Pre- Cleaning parts

Thanks, I am using primer more, and I think results are improving.

Steve,

yes dish soap, but not soaking, just brushing; the water is pretty hard; I do brush pretty carefully though. Thanks for your help, I am using primer now, with better results.

It's pretty rare for me to wash a kit, too. I'll do it on resin or short run, little known kits. Most of the time I'll just hit the sprues with a coat of Model Master gray or white primer. I've only encountered one kit that I ever had problems on. That was the old AMT 1/650 (or so) TOS Enterprise.

I know its not good practice but I dont think I have ever washed one sprue from a kit, ever. I did however pick up a Zvezda Mig the other day that had so much release agent on the parts that the plastic bags were literally stuck to pools of it on the wings. I've had a lot of luck with Tamiya tape and the blue low tac masking tape. Also, I prime with an enamel primer and also finish with acrylics exclusively.

I've been using grease cutting dish soap (as DUSTER suggested) and an old toothbrush to scrub the parts, I soak for about five minutes overall, then rinse well and dry with a cloth.  PollyS also makes a plastic prep liquid which seems to be mostly alcohol.

Tamiya recommends to gently sand all parts with 1000 grit or finer sand paper, but I never do.

I pre wash my models with warm water and DISH soap like lemon joy. I let it soak for about 15-30 minutes and rinse with the sprayer from the sink with warmer water and set to dry for the rest of the day. I then use Model Master Enamel grey as a primer through an airbrush for the base and Valejo Model Air Acrylic thinned down with a little windex. Comes out PERFECT for me.

Not to be insulting or impolite but are you using a dish washing soap (designed to cut grease better than hand soaps) and then gently scrubbing the parts, on all surfaces with a small brush (old tooth brush or

a new one from the 99 cent store?

If you were to miss a side or end of a part, that, could be the root of some of your adhesion problems.

Then as Cadet Chuck  stated a good primer coat and you should be golden -or DUNKELGRÜN-or Dark Earth -or... oops got carried away again

I would suggest a coat of good primer after washing and drying the parts, such as Tamiya Fine Surface primer or Model Master primer.  That should take care of the adhesion problem.