Model Shipways paint on plastic

[jct]

I'm wondering if anyone has tried to use Model shipways paint on plastic, and if so what were the results?

Edited January 13, 2019 by jct
spelling

[kurtvd19]

Don't even bother.  It's not a fine pigmented model paint - more like big box store house paint - way too coarse for models in any case.  Just as an experiment I tried to shoot some with an airbrush - just to see if it could be done - results were pure garbage.  I had heard such bad reviews about it that when somebody offered a couple of bottles that they were unable to get to work I gave it a try.  I dumped it all in the garbage as I wasn't about to pass it on and give somebody big problems thinking it was a model paint.

[Jack12477]

Kurt, you should have used  a miniture trowel !  It's more like frosting a cake than painting !

[mtaylor]

So it sounds like small bottles of housepaint.   

[jct]

Thanks all, may have to drag out the enamels...

[kurtvd19]

There are good acrylic model paints so you don't have to break out the enamels.  One of these days the enamels just will not be around - the EPA will get them eliminated eventually.  If you mean to break out the Testors or Model Master paints then disregard the following except for general info.

 

It's important to use a model paint not something from the hardware store meant for the homeowner to "cover in one coat".  The avg house type pain has the pigments size of about 37 microns whereas the good hobby paints are about 1 micron in size.  The smaller pigment size will not hide detail like a 37 micron size will.  Go to a lot of work replicating rivets, seams, etc and then try to keep the detail when applying such thick paint is sure counterproductive.

 

Kurt

[Roger Pellett]

Kurt,

 

I like to add a 54mm scale military figure to my 1:32 warship boat models and for my next model the figure that I have found will be plastic.  Paints will be brush applied.  As my wife has been complaining about the smell from paint solvents I plan to use acrylic paints.  In the past I have used enamels. A couple of questions that perhaps you might answer:

 

Can acrylics be applied directly over plastic or is a primer first required?

 

Are model acrylic paints formulated to provide one coat coverage or it it necessary to build up several coats?

 

Roger

 

 

 

 

[kurtvd19]

Roger:

I use Badger Modelflex Acrylic's exclusively.  They do not require an undercoat and for many years I didn't use one.  Then Badger developed their STYNYLREZ primers and I now use them prior to the top coat and in many instances no top coat is needed as they have developed many colors for the STYNYLREZ primers bowing to the needs of the wargamer/figure painters.  Currently they are available in white, gray, black, red brown, neutral, light flesh, ebony flesh, dull pink, oceanic blue, metal and black gloss.  All but the black gloss are flat.  The one color I don't have is neutral - no idea what color it actually is.

 

Badger's Modelflex Marine Acrylic paints and their other Modelflex acrylic paints are airbrush ready in the bottle - shake and spray.  As such they don't cover in one coat.  Because they dry so fast several coats can be applied as fast as the one coat is done the next coat can be applied.  All of the Modelflex paints have the same chemistry and I found that their RR colors had most of the colors I used before the Marine paint line was introduced.  Hull Black - Engine Black = same paint different label. 

 

As I airbrush almost exclusively - masking and fine detail airbrushes (currently have over a dozen in my painting arsenal) means I don't use paint brushes much.   I have brushed the Badger paints in small areas and they do require two or more coats for coverage.  Some day I will need to brush some of the STYNYLREZ stuff and I expect it will cover better when brushed.

 

I have hand brushed the occasional piece using Vallejo's Model Color Acrylics.  Got them at Hobby Lobby.  They do have excellent coverage with a brush.  they come in a 0.57 fl oz bottle for $4.99 at Hobby Lobby making them very expensive in my opinion.  Badger's Modelflex is $2.55 (usaairbrushsupply.com) for 1 fl oz making it a lot more economical for me to stock many colors.

 

I hope this helped a bit - but using an airbrush almost exclusively I just don't do a lot of brush painting.

 

Take care,

Kurt

 

 

[jct]

Thanks Kurt...I've always used Testers and Model Masters exclusively till I made the switch to acrylics...for airbrush I've too have relied on Badgers line

Thanks for your input

[Roger Pellett]

Kurt,

 

Thank you for your detailed information.

 

My plan is to take a few figures with me on our annual trip to warmer climes.  Otherwise I get anxious to get back home to my workshop.  It would be best to use paint that I can buy there (southwest Florida), and it would appear that the Vallejo paints being formulated for brushing and readily available in big box craft stores might be the best bet.

 

My airbrushing skills limit me to covering large surfaces- model ship hulls.

 

Thanks again for your advice.

 

Roger