Humbrol consistency issues

I'm assuming these are new, previously unopened tins.

If the "thick" paint fills the tin, then no solvent was lost due to a bad seal—quality control problem. If the tin was not as full as normal, then solvent was lost due to a bad seal. Assuming that the paint is not ropey, lumpy, or stringy, and you don't want to return it, you may be able to use it by thinning it yourself with mineral spirits.

The failure to  cure is more complex: there are too many factors involved other than the paint itself. The most typical causes of failure to cure are contamination of the substrate or use of an incompatible solvent as a reducer (thinner) for spraying. Either can alter the binding components so that they no longer polymerize or do so very slowly. You could try gentle heat to speed the curing process. Low temperatures also slow curing.

Of course, there is also the possibility that there is something wrong with the paint as produced. If none of the above causes seem to apply, I'd contact the manufacturer.

Hi Triarius,

Many thanks for your reply!

Yes, the paint is brand new. The level in the tin was completely normal, and the consistency was smooth.

I use Model Master airbrush thinners for all my Testor and Humbrol enamels and there's usually no problem. The paint seemed to go on quite well, but even 18 hours later there's a 'tackiness' to the coat that says something is defnitely amiss.

Conditions of spraying were quite good, a mild afternoon with sunshine in the room, so I'd have thought conditions for drying were excellent.

I've heard red can be a problem at the best of times, due to synthetic pigments -- this is the first time I've ever sprayed red.

It's sounding more and more like a manufacture problem... I'll see if I can get in touch with Humbrol, though with the company going into receivership a couple of months ago the status of their operation might be in doubt.

Normally I'd just scrap the tin and start again, but the model is on a deadline for a UK magazine. GRRR. Something tells me I'll be stripping the paint...

Cheers,

TB379