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Questions on MM Acrylics and PolyS

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jwb
  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Parkton, NC
Questions on MM Acrylics and PolyS
Posted by jwb on Monday, July 24, 2006 12:53 PM
I'm slowly making the switch from enamel to acrylics, and I'm using PolyS for my aircraft modeling, which is what the LHS has. I also bought some MM acrylics for my son. He builds cars, and he wanted to paint his car gloss black. We were in hobby lobby, so I picked up the MM paint there.

Anyway- just a couple of questions.

One- any idea why the MM paint would "bubble"? I was using my a/b to put it on his car (well, he was using it), and every now and then, a "bubble would form in the paint- it would just sort of "open" up, leaving a small gap in the paint. I played with the A/B- changed thinning, air pressure, cleaned it- nothing helped. The odd thing was he later was brush painting, and it did the same thing. Anyone else seen this type of stuff from MM Acrylics? Is it an adhesion issue possibly?

On the PolyS- I'd never airbrushed it before, and it seemed fairly thin already, even after a thorough stirring. So I fired it through the A/B straight- just to see how it looked- and it went on perfect. Beautiful stuff- laid right down, dried up nice and looked like it was the molded in color practically. Was that just a thin bottle? Is that typical with PolyS?

I gotta say- I love the switch so far. No fumes!

Jon Bius

AgapeModels.com- Modeling with a Higher purpose

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: The Hoosier State
Posted by plasticmod992 on Monday, July 24, 2006 3:18 PM

In the case of the MM Acryl, it may be a problem with surface contaminants causing the bubbling.  Just give the model's plastic a good wiping with Polly S plastic prep, or alcohol before painting to insure the plastic is free finger oils, grease and fine dust, etc.  Check with others here to get a secound opinion.  With regard to the Polly Scale, it's line of acrylics are in fact advertised "airbrush ready", so your suspicions are correct.  The idea is that you can just load the airbrush and spray away!  However I have found that in certain instances, thinning the paint is required; particularly for detailing and fine-line work.  Polly Scale is great paint, what with the few bottles I've tried.  Good luck and report back with your progress!

Greg Williams Owner/ Manager Modern Hobbies LLC Indianapolis, IN. IPMS #44084
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Peoples Socialist Democratic Republic of Illinois
Posted by Triarius on Monday, July 24, 2006 3:22 PM
There are two possibilities with the MM acrylics:

  1. Too much reducer (thinner) in the air brush mixture, or a reducer that is evaporating too slowly. This does not seem likely, since it is also happening when you brush paint. This can also happen if the paint is particularly cold. Turn down the air conditioning! Laugh [(-D]
  2. I suspect it's a dirty surface problem. One of the few drawbacks of acrylic paints is that they do not dissolve oils from your skin (or any other source) as enamels and their solvents do. And acrylics are generally lipophobic—a $5 word meaning they don't mix with oils or fats, and are repelled by them.

Washing the model with a surfactant cleaner (Windex, 409, Fantastic, Simple Green—this last needs rinsing) or alcohol (I prefer alcohol) just before you paint with acrylics does two things: it removes any surface oil or other contaminants, and it helps keep dust from settling on the surface for a few moments as it evaporates. You can use ethyl, denatured, or 90% isopropyl alcohol.

I find that some Pollyscale paints do need thinning, but usually not much. They are generally a little thin for brushing, IMHO. So no, you didn't get a thin bottle.

Ross Martinek A little strangeness, now and then, is a good thing… Wink

jwb
  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Parkton, NC
Posted by jwb on Monday, July 24, 2006 6:07 PM
Thanks to both of you. It sounds like surface cleaning will be the key!

And I learned a new word! Wink [;)]

Jon Bius

AgapeModels.com- Modeling with a Higher purpose

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

  • Member since
    October 2005
Posted by gulfstreamV on Monday, July 24, 2006 6:08 PM
Don't they call those "fisheyes", acrylics are prone to that. Like they said surface has to be real clean. Any oil, silicone, water bubble etc. will cause it. I just painted my Wildcat with acrylics(Tam&MM) and I loved the ease of cleanup, nice and quick..........................stayCool [8D]
Stay XX Thirsty, My Fellow Modelers.
jwb
  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Parkton, NC
Posted by jwb on Monday, July 24, 2006 6:14 PM
 gulfstreamV wrote:
Don't they call those "fisheyes", acrylics are prone to that. Like they said surface has to be real clean. Any oil, silicone, water bubble etc. will cause it. I just painted my Wildcat with acrylics(Tam&MM) and I loved the ease of cleanup, nice and quick..........................stayCool [8D]


Fisheyes describes it perfectly!

Yeah- the cleanup is great. Shoot some Windex! Done! (Well, almost. Wink [;)])

Jon Bius

AgapeModels.com- Modeling with a Higher purpose

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Lewisburg , Tenn
Posted by fuzzy on Thursday, July 27, 2006 11:29 PM

JWB, Some Pollyscale colors can be used without thinning but most need a little thinning . Most of the time thinning with 5 to 10% distilled water works great . The finish you have  is typical of Pollyscale paints and one reason I enjoy using them . Have you tried the MM Acrylics again ? If so what do you think of them ? 

                                              Harry 

 

jwb
  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Parkton, NC
Posted by jwb on Friday, July 28, 2006 8:56 AM
 fuzzy wrote:

JWB, Some Pollyscale colors can be used without thinning but most need a little thinning . Most of the time thinning with 5 to 10% distilled water works great . The finish you have  is typical of Pollyscale paints and one reason I enjoy using them . Have you tried the MM Acrylics again ? If so what do you think of them ? 

                                              Harry 



We used MM Acrylics on another car my son was was working on, but this time cleaned the surface. That was exactly the problem- surface oils or dirt.

I like the PolyS paint a little better. No big differences, but it just seems to really lay down flat and smooth, and just seems a little easier to work with. maybe I'm just partial because of the initial problems I had.... I dunno. Still- since the LHS carries PolyS, and Hobby Lobby carries MM Acrylics, I'll probably just buy based on where I'm at. But the selection at teh LHS is much better, so most of my buys will be PolyS. I used it for brush painting a few times, too, and it is awesome!

Jon Bius

AgapeModels.com- Modeling with a Higher purpose

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Lewisburg , Tenn
Posted by fuzzy on Tuesday, August 1, 2006 3:07 AM

jwb,

       My apologies for the delay , I had problems logging in here. Thanks for the info , I have some MM acrylics to try and wondered about them.

                                                                      fuzzy

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