acrylic paint primers

Before you paint, you needto thoroughly wash your model in amild detergent solution to get rid of mould release agents, sanding crud and oils from your hand. Then lay down a good quality primer. This provides a tooth for the color coats. Also, you should use a premium quality masking tape that has low tack. You said you use drafting tape and this should be fine. Masking tape is one of those things where you get what you pay for.

Acrylics are bad about that, but BStrump's advice is right on the mark.

I've used drafting tape for masking, but have also had problems doing that. Drafting tape is designed to release from paper without tearing so it is very low-tack, but the adhesive was never designed to resist paint solvents and is sensitive to some paints. I've had it bleed very badly because the paint solvents dissolved the adhesive (although that was with a brush and not an airbrush). It doesn't happen often, but once is enough.

For masking tape I use Tamiya tape exclusively, IMHO it's the best around.

Darren

I'll echo the advice to use a good primer and good tape. Tamiya's been mentioned here, but also check out fine line striping tape from an automotive paint supply shop. They come in all sorts of variants, some high tack, some low tack. Low tack is better if you're struggling with paint lift problems.

Should I use acrylic or enamel primer?

QUOTE: Originally posted by out04 Should I use acrylic or enamel primer?

Enamel primer is better as it chemically bonds to the plastic.
I recommend Floquil Primer from their model railroad line of paints.
It is great stuff.

Mike

Mike is exactly right, although we use different brands of primer. Enamel is by far the best way to go because it bonds to the plastic much better than acrylic.

I recently tried Vallejo acrylics, and was shocked when they started to lift after mild handling. I've been using Gunze acrylics almost exclusively for the last few months, which from experience do not appear to need priming, as I have encountered no problems what so ever with lifting.

However the Vallejo's apparently do need priming, so I'm thinking it all comes down to which acrylics you're using.

Karl