Spray Can Primers

lancer · October 18, 2014, 03:32:30 PM

I always use Halfords white plastic primer to prime and undercoat my stuff. It is in my opinion brilliant. As you say Kit, it never yellows and I've even used it as a main colour on a couple of occasions. I've also used thier appliance white several times as well. The biggest use was on my Revell AN-124 and it's still as white as the day I applied it - about 6 years ago I think -so I'll always urge people to use them if they can. They also work out a hell of a lot cheaper in the long run over the branded model primers as well.

PR19_Kit · October 18, 2014, 04:18:04 PM

Nooooooo, I was talking about Aplliance White itself. I've never had good results with Halfords White Primer I'm afraid, but as in all cases it's what works best for you.

zenrat · October 18, 2014, 06:07:51 PM

IME it's the clear that yellows not the paint.
Enamel clears in particular are prone to yellowing.

PR19_Kit · October 19, 2014, 12:20:01 AM

Early, and I mean 1970s, Humbrol Gloss White would 'yellow' while it was still in the tin! I had one tin that had gone so far off that I used it for a cream colour on a model railway job I was doing.

I hope they've got it better these days, but I still won't touch their white with a barge pole.

Knightflyer · October 19, 2014, 02:12:21 AM

Okay ...so to hijack my own thread just a bit!

We (that's the Victor and I) have moved forward together. I decided to trial my spray can painting on the 'horizontal' tail surfaces as they are small enough to handle easier and if I was going to make mistakes better on a few square inches/cms that a lot of square inches/cms!

By the way, as an aside, aren't the horizontal tail surfaces on the Victor a 'sexy' shape, makes me think of something very 1950's and science-fictiony....if I had 'spare' ones I could see a 1/144 scale space-plane being done

But anyway, back to reality! So the result so far is one step forward and one shuffly step sidewards and slightly backwards. Primer went on okay, no issues as far as I could see ...I used Humbrol primer in the end, as I discovered I'd got two tins of it that I don't remember buying! (whereas the tin of Halfords grey primer that I could've swore that I had I can't find anywhere

)

Then I sprayed Humbrol Gloss 22 on the undersurfaces (and I have taken note of all the comments re the various white paints previously, but my white spray paint can story is similar to my grey primer can one!)

I HAVE DIMPLES!

Yes the colour is lovely (at the moment) but the finish is not, the white undersides of my Victor tailsurfaces appears to have cellulite!

So gents...over to you...primer I can deal with .....but what have I done wrong with the application of the white spray paint

zenrat · October 19, 2014, 04:04:53 AM

Cellulite AKA Orange peel.
Caused by the paint partially drying brfore it hits the model. Spray closer and/or heat the paint (hot water bath only - if you cant put your hand in the water it's too hot) before spraying.
You should be able to polish the orange peel out. If its really bad you might have to sand it or strip it.

Knightflyer · October 19, 2014, 05:49:56 AM

Quote from: zenrat on October 19, 2014, 04:04:53 AM
Cellulite AKA Orange peel. You should be able to polish the orange peel out.

As one question is answered .....another presents itself!

how do (what should I use?!) I polish my orange peel out?

NARSES2 · October 19, 2014, 06:54:37 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on October 18, 2014, 06:56:42 AM

That's what the Librarian meant Chris. His post was in response to mine praising Appliance White to the heights.

Apologies to Librarian, I know what I read at the time of the response, but it's not how I read it now. Getting old

PR19_Kit · October 19, 2014, 07:30:43 AM

Quote from: Knightflyer on October 19, 2014, 05:49:56 AM
As one question is answered .....another presents itself! how do (what should I use?!) I polish my orange peel out?

One of those sanding kits of various grades of wet and dry to polish out canopies works OK if you have one. Start at around 600 grit and go higher, but it takes a long time, sad to say.

Rheged · October 19, 2014, 07:43:23 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on October 19, 2014, 07:30:43 AM
Quote from: Knightflyer on October 19, 2014, 05:49:56 AM
As one question is answered .....another presents itself! how do (what should I use?!) I polish my orange peel out?

One of those sanding kits of various grades of wet and dry to polish out canopies works OK if you have one. Start at around 600 grit and go higher, but it takes a long time, sad to say.

I have on a couple of occasions polished out canopies and minor blemishes with cheap talcum powder. Takes forever, but it's very gentle......and your model smells interesting afterwards!

zenrat · October 19, 2014, 07:48:15 PM

Before splashing out on a polishing kit see if you can find/borrow some cutting compound (T Cut for example - your profile doesn't say where you are but i'm assuming UK and that's a pommy product). That's pretty abrasive and might do the trick. Follow it up with car polish (but not one with wax in if you'll be painting over the top). Meguiars Scratch X will do the trick but i'm not sure if you can get that up there.
You can also polish with toothpaste. That gives you a minty fresh model with no plaque and healthy gums...

Some words of warning - let the paint completely gas out before you try to polish it. If it's enamel give it a week at least.
Also be careful with the polish at first. I have found that the solvent used in some polishes can react with some paints and soften them even if they have been sitting for ages. Scratch X softens enamels thinned with GP Thinners for example while the polish supplied with my polishing kit does not.

PR19_Kit · October 20, 2014, 12:50:50 AM

Quote from: zenrat on October 19, 2014, 07:48:15 PM

You can also polish with toothpaste. That gives you a minty fresh model with no plaque and healthy gums...

I've found that toothpaste is FAR better at polishing canopies than the custom-made stuff you can buy in model shops, or COULD buy when there were any model shops!

It's not only better for the job but it's always available and the cost doesn't come out of the modelling budget, it's 'household goods'.

ChernayaAkula · October 20, 2014, 02:02:24 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on October 18, 2014, 06:56:42 AM
<...> Unlike most Humbrol whites, which in my experience always yellow, even if it takes a few years. I've some airliners I just daren't display any more, they're that yellow.

I wonder.... have you tried placing said airliners in a sunny window? Someone on Flugzeugforum.de had a similar problem and placed one of his old A-7s on a white sheet of paper on a window sill. Took a month, but it looks as good as new!

PR19_Kit · October 20, 2014, 03:07:41 AM

Quote from: ChernayaAkula on October 20, 2014, 02:02:24 AM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on October 18, 2014, 06:56:42 AM
<...> Unlike most Humbrol whites, which in my experience always yellow, even if it takes a few years. I've some airliners I just daren't display any more, they're that yellow.

I wonder.... have you tried placing said airliners in a sunny window? Someone on Flugzeugforum.de had a similar problem and placed one of his old A-7s on a white sheet of paper on a window sill. Took a month, but it looks as good as new!

No, but it's worth a try, thanks.

That's standard procedure for un-yellowing old decal sheets and I've done it quite a bit, but I never thought of doing it to the whole model before.

scooter · October 20, 2014, 04:22:42 AM

Quote from: zenrat on October 19, 2014, 07:48:15 PM
Some words of warning - let the paint completely gas out before you try to polish it. If it's enamel give it a week at least.
Also be careful with the polish at first. I have found that the solvent used in some polishes can react with some paints and soften them even if they have been sitting for ages. Scratch X softens enamels thinned with GP Thinners for example while the polish supplied with my polishing kit does not.

Important note. Always test first, and not on the entire model