Jump to content

How to keep acrylic paint from chiping


Zglossip

Recommended Posts

Hey guys i was wondering if anybody know how to keep acrylic paint from being pulled off with masking tape i tried primer but it didnt work and the family didnt like the smell of it. Advice wouild be appreciated

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest PetrolGator

Make sure you are washing any parts before painting. Some companies use release agents that can prevent paint/primer from sticking properly.

 

Also:

- What primer are you using?

- What paint?

- How long do you allow paint to dry before applying masking tape?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do wash the parts and that makes it not so bad. I use model masters acrylic and let the paint dry 24t to 30 hours and the primer i used was a laquer primer because thats the only one i couild find.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The one sure way to avoid chipping acrylic paint: USE ENAMELS! :smiley17:

 

Sorry, but I never learned how to get great results with acrylics, so I've never used them except for brush painting details. Hopefully, others who HAVE mastered them will be along shortly to give some useful advice!

 

Gil :smiley16:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use to you enamels but then it became a pain to have to paint with enamels any time you want to weather them with a oil wash you have to spray a acrylic finish so it just became easier to paint with acrylics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are some ytips from IPMS'er Dave Gooudie on getting good results with acrylics:

 

1. I wash all parts by an overnight soak in a water/Simple Green. I just eyeball the mix. Then I rinse in warm water and set aside to air dry.

2. Acrylics need a primer. I use a cheap rattle can primer from Ace Hardware, Walmart, etc. Grey, white, black. Your preference.

3. Acrylics need at least 24-hrs to dry even when touch dry. They dry on the surface very quickly, but underneath still need time.

4. I do mostly figures now and use a lot of “layering” technique for shading and such.

5. Always us at least some water to thin; if airbrushing use at least a 50/50 ration.

6. Acrylics can, at times, dry too fast for you. Especially when using in an airbrush. Use of retarder or wetting agent is recommended, especially when using and airbrush to prevent tip drying.

7. All acrylics are not equal. Different brans may have different thinning requirements. I have never had any trouble using just plain tap water. If you have a high mineral content water supply I would recommend distilled water.

8. Stripping acrylics can be done easily using the bag of oven cleaner, Windex w/ammonia or the overnight soak in the above mix of Simple Green.

I find that the eyedropper bottle brands, such as Vallejo, are really easy to use. Keeping a paint mixture ratio is easy by counting out drops of paint and then adding a drop or so of retarder and then counting out drops of water (I use a hypo syringe.) Stir with a stick and pour into airbrush cup. Cleaning airbrush is a snap.

The only lacquer paint I use now is Alclad II. Can’t be avoided when wanting large areas of metal such as armor on a knight or an all metal finish a/c.

I switched to acrylics because of the smell of the aerosol from airbrushing. Since moving after retirement our new home has only one floor and the aerosol from the lacquers and enamels permeates the atmosphere and last quite a while when drying.

A note on some acrylics: Tamiya is very good but somewhat touchy with thinners. Needs its own brand. Mr “whatever”, needs its own brand. ModelMaster are good. I am heavily invested in Vallejo and several other lesser brands, for reasons above. Eyedropper bottles are a huge plus.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

With all that, there is no guarantee that they will not chip. Especially if they are masked. All I can say is "good luck".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay thanks for the tips and here just one more quistion is there a way to mask something without useing masking tape

Link to comment
Share on other sites

YES!

 

1- First, try finding "low tack" tape. At your hardware store there is 3m "Blue" painters tape, or Sherwin Williams bright yellow tape. Both are less tacky than masking tape or Scotch tape. If you have an art or drafting supply store, the Drafting Tape (looks like masking tape) is a low tack tape designed to be used over paper without tearing it.

 

2- ANY tape can have it's tackiness reduced by applying it to your forehead or your hands first. The skin oils will reduce the tackiness. As long as you're not overly dirty, there shouldn't be any residue problems either.

 

3- Spending the money on the yellow Tamiya tape is well worth it, if you have access to it. It's proven to be the most pliable low tack tape, and it's semi-opaqueness helps when you need to trace an outline to cut it to shape.

 

4- "Post It" brand notes and tape are very useful for masking straight lines on flat surfaces. The low tack is very safe, but it's very hard to mask with it around compound curves or over any lumpy details.

 

5- Damp paper can be used to mask flat areas with. Any type will do, as long as you can get it just wet enough to stay in place, but not so wet it leaks water to the surrounding surfaces. You have to use care around its edges, brushing away from and not towards the edges to avoid moving them or pulling them up. Same goes for airbrushing, because if you airbrush into (towards) the edges they might be blown up or off the model.

 

I wouldn't recommend liquid masking mediums, as those require something tacky to pull them off, lifting/rubbing them off, or soaking them off; any of which could react with or pull the paint up along with the masking agent.

 

Hope this points you towards something to mask with you haven't tried yet.

 

GIL :smiley16:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never use liquid masking agents on flat paints. It will be difficult to remove and perhaps won't come off at all, Only over gloss surfaces.

 

One other media is Frisket paper. It looks like wax paper except one side has a slight adhesive. You can either put it in place and then cut it or visa versa It is low tack, so won't damage a finish. However, it's only good on large flat areas or in smaller pieces on smaller flat parts of larger areas that have many facets/curves. You can find it at art and craft supply stores.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...