Paint not drying?

Daywalker

Member since
September 2003
From: South Central Wisconsin

Posted by Daywalker on Monday, July 30, 2007 11:37 AM

I have had similar problems with MM metallic enamels. They can take months to dry enough to be handled!

Frank

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troublemaker66

Member since
July 2007
From: Southern New Jersey

Posted by troublemaker66 on Sunday, July 29, 2007 10:38 PM

Double check that the MM aluminum metalizer isn`t a lacquer. I`m just getting back into modeling but if I remember correctly, you can`t use lacquer over enamels. The lacquer eats through the enamel and may cause your paint not to cure correctly or soften it enough that when you touch it,you leave spots.

Len Pytlewski

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Triarius

Member since
January 2003
From: Peoples Socialist Democratic Republic of Illinois

Posted by Triarius on Friday, July 27, 2007 12:19 PM

Okay. Try switching thinner, reducing pressure, and getting closer. Some metallics like to be laid on heavy, others prefer light coats. Try whichever method you haven't been using.

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

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Ant

Member since
July 2007

Posted by Ant on Friday, July 27, 2007 12:14 PM

using enamel's.

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Triarius

Member since
January 2003
From: Peoples Socialist Democratic Republic of Illinois

Posted by Triarius on Friday, July 27, 2007 9:55 AM

Environmental conditions look good.

Dilution ratio seems reasonable.

Is MM aluminum an enamel or lacquer? (I don't use ModelMaster very much.)

Spraying distance seems a bit long to me. Try dropping your pressure slightly (10-15 psi) and getting closer. I suspect that this is part of the problem.

It is just barely possible that the plasticizer from the vinyl gloves is doing something to the paint, but that would be more likely with an acrylic.

"White spirit"— This is probably naptha, or something that contains naptha or a similar blend of hydrocarbons. I suspect that this may be the main source of the problem. Metallic coatings are extremely "picky" about which solvents they play well with. Try switching to a different solvent, like mineral spirits, and see whether the problem recurs.

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

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Ant

Member since
July 2007

Posted by Ant on Thursday, July 26, 2007 11:48 PM

1.MM aluminium brand new

2. white spirit: 2:1 had gone 1:2 but found it to this

3. temp 20-23c humidity 60%@

4. about the same, only when i have heater on does it change

5.ditto

6. 15-20psi 6-8 inches@

7. chux non latex vinyl

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Triarius

Member since
January 2003
From: Peoples Socialist Democratic Republic of Illinois

Posted by Triarius on Thursday, July 26, 2007 9:26 PM

I would like to know more details:

What paint? How old was it? Gloss, flat, enamel, lacquer, acrylic?

What reducer (thinner) did you use?

What were the conditions when you sprayed it? (Temperature, relative humidity)

What were the conditions in the intervening time? (Ditto)

What were the conditions when the problem occurred? (Ditto)

Spraying pressure and distance to coated surface?

Exactly what gloves are you wearing?

Some metallics are notoriously fragile. Others wear like…um…iron… (pun intended)

In the case of your last question, only if the paint has gone bad.