Best way to correct paint finish

[GWMark]

Some time ago I sprayed a couple of loco bodies for kits I was making and had problems getting a good finish. What I wanted to ask was how I can go about correcting the finish I have in order to be able to put on new coats that will look better. One of these models in a resin kit (Dean Sidings Neath & Brecon Tank) and the other white metal (Wills Saint). It was mentioned to meat Wigan by a trader there, that Halfords do a flattening spray can that oem how reactivates the paint and will "repair" some blemishes, but I am guessing that works for car cellulose paints and not the Phoenix enamels used here.

 

 

I'm not in a position to do much about these yet, I need the weather to improve considerably before I can spray outdoors again!

 

Should I be looking at stripping them back with a paint stripper? If so, what is safe for resin kits? Sanding might be an option, but I want to leave the detail in the casting if I can. Or are there any short cuts that are available to me that might make the process less painful?

 

 

Thanks

Mark

[The Fatadder]

The first thing I'd be looking at doing woult be taking a small brush and using that to apply paint around the raised detail in the areas that havent been painted (under the handrails etc), then apply another coat with the spray.

[brian777999]

I am trying to work out what has happened here. Did the surface of the models have a nice smooth finish BEFORE you painted them ? Did you use an airbrush or spray cans ? What was the weather like on the day you sprayed these models ?

[bertiedog]

Well.... what you have is considerable overspray with under thinned paint, the condition is known as Orange peel for obvious reasons.

 

Sorry, but no cure that is simple, yes, Flatting will work with gloss car cellulose paints, but not Phoenix, (or others, it's not Phoenix's fault), and not once the paint is dry, it is part of the last process in a spraying session.

 

The existing paint will have to be washed off with suitable thinners, or bathed in meths to shift the paint.

 

Strippers can be used very carefully in case any glue is attacked. Wash thinners over the whole model and work in with a course brush, re-peat till clean. Cellulose will shift it quicker, but may attack resin and plastics, it's up to you.

 

Glue may be attacked so prepare for a bit of work. Resin is immune to most thinners within reason.

 

Once model is clean, re-work any details and carefully remove all traces of paint in nooks and crannies, re-undercoat and re-paint.

 

Start with a car red oxide, (or grey), but red more suitable for GWR green.

 

Well thinned paint, if sprayed from airbrush, or very thin coats from aerosols. About 60/40 if sprayed with an airbrush, but experiment first.

 

Do not attempt to re-spray until you have got the knack of putting thin coats, and waiting for them to dry, do not build up a solid coat and then put more on top, this leads to the orange peel effect as the layers all try to dry out. Try out on old tin cans till it works for you, do not risk damaging a model.

 

The best way is very thin, liquid coats, not blow dry, or dusty paint, and to have patience as you proceed.

 

Use the right spraying thinners with Phoenix, or if you want you can use cellulose, but it needs experience to do this method. It works as Phoenix is synthetic coach enamel and will thin with high octane thinners.

 

Make sure the air is not damp, you mention outdoors, safe, but not the best, it needs warm dry environment, a well ventilated room with heating is best, use a mask etc.

 

If you are restricted to aerosol , proceed very slowly, do not build up the paint, it goes bad as you have found.

 

Hope these notes help you and others, re-post about the way that it was painted and what equipment that you have for more advice,

 

Stephen.

 

A Happy New Year.

[micklner]

From the photos it looks like you have a very thin coat of paint(s) ?? try rubbing gently with a glass fibre brush this may level/flatten the high points .Then respray as recomended.

Then a couple of thin coats of varnish once transfers are set.

This may level it off?? hard to tell without seeing the locos "in the flesh"

If this doesnt work a strip back as suggested is probably the only remedy.

 

Mick

[GWMark]

Thanks for the responses, I should have said more about the painting of these in the original post, so here goes with the history....

 

These is that they were first sprayed with a Halfords plastic primer, some blemishes filled with car boy filler and then lightly sanded and given a second coat of primer. The Pheonix enamel with thinned, with Phoenix thinners to about a 50/50 mix and sprayed with a single action badger airbrush using a simple compressor as an air source. The weather at the time was dry but cool, and the spraying was done outside - I have no air extraction facilities and the wife doesn't like the smell in her kitchen!

 

Following a post on the old site I have now got, as a Christmas present, a pressure gauge and moisture trap that I will attach to the compressor, previously I just had an inline filter, a bit like a fuel filter on a car.

 

I like the idea of practicing on tin cans, once the weather picks up I can see us sending some varied coloured cans to the recycling!

 

Thanks

Mark