Painting plastic non lexan, new bright 4 Dr jeep

[geauxktm,]

What is best paint and method for getting paint to stay/preventing scratches that show thru? I scuffed up my yellow body then threw a few coats of the good paint-primer mix that's supposed to be really good on plastics. I then put a coat or 2 of PS. After letting dry 2 days I ran it hard and the yellow show thru on a spot that took a good lick I suppose. I should have done a better job of scuffing up the body and now that I think about should I have done PS paint 1st?

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[Mike Flea]

Not necessarily. When you scuffed it, did you wash it afterward and let it dry thoroughly? Did you use a primer? What type of paint did you use?, i.e. acrylic, enamel or lacquer.

Different types of paint will act differently with the type of plastic that New Bright uses. The best is an acrylic or an acrylic/enamel like Krylon Paint for Plastics, or sometimes an enamel like Testor's model paint. The acrylic/enamel will act like a PS paint, in that it will flex when dry. Also, you don't want to mix certain types. You can use an enamel over an acrylic as long as the acrylic has cured thoroughly. Do Not apply a lacquer over either an acrylic or an enamel, as the chemicals in the lacquer will re-activate the chemicals in the other type of paint and ruin your finish. If you do decide to use a lacquer based paint, then the primer and final color should both be lacquer based.

[geauxktm,]

Originally Posted by Mike Flea

Not necessarily. When you scuffed it, did you wash it afterward and let it dry thoroughly? Did you use a primer? What type of paint did you use?, i.e. acrylic, enamel or lacquer.

Different types of paint will act differently with the type of plastic that New Bright uses. The best is an acrylic or an acrylic/enamel like Krylon Paint for Plastics, or sometimes an enamel like Testor's model paint. The acrylic/enamel will act like a PS paint, in that it will flex when dry. Also, you don't want to mix certain types. You can use an enamel over an acrylic as long as the acrylic has cured thoroughly. Do Not apply a lacquer over either an acrylic or an enamel, as the chemicals in the lacquer will re-activate the chemicals in the other type of paint and ruin your finish. If you do decide to use a lacquer based paint, then the primer and final color should both be lacquer based.

Thanks and I actually understand you and that all makes sense. What is best to clean with before Painting? I think you may say soap and water which I've used but pretty sure I wiped it down with alcohol before painting

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[Mike Flea]

Originally Posted by geauxktm,

Thanks and I actually understand you and that all makes sense. What is best to clean with before Painting? I think you may say soap and water which I've used but pretty sure I wiped it down with alcohol before painting

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I use Dawn because it removes body oils, and wiping down with alcohol is good, just remember to let it dry thoroughly. When rubbing alcohol is drying, the alcohol evaporates faster than the water content. I usually let a body dry overnight before priming..

[CODYBOY]

Good advice Mike!
We need to remember if painting the body on out side with best paint money can buy, it isn't going to make it a bullet proof paint job. Think about what your 1:1 would look like if you put it through what we do!!!
Ernie

[diasan]

Any ideas on painting the outside of lexan? got a early scx10 rtr and dont like the green paint

[DukeMinnix]

Originally Posted by diasan

Any ideas on painting the outside of lexan? got a early scx10 rtr and dont like the green paint

Same process as above. Scuff and clean thoroughly. I used good plastic primer and plastic spray paint when I did my bomber. It turned out pretty good, but I'll let you be the judge.

[diasan]

Cool, yea just cant take the green anymore. Thinking of converting it to woodland type camo once i get the dinky bed on

[Peaker]

I scuff the plastics to get somewhat of a anchor profile, then blow it with air and then wipe using the same anti dust pads a car painter would use, and then i hit it with a primer.

I dont feel the need to do any anti grease process as i have not touched the surfaces with my fingers ( wearing gloves )

I am more and more inclined to go with a hard-body for my new SCX 10 II, i cant get myself to use a clear body now that i have been running hard-bodies since the TF2 came out.


O and i always do a test spray on something as i have encountered problems with paints that should have worked fine together but just dident after all, and sanding down a whole body just suck donkey balls.

[Mike Flea]

Originally Posted by diasan

Any ideas on painting the outside of lexan? got a early scx10 rtr and dont like the green paint

Pretty much the same procedure and use a PS paint or any polycarbonate type paint, only you don't need primer. Using PS(Tamiya) paint on the outside of a lexan body will come out flat, so you mentioned you wanted a camo paint job, it'll work out fine for you.

Just a tip, (if you haven't seen any of my other comments in other threads in this section), only the first paint coat(s)/color needs to be a polycarbonate paint. Once the first color has dried, you can use Krylon, Testor's, or any other cheap enamel paint over the top. If you haven't priced a can of Tamiya paint before, be prepared for sticker-shock. You can buy 2 full sized cans of Krylon for what you pay for 1 Tamiya.

If your first coat on the lexan is Tamiya PS-12(silver), then overcoat with your camo colors, as the camo gets scratches, it'll expose the silver to look like bare metal. I go one step further, I use Tamiya PS-14 on the inside, backed with black, so if the silver scratches off, it looks like rust.

The 2 trucks together are lexan bodies, the loner is a hardbody.

[mewalsh100]

I just picked up an RC4WD TrailFinder body pretty cheap. I believe these are a polystyrene material? What type of paint can I use on this - I've only painted lexan bodies previously. I plan to scuff it and prime it, but I want to make sure I don't get any weird chemical reactions with the paint and PS. Thanks in advance for the help!

[Mike Flea]

Polystyrene would be the same as an AMT, Revel, or Monogram kit, so any Testors or Tamiya TS paints should work. Again, just make sure your paint and primer are the same type.

Testor's use to only have enamel paints, but I've seen at the lhs that they also market lacquer based paints.

Tamiya Ts - Synthetic lacquer spray paint for plastic models.
As - Synthetic lacquer spray paint for plastic models, designed for aircraft models
Ps - Spray paint for polycarbonate RC bodies.
X - colors (gloss acrylic bottled paint for plastic models)
XF - colors ( flat acrylic bottled paint for plastic models)

[Shinchu]

Plastidip!!!




Sorry, i had to!
But yeah i hear good results with krylon fusion. And some say any krylon has been good recently they have made them so they are safe for plastic.

I am leery of that, though.
In middle school i got a 72 chevelle amt model for my birthday and i sprayed it with plain old flat black generic stuff and it litterally melted before my eyes.
Worst part is, my friend who got it for me was standing next to me when it happened!

I have been scared ever since to spray plastic with anything other than testors, tamiya, or krylon fusion.

[OSRC]

Krylon fusion or the Maxx have worked very well for me. May not have the same finish as the expensive Tamiya paint, but for 1/2 the cost it works well for me. Didn't even primer the bodies, though for standard Krylon, I think some primer would be needed.

[CM9000]

Originally Posted by geauxktm,

What is best paint and method for getting paint to stay/preventing scratches that show thru? I scuffed up my yellow body then threw a few coats of the good paint-primer mix that's supposed to be really good on plastics. I then put a coat or 2 of PS. After letting dry 2 days I ran it hard and the yellow show thru on a spot that took a good lick I suppose. I should have done a better job of scuffing up the body and now that I think about should I have done PS paint 1st?

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1. red scuff pad, primer surface (filler primer)
2. grey scuff pad, primer sealer (black, grey, or white) test all 3 on a test panel to see what the base color looks like. sealer primer can change the shade of your base coat!
3. 3-4 coats of base color
4. 3-6 coats of clear coat. depending on if you want to wetsand and buff
5. enjoy!

now.. you need to use a tack rag between each step. but to prevent fish eye's the body needs to be clean before the 1st step and after, same with the second step. blow the body off after each scuff. get in the tight spots to prevent flaking as well.

painting isn't hard. its time consuming. take your time. let the paint flash.
don't let it intimidate you!

for my hardbodies I only use duplicolor. but you can use the Tamiya cans. they work great too.

[mewalsh100]

Awesome info guys! Thanks!