Problem with Modelmaster paints

wait over 4 weeks or wait 20-30 min  nothing in between

Robert wrote:

What am I doing wrong? Every time I use this brand, when I put the second coat on the first starts to come off. I have just put a second coat on a deck piece after waiting three weeks for the first coat to settle and it still happens. I wash the plastic first, use a clean brush, all the things you are supposed to do, and I wind up with an impossible mess and have to get out the oven cleaner. This problem never happens with Humbrol.

  ARE you speaking of MM enamels?  I have been using them for at least 15 years and never a problem like you describe.  Make sure the paint is fresh, not old.  I recently paintedd the deck of my CSS Alabama with MM Sand, and had no problem with 2 coats by brush.

You've got to use artist quality red sable brushes, I get mine at Pearl Paint ( a real art store), they are expensive yet last so its money well spent, and gets the job done right.  

You may have a combination of old paint, too thick a base coat, and the surface may still have release agents on it. 

Are these Acrylics or Enamels?  Are you painting a flat over a gloss?  Has your paint ever been subjected to extreme cold?  How old is the paint?   Is there any cleaning or dusting sprays being used in the house close to the time you painted for these carry sillicates that will deposit on your surface to paint and will cause fisheyes and peeling.

Do you paint where there is high humidity?   Are you painting a light base coat or a heavy base coat?

My experience with MM has been hit and miss depending where I buy it.  Sometimes I get old paint, and sometime I get paint that was frozen in shipement which could lead to cure problems.  All paint brands are subject to this problem, its just MM is more readily available hence why I see more problems with this brand.

Flats won't adhere to gloss nor Acrylics to Enamels.   Acrylics may need a good primer coat prior for a good adhesion.   Also, try wiping your surface with a cloth dampend in automotive grade laquer thinner before putting on your first coat.  There may have been some release agents that couldn't be removed with detergent.  I would suggest priming the surface and use very light base coats.

Scott

  Until I fell in love with the Tamiya no-drip jar, I had always used MM acrylics and enamels, with no problems at all.  I agree with Scottrc, it sounds atmospheric.

 

                      Greg

One thing I learned about the Moel Master acrylics; do not shake the bottle to stir it up. You must stir it with a stirring stick. If you do not, the paint will harden up in the bottle due to the aeration and no amount of thinner will make it recover. Tamiya acrylics are not affected in this way for some reason (maybe because they have an alcohol based thinner). I don't know about other brands except for Humbrol. I have a few little tins of Humbrol (enamels) that are still viable at over thirty years of storage. I must admit that I haven't really used them much over all this time, but they are still in liquid form in there. Amazing!

Atmospherics, or age, as has been suggested. I run into that at my local hobby shop all the time - she has the full assortment of Model Master enamels, including marine and automotive, but as to how long some of those shades have been sitting on the shelf ... I dunno, maybe dinosaurs were still roaming the earth?

There have been two instances where I bought a bottle, took it home and found out it was doing an excellent imitation of The Blob. Took those back and got a prompt refund or exchange, but a word to the wise - If it has an inch of dust on the lid, is rusted to the racks,  the lettering on the bottle appears to be Aramaic or it resembles something you'd normally see in the lowest, darkest corner of your refrigerator, just leave it be.

 

"the lettering on the bottle appears to be Aramaic "

 

      ROFLMAO...

    "Indy, Indy!  That paint is cursed!"

They should date the paint on the jar. If you have a busy LHS as I do... I know the paint always moves, at  least the blacks and whites and other frequently used colors. 

Testors states that their Model Master paints have a shelf-life of 3-5 years.

-Jesse

Getting back to what I was saying about shaking Model Master's Acrylics.. An employee at my LHS told me to buy the paints from back of the display rack because customers will take the front line bottles and shake them and then put them back in the rack. This, he said, will cause the paint to blob up. He was the one who advised me to stir this brand of paint rather than to shake it. My paints have lasted longer since I have been treating them in this manner. 'Nuff said.

Thanks very much to all for such helpful advice and tips. I am planning to use MM sand for the deck of my new Kearsarge and when I figure out how to post photos (which may take quite a while) hopefully you will see a good result.

  Do a search here on replicating wooden decking...lots of good information! Looking forward to seeing your progress.

 

          Greg