Enamel drying time

when i spray enamels i let it cure for around 24 hours. 

I let mine sit for about a day to cure as well, but I find that things are smudge proof relatively quick.

Dry to the touch does not necessarily equate to being fully dry.

I would give enamels 24-48 hours drying time before preparing for clear coating for decals.

Depends on brand and whether flat or gloss.  Flat enamels dry reasonably quick, the gloss takes forever, especially a thick, wet, glossy coat.  Testors is slow setting.

Drying/hardening time depends a lot on absolute humidity.  In wet weather gloss takes forever (days), while in dry winter air the flats can be handled pretty quickly after painting.

Hey Mike.   Is the enamels becoming a paint of the past?  Or is there real reason to use enamel for certain effects.   I've only used the acrylics since my returns.  Can I be missing something positive.  Bud     

PS  Can you tell me what the Tags at the bottom are about? 

BBAT222

Hey Mike.   Is the enamels becoming a paint of the past?  Or is there real reason to use enamel for certain effects.   I've only used the acrylics since my returns.  Can I be missing something positive.  Bud     

Bud, some people prefer enamels as they are easier to spray than acrylics for the most part and they tend to "bite" the plastic more so that they adhere better. Other than that I see no advantage to them as you need to use cleaners that are stronger and more toxic than acrylic cleaners. Most use lacquer thinner to clean up enamels as it is inexpensive and cleans very well. I think in a few more years we may see enamels go away as they try and become more "green" and get away from the more toxic paints.

PS  Can you tell me what the Tags at the bottom are about? 

Tags at the bottom? You mean on the bottom of my signature? That is a Badger Airbrush Co. symbol.  

If its the little pictures you mean those are "badges". Most group build efforts "reward" participants with such a badge as you complete a build for a particular group. Go and take a look in the group build section on here and see if there is a topic that catches your interest

Enamels and especially the flat ones can feel dry to the touch pretty quickly. It takes alot longer for enamels however to fully cure. Try brushing enamels on a certain part, wait till it is dry to the touch and put another coat on. You will find it is quite easy to wipe away the first layer with the new paint and thus create brush marks showing the plastic underneath.

I usually let the paint cure for 24 hours or more before i handle the model again after using enamels. The gloss paints will take even longer. My preferred brand of acrylics (revell aqua) will fully cure even gloss paints in as little as 4 to 6 hours(!)

Richard

Whoa---if you're spraying enamels and talk to any "Car guys" who do auto modeling, I can tell you that most GOOD car modelers let their enamels dry for literally WEEKS before they start to sand out the body. Of course, this would be multiple coats sprayed on in usually two light coats with a final heavy "wet coat", but enamels need to "gas out" before they're considered "fully" cured.

The rule of thumb is, if you can still smell that "paint" smell with enamels, they're not fully cured. The gas is still working its way out of them, and until that happens, they're not "cured".

the doog

 I can tell you that most GOOD car modelers let their enamels dry for literally WEEKS before they start to sand out the body.

Most good car modelers now use urethanes. Much better than enamels if you want real depth and shine.

GreenThumb

 

the doog:

 

 I can tell you that most GOOD car modelers let their enamels dry for literally WEEKS before they start to sand out the body.

 

Most good car modelers now use urethanes. Much better than enamels if you want real depth and shine.

I prefer lacquers. Urethanes are NASTY-bad-poisonous to work around from what I've read. Lacquers dry so quick, and they buff out to a high shine.

I can remember when it was thought the more the layers of lacquer the better.  15 to 20 (or more) were not uncommon.  By the time I retired I was in the haz-mat response team and a Hazardous materials Specialist.  Trying to get the auto shop guys to wear their mask and respirators was a pain,  they started to change over eventually since many were getting ill.  The paint now-a-days are pretty rough  in a lot of ways.  Our little shops be pretty mean also.   We don't spray a lot, but some can still give you  one heck head ache.   Which by the way.  Which paint gives the best polished metal look?   Bud      

All I can say is wow!  I just looked at your gallery and I am really impressed.  From what I saw and enjoyed I'd have to call you "Modeling's Norman Rockwell"  Thank you Bud.

Hay Jube. ---- Seems i've heard that before LOL.   Over in the technique column  they are going over the use of food dehydrators to help speed up drying time from days to hours.  Hope this helps.  Bud 

Thanks for all the info and tips everyone.  Looks like I wasnt making any mistakes after all :)

BBAT222

All I can say is wow!  I just looked at your gallery and I am really impressed.  From what I saw and enjoyed I'd have to call you "Modeling's Norman Rockwell"  Thank you Bud.

the doog

GreenThumb:

 

the doog:

 

 I can tell you that most GOOD car modelers let their enamels dry for literally WEEKS before they start to sand out the body.

 

Most good car modelers now use urethanes. Much better than enamels if you want real depth and shine.

 

Actually, I agree, Mike--enamels are really a "paint of the past" in Auto modeling.

I prefer lacquers. Urethanes are NASTY-bad-poisonous to work around from what I've read. Lacquers dry so quick, and they buff out to a high shine.

Agree 100%

I was a car modeler in my other life but now mostly build armor and planes.

Enamel will work and I liked using it on models of older cars, since you can get a very special "soft" shine to it that seems to work well with that age of automobile. As mentioned though, it takes forever to cure and gas out. It's best to apply in very light coats, 25-27 coats are common.  Careful surface prep and a month drying time is what works best for me. If possible, lots of time out in the sunshine. After that, comes the progressive sanding  and polishing. If you apply sever heavy, wet coats... you're scre***.

I prefer lacquer. Again, very light coats but followed by a light sanding every four or five coats. About 10 to 15 coats gives you great full coverage. I go a bit heavy handed with the airbrush on all sharp edges. Although lacquer does dry much quicker than enamel, I still give it at least two weeks drying time so that it'll harden enough for the sanding / polishing process. The result is a perfectly even, thin and mirror like shine.

Urethane is bad news. Darn thing will kill you. I also stopped using clear coats a long time ago. No matter how good your finish work is, cars always end up looking like candied apples. All right for show cars I guess.

Ok Doog.  I clicked on the gallery link call HERE,  and seen a lot of wonderful models (armor mostly).  Is that your gallery?   Bud  

BBAT222

Ok Doog.  I clicked on the gallery link call HERE,  and seen a lot of wonderful models (armor mostly).  Is that your gallery?   Bud  

Hope you liked what you saw!

No apologizing needed  Norman.  I really liked your works.  Spooked and Tomatoes are just a sample of what I'm talking about.  Light of heart  even during hard times.   Your rusted buckets group are so real at times I had to look twice.  Thanks for sharing your works Bud.     

BBAT222

No apologizing needed  Norman.  I really liked your works.  Spooked and Tomatoes are just a sample of what I'm talking about.  Light of heart  even during hard times.   Your rusted buckets group are so real at times I had to look twice.  Thanks for sharing your works Bud.     

Glad to hear that you like my stuff. It' s nice to know that people actually take the time to look. I genuinely appreciate it, and the kind compliments!

And apologies to the original poster--hope we didn't hijack your thread too much!

Oh yeah--BBAT222--you can have a private conversation with anyone here by just hitting the "Start Conversation" button there...

Electric Blues

Urethane is bad news. Darn thing will kill you.

I don't believe the colors are dangerous, it is the clears that are bad as they contain isocyanates.

Hay Mr Green.   I believe your right,  though the color are not without  there lower levels of toxins.    In the technices  columns happen to be talking about using a food dehydrator to dry things in hours not days.   Bud

I have never tried that Bud. I do have a cardboard box that I lined with aluminum foil and put a 60 watt bulb in it. I put the aircraft model after painting in it and cover the front with an old t-shirt to keep the warmth in. In about 2 hours or so it's dry enough to coat with Future in preparation for decaling.

GreenThumb

I have never tried that Bud. I do have a cardboard box that I lined with aluminum foil and put a 60 watt bulb in it. I put the aircraft model after painting in it and cover the front with an old t-shirt to keep the warmth in. In about 2 hours or so it's dry enough to coat with Future in preparation for decaling.

Now that idea is as slick as owl crap! 

During the summer I just leave my spray booth in the garage in the 105 degree heat and it's good to go!  I actually left my Stryker MGS out there for a month or two just because I needed a break from it then forgot about it being there.  Expected to find a melted blob of plastic for all my troubles. 

Jees me and some of the other guys did that trick when I was a kid (50-60s).   I had learned the hard way about not using 100 watts or more, or to small of a box.  Basement and house stunk for a week or more.  Enamel was about it for us.  It seems to me that we found this system in a modeling mag. as well.    

Now the testors enamel flat does dry a little faster right.   I used a heat lamp on the bottom side of a F-8....  Had the nicest cracks and crinkles  you ever saw.     (another 100 watt got me)   This took the better part of the night to get  it cleaned off with paint thinner.  This was only a few weeks ago!  At one point I could have used it as weathering....   The Idea a food dehydrator seems feasible.  My wife said something about - prying cold rigid fingers!!!!!!   Bud

Adding ignition to a strong contained vapors can be dangerous, not to mention the heat can melt your plastic model!

Far as a cure time a for enamels a week is a good amount of time for thin coats, longer if a high gloss 'wet' coat is applied like the Doog mentioned.

There is a catch-22 regarding masks, the sooner removed the better so if the paint is set enough to not leave a mark (check the paint on the masking tape, not the model) its advisable to go ahead and remove the masking tape carefully while avoiding touching the new paint with bare fingers.

Good thread, some great replies!

Regards Jason

Hi Jason.  I think you have a sense of fire and how easy it is to blow out garage windows and eardrums in one fell swoop of a boom!    My favorite guy was always the one during winter who decided to work on his motorcycle down in the basement ------ To keep warm!

Well I take it that you are in the belief of natural drying times for the enamels and such. Right?   

See ya later  Ret. FF Bud Bergman.     Remember 9-11   

A light bulb is not an ignition source unless it breaks and somehow sparks.

The box needs to be big enough so that the air is warmed but not real hot.

I have done it many times and it is completely safe with Tamiya acrylics thinned with ethyl alcohol.

A container needs to be basically air tight for ignition to occur with any paint fumes anyhow.