Another Dupli-Color primer question

[NOBLNG]

I just bought this can the other day. I shook it for over 2 minutes after the ball lossened. Temperature in my garage is about 60F and 34% humidity. I sprayed it from probably 8-10” away. It looks like it has dried before hitting the surface? It comes off like chalk on my fingers (not right down to bare plastic) after sitting in the dehydrator overnight. Any Ideas? I will definitely do some tests before trying it on a model again. Thankfully it washed off after a short soak in Super Clean.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Boy, you guys have more problems with Duplicolor primers.

That definitely looks like extreme dry-spray.

But every time I've shot the stuff, it's slicked out just real nice.

Either they've changed all the formulas, or...something else.  

Edited April 2, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Mike 1017]

I have been using it for ten years no problems. I spray it about 4 inches away.

Good luck

Mike

[64SS350]

You don't mention if it looked like that before placing in the dehydrator or just after. I personally don't see a need for putting any paint in a dehydrator, they are not designed that way. Temperature,time, moisture control yes, but depending on paint manufacturers specs.

I'm sure plenty of people use them, with little to no issues, but I'm not willing to risk the time, effort, money on a rushed dry time. Again...just My opinion.

Sometimes you do get bad cans, the last couple I've gotten seep out the orifice after spraying and clearing the nozzle.

Hope second try goes well!!

[stitchdup]

I've had  2 cans do that recently. i think it might be unmixed pigments in the straw as both cans cleared up after a little spraying. mine looked even more fibrous than that, almost like carpet, lol. both tins i had the problem with were filler primer and both were well shaken beforehand. I've got a jar next my booth now to do the first wee squirt into to be sure it safe

[Mark]

If it's a newly bought can, or one you have in stock that you know has been sitting, shake that thing until you can freely roll the agitator ball around the base of the can.  The can pictured looks new, but who knows how long it sat in a warehouse...

[StevenGuthmiller]

  On 4/2/2024 at 4:35 PM, 64SS350 said:

You don't mention if it looked like that before placing in the dehydrator or just after. I personally don't see a need for putting any paint in a dehydrator, they are not designed that way. Temperature,time, moisture control yes, but depending on paint manufacturers specs.

I'm sure plenty of people use them, with little to no issues, but I'm not willing to risk the time, effort, money on a rushed dry time. Again...just My opinion.

Sometimes you do get bad cans, the last couple I've gotten seep out the orifice after spraying and clearing the nozzle.

Hope second try goes well!!

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I agree.

Especially with a primer such as this.

A dehydrator is absolutely not necessary

These primers will dry enough for another coat within a few minutes, and will be completely dry overnight, without a dehydrator.

I suppose a dehydrator might be a viable solution when you’re using enamels that take a month to cure without it, but with a lacquer system, it’s completely unnecessary.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

And of course, there’s always the possibility that you just got unlucky enough to get a bad can.

It happens.

Even with the best products.

 

 

 

Steve

[Pierre_tec]

My bet is paint distance, or maybe a dirty nozzle. I like to keep a rag with thinner, to clean the nozzle after every spray pass

[NOBLNG]

Thanks for the advice guys. I can get a bit of a smoother finish by spraying from 4-5” away (left spoon). The right spoon was sprayed from 8-10 “ away. At 4-5” away it is hard to get a light coat that won’t obliterate details.? The Dupli-Color sealer I bought sprayed beautifully, so maybe this is a bad can? I have a can of grey that I just bought also, so I will compare them later to see how bad the white is. I could always decant it and airbrush it, slightly thinned with LT maybe?

Edited April 2, 2024 by NOBLNG

[oldcarfan]

I'd guess that was a bad can. I've had Rustoleum and Testor's paints do that, but so far my Duplicolor primer has worked with no problems.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I actually appreciate you bringing this issue up.

I have two long-term builds I have a lot of effort in that will need white primer prior to paint.

I have some higher-end Japanese stuff that works beautifully for not obscuring detail, but the two builds I need to be white soon both have heavy custom bodywork where all the fine detail is already gone.

Having had excellent results with the Duplicolor white under the same colors I'll be using on a similarly heavily-bodyworked build, I figgered I'd just use the old Duplicolor stuff I have on the shelf.

Thanks to your unfortunate experience, I'll test it very thoroughly prior to squirting it on something I have no intention of having to strip.

[Nicholas]

i think its the white color primer is the issue,every time i use the duplicolor white primer it comes out like that, last time i used duplicolor white primer was about 8 yrs ago i stopped using it and switched to tamiya,must be the pigment in the white i guess?

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 4/3/2024 at 10:57 AM, Nicholas said:

i think its the white color primer is the issue,every time i use the duplicolor white primer it comes out like that, last time i used duplicolor white primer was about 8 yrs ago i stopped using it and switched to tamiya,must be the pigment in the white i guess?

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There are those of us who've never had a problem with the stuff...so far.

Edited April 3, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[bobss396]

I have had more Duplicolor issues within the last 2 years than in the previous 20 years of using their products. Just like that, it is no longer my go-to primer and top coat choices.

I do use a dehydrator, but never overnight. I also let the fresh paint flash over (15 minutes) before it goes in and give primer maybe 1.5 hours and lacquers 2-3 hours total.

Also, DC is not intended to be used on plastic model cars. 

Edited April 3, 2024 by bobss396

[StevenGuthmiller]

  On 4/2/2024 at 10:42 PM, NOBLNG said:

Thanks for the advice guys. I can get a bit of a smoother finish by spraying from 4-5” away (left spoon). The right spoon was sprayed from 8-10 “ away. At 4-5” away it is hard to get a light coat that won’t obliterate details.? The Dupli-Color sealer I bought sprayed beautifully, so maybe this is a bad can? I have a can of grey that I just bought also, so I will compare them later to see how bad the white is. I could always decant it and airbrush it, slightly thinned with LT maybe?

Expand  

Looking at the one on the left tells me that there's really nothing wrong with the primer.

That's exactly how it should look.

 

Duplicolor white is a bit on the transparent side, so it's good to use several light coats versus one heavy one, and doing so is advantageous for plastic protection anyway.

It's actually difficult to obscure detail with all of the Duplicolor primers, regardless of how much you use.

I routinely use as many as 5 coats, and I never have issues with detail hide, even after covering it with 4 or 5 coats of lacquer color, and another 5 coats of Duplicolor clear lacquer.

 

I know that most people would consider as many as 15 coats of primer, color and clear overkill, and would conclude that that process would cover all of the fine detail, but with the right materials, it's absolutely not the case.

There is a method to my madness, and to date it has served me extremely well.

 

Multiple primer coats serves to ensure total protection against hot solvents in subsequent coats of paint, and while it's very possible that this many coats might not be required in every case, It's my view that it's better to be safe than sorry, and short of the extra time required to apply that many coats, I have never been able to find any down side, and using this procedure has assured me that I will never have any solvent issues down the line.

Multiple color coats of course ensures uniformity and color depth, which is the reasoning for 4-5 coats of color.

Multiple coats of clear adds depth to the clear, which ensures that there is sufficient material to prevent burn through during the polishing process, which is always a part of my paint process, regardless of how shiny the clear ends up straight out of the can or airbrush.

I feel that polishing creates a more realistic finish than "spray and walk away".

 

In any case, as an example, this '64 GP has the aforementioned 5 coats of primer, 4 to 5 coats of color, and 5 coats of clear, followed by polishing, and even with extremely fine scripts, such as the "GRAND PRIX" scripts and badges on the lower front quarter panel, there has been no discernible detail hide at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

Edited April 3, 2024 by StevenGuthmiller

[JET.]

Like some others, I’ve had nothing but problems with this brand, primer/clear/paint. From texture and finish issues, to cans simply not spraying anything out of them… And also with the extreme rise in cost of this paint at least where I am it’s not worth ever using again lol. I switched to Mr.color and tamiya lacquers and have had zero problems since.

Duplicolor changed something and it’s garbage now.

[deuces wild]

Have you guys ever changed out the spray nozzle from another can????.... Sometimes that works..

[bobss396]

I've been using Mopar touch up paints I get on eBay. Much less drama with them. Of course I use a lot of Tamiya sprays. My complaint with them is they fo not stand up to a lot of handling.

[Keef]

This has been my go to primer for a couple of years now and I love it. 

[Dave Van]

I have been using Dupli-Color primers and paints since the 1980's without any issues. My only rule is Dupli-Color #1699 first....then any paint of any kind....even Dupli-color lacquers.   Always woks for me. 

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

  On 4/5/2024 at 9:34 PM, Dave Van said:

I have been using Dupli-Color primers and paints since the 1980's without any issues. My only rule is Dupli-Color #1699 first....then any paint of any kind....even Dupli-color lacquers.   Always woks for me. 

 

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That’s the one that I use almost exclusively.

 

 

 

Steve

[Nicholas]

  On 4/3/2024 at 5:18 PM, StevenGuthmiller said:

Looking at the one on the left tells me that there's really nothing wrong with the primer.

That's exactly how it should look.

 

Duplicolor white is a bit on the transparent side, so it's good to use several light coats versus one heavy one, and doing so is advantageous for plastic protection anyway.

It's actually difficult to obscure detail with all of the Duplicolor primers, regardless of how much you use.

I routinely use as many as 5 coats, and I never have issues with detail hide, even after covering it with 4 or 5 coats of lacquer color, and another 5 coats of Duplicolor clear lacquer.

 

I know that most people would consider as many as 15 coats of primer, color and clear overkill, and would conclude that that process would cover all of the fine detail, but with the right materials, it's absolutely not the case.

There is a method to my madness, and to date it has served me extremely well.

 

Multiple primer coats serves to ensure total protection against hot solvents in subsequent coats of paint, and while it's very possible that this many coats might not be required in every case, It's my view that it's better to be safe than sorry, and short of the extra time required to apply that many coats, I have never been able to find any down side, and using this procedure has assured me that I will never have any solvent issues down the line.

Multiple color coats of course ensures uniformity and color depth, which is the reasoning for 4-5 coats of color.

Multiple coats of clear adds depth to the clear, which ensures that there is sufficient material to prevent burn through during the polishing process, which is always a part of my paint process, regardless of how shiny the clear ends up straight out of the can or airbrush.

I feel that polishing creates a more realistic finish than "spray and walk away".

 

In any case, as an example, this '64 GP has the aforementioned 5 coats of primer, 4 to 5 coats of color, and 5 coats of clear, followed by polishing, and even with extremely fine scripts, such as the "GRAND PRIX" scripts and badges on the lower front quarter panel, there has been no discernible detail hide at all.

 

your builds are insane!!!,...with that said I agree with everything you do as I do the same on my builds as far as primer/paint/clear,..by the way do you use a airbrush? just curious?

 

 

 

 

Steve

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[StevenGuthmiller]

  On 4/8/2024 at 12:37 PM, Nicholas said:

 

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Just for the color.

 

I use primer and clear right from the can.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[NOBLNG]

It was definitely a bad can. I had no receipt, but luckily I paid for it with a credit card and Canadian Tire exchanged it after checking my history. This one sprays nicely!?