What went wrong???

[Super28]

Anybody know why my paint job did this? It was de-canned Testor's "Plum Crazy" enamel. It's turning grey in areas? What went wrong? it was primer ed with Tamyia grey primer, lightly sanded with 600 paper. Can it be saved? was going to clear it in a couple of days.

[gluebomb]

Looks like it was to humid in the area you painted or the psi on the air brush was to high allowing the paint to "dry" in mid air. Thats what I think from what I can see. If it was me I would just repaint it.

 

[oldcarfan]

I paint outside with spray cans and humidity does that sometimes. You can strip and repaint or if the paint is otherwise smooth, sand it with fine paper and put a light coat over over it. I had that happen a while back in building a kit for a friend. I bought a second kit and redid it with nice paint, then I used the one with the issues and made it look like a sun-faded junker. Then I gave him two versions of his car.

Edited June 15, 2019 by oldcarfan

[Bucky]

Is that just one coat? I might try to give it a couple more coats to make it even out some.

[Dave G.]

Also when decanting from a spray can for airbrushing , you need to let the paint sit and out gas for a few minutes. The propellant once out of the can acts different than spraying from the can, you can sometimes see the paint bubbling in your paint cup. I've even had to re-thin paint I've decanted. But ya know, Testors last I knew sprayed great from the can directly so why bother decanting really. There are plenty of airbrush paints to use.

[MrObsessive]

I'm seeing a lot of metallic flakes in the gray. I take it you airbrushed this since you decanted the spray can? If so, it's very important that you keep swilling the jar every couple minutes to keep the metallic flakes suspended. Lack of doing that your siphon tube will pick up the metallic flakes first (since they're at the bottom) before picking up the purple toner.

Just an observation as that's how it's looking on my end.

As far as a fix.......like as was suggested, I would rub the paint down and try putting on a few more coats to see if it will even out. Barring that, I'd strip it and start over.

Edited June 15, 2019 by MrObsessive

[MrObsessive]

3 minutes ago, Dave G. said:

But ya know, Testors last I knew sprayed great from the can directly so why bother decanting really. There are plenty of airbrush paints to use.

Testor's spray cans years ago was what forced me to learn airbrushing!

I haven't trusted their spray cans for many a year as I don't trust their consistency as far as how much propellant is in each can. Three different times in a row I got burned by using their cans and have swore never to use them again. And yes, the same thing applies to Tamiya's spray cans. I decanted their paints once and I swear the paint was bubbling for over an hour there was so much propellant.

Just my experience as painting is not one of my favorite things and I absolutely hate do-overs.

[moparfarmer]

Many years ago I sprayed an older Ford and got the humidity hazing..Just polished it out with Meguiar's Cleaner and all was good..Thats how I deal with humidity problems,,yours might be more of what Mr Obsessive mentioned...

[Super28]

Gentlemen, Thank You. This poor thing has been painted so many times I just give up on it. (losing detail). Will buy ne a new one, but am staying away from rattle cans, de-canning, an enamels altogether. Going to stick with lacquers, and acrylics. Going to try "Gravity " paints. Look good and come pre-mixed. See how that goes

[Vince Nemanic]

Go to Wal Mart and buy some "Purple Power" cleaner/degreaser. Using it full strength, soak the body over night (or longer) and scrub with an old toothbrush. Rinse the body off, and repeat as needed. Warnings: do NOT use an aluminum or metal pan to hold the parts as it eats metal (a Tupperware type container is best); if you rinse it out in an enameled sink, wash the sink REALLY well afterward: and wear gloves. The Purple Power is reusable so pour it back into the bottle. If your paint job is enamel, it should strip pretty well, Purple Power also strips chrome plating in about 15 minutes,

[StevenGuthmiller]

43 minutes ago, Vince Nemanic said:

Go to Wal Mart and buy some "Purple Power" cleaner/degreaser. Using it full strength, soak the body over night (or longer) and scrub with an old toothbrush. Rinse the body off, and repeat as needed. Warnings: do NOT use an aluminum or metal pan to hold the parts as it eats metal (a Tupperware type container is best); if you rinse it out in an enameled sink, wash the sink REALLY well afterward: and wear gloves. The Purple Power is reusable so pour it back into the bottle. If your paint job is enamel, it should strip pretty well, Purple Power also strips chrome plating in about 15 minutes,

Yes, don't buy another one!

If it's painted with enamel, Super Clean will take it right off.

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, Super28 said:

Gentlemen, Thank You. This poor thing has been painted so many times I just give up on it. (losing detail). Will buy ne a new one, but am staying away from rattle cans, de-canning, an enamels altogether. Going to stick with lacquers, and acrylics. Going to try "Gravity " paints. Look good and come pre-mixed. See how that goes

Try some "Scale Finishes" lacquer base coat paint!

Amazing stuff!

I just recently bought several jars and tried it for the first time on my '65 Plymouth project, and I loved it!!

Goes on nice and smooth and even.

Of course it's a lacquer base coat, so it requires clear coating.

2 oz. for $9.00 will do 2 models.

Sounds expensive, but it is absolutely worth it!

And yes, it is premixed and ready to shoot through your air brush.

 

I've been told to avoid their enamels.

Apparently it "never dries".

 

 

Steve

 

 

 

[Vince Nemanic]

Go to Wal Mart and buy some "Purple Power" cleaner/degreaser. Using it full strength, soak the body over night (or longer) and scrub with an old toothbrush. Rinse the body off, and repeat as needed. Warnings: do NOT use an aluminum or metal pan to hold the parts as it eats metal (a Tupperware type container is best); if you rinse it out in an enameled sink, wash the sink REALLY well afterward: and wear gloves. The Purple Power is reusable so pour it back into the bottle. If your paint job is enamel, it should strip pretty well, Purple Power also strips chrome plating in about 15 minutes,

EDIT Steven mentioned (Castrol) Super Clean, and you may also see the term "the Purple Pond". Purple Power and Castrol Super Clean (also referred to as CSC)  are similar products and do an equally good job. I use Purple Power because it is a bit less expensive and Wal Mart often doesn't  have CSC. Some say the purple pond because both products are purple. 

And I agree with Stephen - don't buy another kit because that will cost more than a gallon of either one.

[Modelbuilder Mark]

33 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Try some "Scale Finishes" lacquer base coat paint!

Amazing stuff!

I just recently bought several jars and tried it for the first time on my '65 Plymouth project, and I loved it!!

Goes on nice and smooth and even.

Of course it's a lacquer base coat, so it requires clear coating.

2 oz. for $9.00 will do 2 models.

Sounds expensive, but it is absolutely worth it!

And yes, it is premixed and ready to shoot through your air brush.

 

I've been told to avoid their enamels.

Apparently it "never dries".

 

 

Steve

 

 

I agree with Steve, Scalefinishes stuff is great, and fairly priced, and he even runs sales from time to time. I personally have had no issues with their enamels myself(The Hornet blow what their enamel), but have heard that some folks may add just a touch of hardener to them. I have bought from Jameston several times, and will continue to do so, because his stuff is that good. A couple years back, I know he got a little backlogged on his orders, which scared a few people off, but he is a stand up guy with great products.

[StevenGuthmiller]

4 minutes ago, Vince Nemanic said:

EDIT Steven mentioned (Castrol) Super Clean, and you may also see the term "the Purple Pond". Purple Power and Castrol Super Clean (also referred to as CSC)  are similar products and do an equally good job. I use Purple Power because it is a bit less expensive and Wal Mart often doesn't  have CSC. Some say the purple pond because both products are purple.

I will have to respectfully disagree.

In my experience, Super Clean works works much better than Purple Power.

I bought a jug of Purple Power some time back because the local auto parts dealer in my small town did not carry Super Clean.

I was completely disappointed in it's performance and now I always buy my Super Clean at the O'reilly's auto parts store in a larger city about 20 miles away when I'm in town.

I still have most of that jug of Purple Power sitting in my shop.

Don't know what I'll do with it.

Maybe I'll use it to clean my garage floor!

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

4 minutes ago, Modelbuilder Mark said:

I agree with Steve, Scalefinishes stuff is great, and fairly priced, and he even runs sales from time to time. I personally have had no issues with their enamels myself(The Hornet blow what their enamel), but have heard that some folks may add just a touch of hardener to them. I have bought from Jameston several times, and will continue to do so, because his stuff is that good. A couple years back, I know he got a little backlogged on his orders, which scared a few people off, but he is a stand up guy with great products.

I have no first hand knowledge about Scale Finishes enamels, but a very respected fellow modeler told me when I mentioned that I had purchased some of their product, that if he would have known, he would have given me a bunch of it that he had bought because he refuses to use it anymore because of drying issues.

When I told him that I had purchased the lacquer, he asked me to let him know how I liked it.

I love it Rod!!!

 

 

 

Steve

 

[ChrisBcritter]

Thanks for the heads-up re their enamels, Steve. I want to get some for a kit I have in the pipeline, but I'd better go with lacquer. Will Tamiya primer work OK with it?

[disabled modeler]

I agree with the others here..just strip the paint off it and start over when ready to....I have striped some really bad paint jobs off some I have redone you can do it and save it.   Just remember to wear some medical type disposable gloves the de-greaser can be rough on ones hands and is not pet friendly so if you have any keep them away from it.  I use a old Tupperware cheese box with a lid for my soaking tank for the cleaner...works very well.

[Super28]

I use "Purple Power" from WalMart. It's right at $5.00 a gallon. I use two gallons in a Home Depot bucket. I leave it in the corner of my garage, (detached). I got a collard er, from WalMart, Bent the ends of 2 "Eye" bolts from Home Depot to use as handles. A tea leaf ball, also from WalMart, added a chain from Home depot. Cut a slot in the side of the bucket to hold the Tea Ball, (for small parts). Found a 5 gallon bucket strainer online. i strain the bucket every now and then to clean out the "garbage" in the bottom

 

NOTE: apparently Purple Power goes bad after about a year. Won't strip anything now. Might try that "Super Clean" ya'll are talking about

[disabled modeler]

Thats a nice set up.

[Spex84]

A note on purple power--I found that when mixed with water it goes "bad" and doesn't work after a while (I thought I'd save money by thinning it out with water). I suspect that exposure to the air/humidity could potentially have the same effect. I've had my Purple cleaner stored in a zip-lock bag for quite some time now, and it still works well.

 

[peteski]

8 hours ago, Spex84 said:

A note on purple power--I found that when mixed with water it goes "bad" and doesn't work after a while (I thought I'd save money by thinning it out with water). I suspect that exposure to the air/humidity could potentially have the same effect. I've had my Purple cleaner stored in a zip-lock bag for quite some time now, and it still works well.

 

LOL!  When you add water, you are diluting the concentration of chemicals in it.  No wonder it won't work.  Just like you having 120 proof vodka which gets you drunk after 10 shots, diluting it with water (making it 70 proof) and wondering why you don't get drunk after 10 shots of the diluted stuff.

[peteski]

On 6/15/2019 at 7:09 PM, StevenGuthmiller said:

I have no first hand knowledge about Scale Finishes enamels, but a very respected fellow modeler told me when I mentioned that I had purchased some of their product, that if he would have known, he would have given me a bunch of it that he had bought because he refuses to use it anymore because of drying issues.

Steve

 

Yes their enamel will dry but remain soft (you can easily dent it just by pressing your fingernail into the finish).  But they will provide hardener for it if you request it.  Also, the harder will eventually harden, even is a sealed bottle.

[Spex84]

Pete-- I only mildly diluted the Purple Power. It still stripped paint just fine...which is why I thought I could get away with it.  It went from 100% effective at maybe 70% strength, to 0% effective, without the addition of any further water.

I have also left un-diluted Purple in un-sealed containers, and found it lost its efficacy, as Terry notes above.

The Purple I have stored in a zip-lock bag is still effective despite being absolutely thick with dissolved paint and debris. I'd change it out for fresh Purple...but it still works, so why bother

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

8 hours ago, Spex84 said:

Pete-- I only mildly diluted the Purple Power. It still stripped paint just fine...which is why I thought I could get away with it.  It went from 100% effective at maybe 70% strength, to 0% effective, without the addition of any further water.

I have also left un-diluted Purple in un-sealed containers, and found it lost its efficacy, as Terry notes above.

The Purple I have stored in a zip-lock bag is still effective despite being absolutely thick with dissolved paint and debris. I'd change it out for fresh Purple...but it still works, so why bother

 

You must be stripping some pretty "weak" paint if you are getting anything accomplished with diluted Purple Power.

 

 

Steve