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Fish eyes after primeing

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  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: England
Fish eyes after primeing
Posted by P mitch on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:25 AM

Has anyone else had this problem?

I've built a AMT Enterprise (it was cheap before anyone says anything) After a lot of work getting the primer down to a clean flat coat I started to airbrush on a base coat of grey as a preshade. Right away I got a lot of fish eyes stating back at me and not from the fish tank I have either!

The primer was Tamiya I was very careful after I'd primed it and I'm using Tamiya paints too. I even went to the point of using surgical gloves and rubbing alcohol to make sure it was totally clean. All I can think is somehow there is a problem below the primer. Looks like I'll have to totally stip it back to the bare styrene and start again - I wouldnt mind too much but its a pain as I have to pain it in shifts due to the shape.

Never had this problem in my usual builds of Armour, sorry got no photo's as I'm back on the road with work.

Phil

"If anybody ever tells you anything about an aeroplane which is so bloody complicated you can't understand it, take it from me: it's all balls." R J Mitchell


  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:50 AM

Sounds to me like you have gas bubbling up from the primer, which means it didn't cure...or you mixed types of paints: primer may have been laquer and base acrylic???

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: England
Posted by P mitch on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:54 AM

Wish it was that simple, all acylics from Tamiya and the primer was left for 2 days before I shot the paint. All I can think is that as its a very old mold for the kit they use some major release agent to get it away form the mold.

"If anybody ever tells you anything about an aeroplane which is so bloody complicated you can't understand it, take it from me: it's all balls." R J Mitchell


  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 10:56 AM

How long after spraying did they appear?

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: England
Posted by P mitch on Thursday, February 16, 2012 2:22 AM

Sorry for the delay in replying, differnt side of the pond here.

They appeared within a minute of the paint hitting the kit. I should be home tomorrow sometime and I'll try to get some shots on. My plan is to take it all back to clean (as far as you can) and use an automotive primer which I've never had a problem with (but then I've never had a problem with Tamiya's either). As the scale is 1/650 or so there is no surface detail to worry about, the plan is to do that with the paint and decals. I just hope to get a nice clean undercoat on (which I thouight I had before)

Phil

"If anybody ever tells you anything about an aeroplane which is so bloody complicated you can't understand it, take it from me: it's all balls." R J Mitchell


  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Scotland
Posted by Milairjunkie on Thursday, February 16, 2012 4:49 AM

Just a though & probably not applicable, but has any sort or aerosol polish or cleaner been used in the same or nearby rooms / areas?

Many of these contain silicone & the spray / mist can easily be carried from room to room / place to place by drafts / breeze. It's a common problem in the auto painting game - dumb ass apprentice or groupie sprays silicone polish onto bumpers or trim somewhere around the painting area (doesn't have to be that close), this is carried in the air onto the paint job, wrecks it & the foreman goes Radio Rental.

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: England
Posted by P mitch on Thursday, February 16, 2012 6:11 AM

I thought I was getting some contamination from a tack cloth I used the first time I sprayed the model. Believe it or not I've already gone back to the styrene on the body and the nacelles and re-primed thinking that was the problem. I spray in a bedroom at home so its pretty clean of polish ( I never clean the house, just the occasional hoovering).

Its just surprises me the size of these things, some are half an inch across!

P

"If anybody ever tells you anything about an aeroplane which is so bloody complicated you can't understand it, take it from me: it's all balls." R J Mitchell


  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Scotland
Posted by Milairjunkie on Thursday, February 16, 2012 8:39 AM

Again, just "another though" - is it possible that the grey has been inadvertently contaminated in some way?

Might be worth doing a test on something else primed & over-coated in the same paints, using the same pot of grey, a reaction would be a pain problem, no reaction would point to the kit............. It would save another round of fish eyes if it was the paint.

  • Member since
    August 2009
Posted by rgriffs on Friday, February 17, 2012 8:01 AM

could possibly be connected with low ambient temperature/ moisture contamination, had this problem a few years ago, i virtually stopped spraying during the winter.

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: England
Posted by P mitch on Friday, February 17, 2012 1:10 PM

Below a nice clean before

[View:/themes/fsm/utility/Photobucket:550:0]

and now the pain

[View:/themes/fsm/utility/Photobucket:550:0]

more fish eyes than SeeWorld!! So a weekend of sanding. When I finally finish and if I can take it I'll post what I end up with

Phil

"If anybody ever tells you anything about an aeroplane which is so bloody complicated you can't understand it, take it from me: it's all balls." R J Mitchell


  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Calgary
Posted by MaxPower on Friday, February 17, 2012 2:15 PM

beyond maybe not cleaning your model with some type of degreaser could you have contaminant coming from your compressor? Maybe there's a leaking seal and oil is getting picked up into the airflow. Have you checked your moisture trap you could be blowing water. 

As for cleaning seems unlikely I spray my models all the time with out cleaning that carefully first. I've never seen fish eyes like that as a result!

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Edmonton, Alberta
Posted by Griffin on Friday, February 17, 2012 2:33 PM

I was thinking it looked like water from the compressor as well. I don't know, though, I'm an AB newb.

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by GreenThumb on Friday, February 17, 2012 6:37 PM

Don't sand it Phil, strip it with Super Clean degreaser or Easy-Off over cleaner and an old toothbrush.

Mike

 

 

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: Truro Nova Scotia, Canada
Posted by SuppressionFire on Friday, February 17, 2012 7:36 PM

Looks like the primer is bleeding up through the top coat.

Could be a bad batch of primer.Bang Head or a extra 'hot' top coat. Tone down the thinner or change brands.

Release agent removal is the first step to model building! Once removed from protective bags I wash the sprues in hot water and dish soap with some TSP added for good measure. Discard bags the model was packaged in, these will have release grease inside from the model.

The plastic needs to be 'squeaky clean' before beginning. This will keep tools, work bench and everything else agent free.

Another point mentioned possibly the airbrush is spitting water, fish-eye results for acrylics, if spitting oil it will do that to enamels. Replace hose and all filters if that is the case.

 

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/razordws/GB%20Badges/WMIIIGBsmall.jpg

 

 

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by GreenThumb on Saturday, February 18, 2012 1:28 PM

I believe fish eye is always caused by some impurity on the surface.

Not sure what it was in this case but I don't think it was something in your air hose.

 

Mike

 

 

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: England
Posted by P mitch on Saturday, February 18, 2012 3:26 PM

Green Thumb

I'm with you on that one have a trap and all sorts of things so I'm sure the airbrush is safe. I tried to clean it with the things you mentioned but they dont sell it this side of the pond.

Anyway too late now as most of it is cleaned off by sanding. Tomorrow with a bit of luck it will get really cleaned and then primered for the third time almost, this time with automotive primer and lets see how it goes. Wont be back till next weekend so it will be well and truely cured by then, fingers crossed then for a shot of paint. If it doesnt work then it will become a test piece for all sorted of painting practice.

Just wish there was an easy way tp prime it but its such a pain of a shape I cant just do one run of primer.Still lets see what the future brings, live and learn

Phil

"If anybody ever tells you anything about an aeroplane which is so bloody complicated you can't understand it, take it from me: it's all balls." R J Mitchell


  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Calgary
Posted by MaxPower on Saturday, February 18, 2012 3:53 PM

So Mike you are saying that if his airbrush is spitting water it wouldn't cause a fisheye were ever a drop landed? Confused

 

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by GreenThumb on Sunday, February 19, 2012 1:43 PM

MaxPower

So Mike you are saying that if his airbrush is spitting water it wouldn't cause a fisheye were ever a drop landed? Confused

 

It could cause spots, yes, but not fish eye.  Wink

Mike

 

 

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