Has anyone painted the Williams 72' streamlined passenger cars? The plastic seems to be of a "oily" or very slick surface. I am wondering if acrylic paint will adhere to this type of surface. An option might be Floquil, but that is a solvent based paint and it might craze or cause an "orange-peel" finish.
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A primer first is always recommended, although I've painted some Lionel stuff without priming first and had good results, but never Williams: lost one cheap test car early on testing - got all sorts of fisheye and other problems. They is something different about their paint. So, with Williams I always try to sand well with # 400 or the like, and then use a spray primer (I prefer Rustoleum grey) first.
I Would suggest going to the auto parts store and asking for a pre-paint solvent. I use Eastwoods pre paint, but there are others out there as well. It's also known as grease and wax remover. Don't use laquer thinner or alchohol, they will just smear any contaminants around and not remove them. A plastic safe primer would be the next step, scuff and paint.
Who makes a plastic safe primer?
Polly Scale makes a Plastic Prep for pre-painting cleansing.
I have used Tamiya primers and automotive primers without any problems. I like the auto primers because they are usually thick and sandable. If you wash the item good with dish soap and water, then let it dry completely, you won't have any problems.
Rob
Who makes a plastic safe primer?
Polly Scale makes a Plastic Prep for pre-painting cleansing.
Krylon makes an excellent plastic primer but I'd first clean the shell with TSP.
I have repainted Williams locos and freight cars......but it should work for passenger cars.
Strip paint with automotive brake fluid. Wash and dry. Apply Tamiya or Dupli-color primer using white, gray, red or black depending on final color. Apply final color. I don't like most acrylics as I have had bad results far more times than good. On a few it has taken 2-3 years to fail but I have had fantastic paint jobs crack and flake after years of looking good. I like Tamiya of Dupli-color paints.
Many novice painters make the mistake by not letting the primer cure before applying the finish coat. The same goes for applying the 2nd finish coat. Drying and curing are not the same thing. Here's a little explination of the two.
Just because a paint has become touch dry does not mean that it has fully cured. Acrylics may appear dry after only a few minutes but continue to cure and harden for several days. A paint will appear dry as soon as the 'liquid/solvent' in it has dried or evaporated. However, it will not be fully cured and hard until the binder has also dried or set.
It is normally possible to airbrush thin coats of paint one after another as soon as the previous coat has lost its sheen. Much more care is needed with brush painting when the coats are thicker and the brush may dislodge the previous paint layer.
It is also important to avoid sealing in a coat of paint that has not fully dried with another coat of a different type. For example, if putting a coat of acrylic varnish over a layer of enamel paint or vice versa you need to really sure that the coat being covered has fully cured.
Great information!
I figure if I use a "plastic safe" primer, I should be able to use a solvent paint like Floquil. A solvent based paint (vs. water base) has a better "bite" on the to-be-painted surface and therefore should not crack or flake as easily as acrylic.
Wild Mary......what is TSP?
Just do not mix acrylic, enamel and lacquer paints. The different solvents can cause major issues. Dupli-color and Tamiya primers will work under any other paint. But a plastic safe enamel primer under lacquer (many floquil) will be a disaster for sure! I feel it is best to stick with ONE type paint for the entire process.
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