PVA. To be perfectly honest, for models it probably doesn't really matter, but I've just heard so many stories of things failing because people have 'sealed' something with PVA that I have an in-built aversion to it! I'm sure it'd be fine, but it's an additional, unnecessary step, so why bother?

 

 

Jonathan

JSModels