1/1000 P/L TOS Enterprise Painting problems??

Johnnycrash · Post by **Johnnycrash** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:09 pm

Hey all,

Has anyone else experienced difficulty in getting paint to go down well on this kit??

I am having one hell of a time getting the paint to go on smoothly. Light coats, heavy coats, different paint/brands.

I found the perfect shade of grey for it. Well, that *I* consider perfect. But when I spray it on, it will almost never cure to a gloss finish as it should. It dries and has a frosted semi-gloss satin like finish. And the surface is not even. Glossier here, flatter there... This paint is made by Ford (for Ford by unknown manufacturer) for their Farm tractors.

Krylon brand is pulling away from spots. I have washed, sanded, primed, and tried doing nothing (in various combos to different areas) to the surface with the same random results. Sometimes I get a gloss finish, and some areas seem to be filled with thousands of micro-fractures, giving a frosted look.

And the Krylon Crystal Clear is going on well, but will only cure to that frosted look. So I guess it's not all that well after all. It should be a high gloss clear coat.

I have changed the temperature of the part/paint/room, same crappy results. Now, I have painted OTHER plastic with the Krylon and Ford Light Greys, and it's fine. But nothing on the TOS E is working. WTF guys. Any ideas here?? This is the first time I have ever had such a hard time with paint. Hell, even the primer would go on funny, seeming to dry at various rates, and giving different shades, all in the same paint session!!!!

Signed: Very frustrated in the Great White North

AARRGGHH!!!!

Post by **TER-OR** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 10:07 pm

I used Tamiya or Gunze Light Gull Gray and had no problems. I did clean the surface with PolyS plastic Prep just prior to airbrushing, though.

Johnnycrash · Post by **Johnnycrash** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 10:18 pm

TER-OR wrote:I used Tamiya or Gunze Light Gull Gray and had no problems. I did clean the surface with PolyS plastic Prep just prior to airbrushing, though.

I would LOVE to use proper modeling paints... But there is bugger all here in this little shi.. uh, town. OK. It's technically a city. I still have NO hobby shop of ANY kind. The only place to find plastic kits is WallyWorld, and that selection sucks. If I wanted Testors metalic red, metalic blue, black, or silver, I would be fine.

The thing I can't figure out is that other plastic (sheet, kit, and toy) all took the Ford and the Krylon fine. Perfect. But NOT on the P/L kit. I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!! I forced it and got the damn paint to stick. No where near what I would like it to be. I can strip it and try again later.

big-dog · Post by **big-dog** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 11:45 pm

I hear ya brother. I live about 25 miles from Salt Lake City, but it looks like I'll hafta order Tamiya paint on line. I lurv their acrylic. A coupla people around here sell Poly-scale, but I much prefer Tamiya. I'd say it's worth buying online to get Tamiya.

TheIrishAvenger · Post by **TheIrishAvenger** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:01 am

Funny you should mention this. I used Krylon on my RoG 1/72 U-boat, and had the same problem. Maybe it's something in those paints?
I started ordering paint online after that. Decided to stick with purpose built modeling paint.

Dirk

Johnnycrash · Post by **Johnnycrash** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:27 am

The car guys swear by Krylon. I'll have to randomly pull a kit off the wall and try the paint on it and see what happens. It's frustrating to say the least. I just want to finish a model!!!!

XFactor · Post by **XFactor** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 12:05 am

I tend to use nothing but enamels and laquers, you can't beat the bite you get from solvent paints. I didn't experience this but have heard people who have. All I can say is I used Krylon primer, then floquil lacquers for the color coats and it's bullet proof. I would try a 400 or 600 grit rough up and a quality solvent primer like Krylon, or Plasticote. It's a solvent.....DON"T SOAK IT, just a fog it on evenly. Hope this helps

irishtrek · Post by **irishtrek** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 1:41 am

For my Pl TOS 1701 I sprayed Plasti-kote auotomotive touch up paint and have had no problems with it. The color is an oxford white I believe, any way it comes out white and as it dries it turns a very light grey, even lighter than the MM light grey. And this paint is a laquer by the way.

Gonzowerke · Post by **Gonzowerke** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 2:19 am

Johnny,

By Wally World, do you mean wall mart? or is there really a store named after the amusement park in Vacation? If you mean wall mart, you are in luck. I have done a few PL E's ,and D-7's with this rattlecan stuff they sell.
I don't have the name in front of me, but it is a blue can, and the color you want is "equipment Gray Primer" Only 98 cents a can in US money, which would make it about $100 Canadian.

Johnnycrash · Post by **Johnnycrash** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 11:00 am

Yes, I did mean Wal-Mart. Wally World is a pretty wide spread nickname for the place.

I'll have to check that out next time in. Should be only a few days at best. Thanks.

MillenniumFalsehood · Post by **MillenniumFalsehood** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 5:16 pm

I always primer my models in the blue can primer. I've tried several different paints for the PL kit and never had any problems like those you mention. Did you treat the surface of the kit before you began? Sometimes mold release, and other things like machine-grease, coolant, etc., and other things get into the mold before it closes and gets trapped in with whatever is being molded.

Also, I like to use the primer as a base-coat color because it is a nice neutral grey and looks almost exactly the same as the hull color of American warships.