Painting woes

[SpudWrench]

So I'm having a really bad time painting my cherokee body right now. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

I washed the body soap and water

Applied the body mask for windows

Then I wanted to mask off the window trim and paint it instead of using the window stickers. I've had bad luck with getting those on perfectly so I figured if I painted it myself. Here is where it started going wrong.

The masking didnt keep the paint from bleeding around the window lines so those had to be fixed with goof off. They are not perfect but acceptable.

Then I wanted to do a 8bit camo pattern so i sprayed 4 heavy coats of plasti dip and cut out the pattern and sprayed black over the cutout sections.

Now I can't remove the dip it just crumbles as I try to peel it although I did a heavy coat.

So I tried alcohol because I read that helps with stubborn dip removal. Unfortunately it's also taking my paint off as well.

I was using tamiya spray paint I picked up from hobby lobby. Also I ran out of the black and I can still see through the black that was painted with about 3 coats with about 1 hour drying time. I gave it 3 days to cure. I've painted bodies before with no issue not sure why this one is giving me a hard time or where I went wrong.



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[QuesoDelDiablo]

You used plastidip as mask? I feel like that's probably the issue.

Pure speculation here but I'm guessing that the paint you sprayed has reacted with the plastidip and dried it out.

No idea how you be able to recover at this point, other than chip it all out and start over again using liquid mask..

I've never heard of plastidip being used as mask, is that a thing? Seems like a bad idea to me.

[SpudWrench]

Well I first thought the same but i used Google and saw where plenty of people claimed it worked well on other sites. I'm not sure if I did something wrong in the curing area or if its a false claim, but you are correct it seems like the paint on the dip did create a reaction. I guess im going to have to figure out a way go get all of it off and start over. At this point the only thing I've accomplished is sore thumbs and wasting paint

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[mewalsh100]

Were you using a lexan specific Tamiya paint? My first impression would also be that the Plastidip and Tamiya paint adversely reacted to one another. If it gets too far gone, you could always scuff sand the heck out of the exterior and spray it from the outside. I know it's not ideal, and it will definitely get chipped and scraped, but at least you're not just tossing the body. You could also use the fact that it's going to get chipped and scraped up to your advantage and go for a weathered and "trailed hard" look.

[SpudWrench]

Originally Posted by mewalsh100

Were you using a lexan specific Tamiya paint? My first impression would also be that the Plastidip and Tamiya paint adversely reacted to one another. If it gets too far gone, you could always scuff sand the heck out of the exterior and spray it from the outside. I know it's not ideal, and it will definitely get chipped and scraped, but at least you're not just tossing the body. You could also use the fact that it's going to get chipped and scraped up to your advantage and go for a weathered and "trailed hard" look.

It was tamiya camo model paint not lexan specific. I just applied some brake fluid and the paint came off no issue but the dip still ain't coming off lol go figure. I'm going to try some other stuff but I may just paint it on the outside

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[soze]

Regarding the window trim stickers..... The trick to applying them correctly is to use soap water. Ever watch a car window tinter? Or have you ever applied a screen protector to your phone? Same concept. With the soap water you can slide it into place, and then squeegee the water and bubbles out.

I've only ever used plasti-dip as a bedliner or fender flare coating. Never used it as a mask before.

You should be using Tamiya "PS" series paint for lexan bodies as well.


On that note, I do have my own question. How are people applying paint colors like olive drab, desert sand, etc. if they don't make a lexan paint equivalent? I'd like more paint colors than what lexan paints are available.

[SpudWrench]

Great tip I will try that and maybe next time I will order the correct paint. I've already purchsed and opened the other paint so I'm gonna use what I got.

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[Browneye]

Originally Posted by soze

>snip

On that note, I do have my own question. How are people applying paint colors like olive drab, desert sand, etc. if they don't make a lexan paint equivalent? I'd like more paint colors than what lexan paints are available.

Yeah, Tamiya color selection sucks. Mostly just bright colors and metallics.


For my next rig I got poly paint alright, but added some flat clear to do the outside. Dayum, that means I have to mask windows twice.

[soze]

Originally Posted by Browneye

Yeah, Tamiya color selection sucks. Mostly just bright colors and metallics.


For my next rig I got poly paint alright, but added some flat clear to do the outside. Dayum, that means I have to mask windows twice.

I invested in a airbrush setup, but I haven't bought any paint, or had the courage to learn how to do it yet.

Mostly because I want to start using water-based paints, because the S.O. complains about the toxic Tamiya fumes.

I paint it at the side of my house, and let it bake in the sun, but... it still doesn't fully off-gas for a looong time... and her nose is very very sensitive.

[Browneye]

Airbrush is a great way to paint. I've had good success with regular acrylic automotive enamels. I'm just too lazy to set up, and you have to buy WAY more paint than you need, so it's expensive.
Still looking for good options for lexan.

This one was just out of the 'paint booth'. (reads: the garage LOL)

[SpudWrench]

I was able to get some goof off and a little elbow grease I got the dip off along with all the paint.

It still didnt come out how I wanted. For some crazy reason one of the colors I was using didnt match the can at all.

I was trying to do a black green grey tan pattern and the gray came out a off white.

New lesson always test spray before trusting the label

It will do for now though

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[Mike Flea]

Looks good to me, but are you happy?

[SpudWrench]

Originally Posted by Mike Flea

Looks good to me, but are you happy?

Eh...sort of for now it wasnt what I had in my head. I got some satin clear I'm going to hit the outside of the body with to town down the gloss and I've got some weathering effecta I'm going to try .

I want to try to make it less new. I may spray the outside of it later

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[Browneye]

I like it. Flatten the gloss and ya got a winner.

[4wd4ws]

I dig it. Rorschach wintercamo.

[WhiplashRC]

To gain a better colour selection paint the body with a base coat of polycarbonate paint. Than after that any paint will stick to it, obviously being done on the outside.

I would steer clear of the plastidip masking technique again. Haven’t tried that brush on liquid mask yet. But tape is king once you get the hang of it.

Yours didn’t turn out terrible for the issues you had!

Cheers!


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[Browneye]

Originally Posted by WhiplashRC

To gain a better colour selection paint the body with a base coat of polycarbonate paint. Than after that any paint will stick to it, obviously being done on the outside.

I would steer clear of the plastidip masking technique again. Haven’t tried that brush on liquid mask yet. But tape is king once you get the hang of it.

Yours didn’t turn out terrible for the issues you had!

Cheers!


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Have you actually tried using regular plastic paint over polycarbonate paint? I was wondering if this would work on the inside using a matt-clear as a primer.



Way more color selections from Tamiya in regular styrene type spray paints. I wonder if it would stick to the matt-clear undercoat.

[WhiplashRC]

Originally Posted by Browneye

Have you actually tried using regular plastic paint over polycarbonate paint? I was wondering if this would work on the inside using a matt-clear as a primer.



Way more color selections from Tamiya in regular styrene type spray paints. I wonder if it would stick to the matt-clear undercoat.

Yep on one shell. Wish I had pics. But I believe I saw it on a gcm video to be honest. I’ll try to locate it.


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[soze]

Originally Posted by WhiplashRC

To gain a better colour selection paint the body with a base coat of polycarbonate paint. Than after that any paint will stick to it, obviously being done on the outside.

Originally Posted by Browneye

Have you actually tried using regular plastic paint over polycarbonate paint? I was wondering if this would work on the inside using a matt-clear as a primer.



Way more color selections from Tamiya in regular styrene type spray paints. I wonder if it would stick to the matt-clear undercoat.

If this works.... I will be overjoyed. Then again... I should use the airbrush setup I bought and start learning how to use it.

[Browneye]

Hmmm...Shall I sacrifice a $55 body to test it out???

Airbrush? Bring it over I'll school ya.

Readers Digest version...

They're really quite easy, and I'm sure if you can build RC's you can look at a vid or two and get the hang of it.

You need a clean and dry source of air - doesn't take that much for an airbrush. Paint is generally thinned down from 10-50%, depending on the type of paint. If you use a model-specific paint they'll generally tell you recommended thinners and how much. For water-based acrylics rubbing alcohol is the ticket. Dries faster, uses less, more pure and less viscous than water.

For lacquers and solvent based acrylic enamel, like automotive enamels, acetone can usually be used in lieu of specialty thinners. Saves you some $$ for getting basic materials on hand.

I have always and only used Paasche VL and naturally think they're the best, but either way it should come with an instruction booklet on setting air pressure. You'll want a quick-disconnect for your hose so you can take it off the air supply easily.

Paasche comes with 3 nozzles - from fine to medium to more of an overall - just lets more paint through. The finest you can write cursive like a fountain pen. Great for fine detailing and graphic artwork type painting.

I'm 6 miles north of Disneyland.

Sorry for the thread-jack...but it kinda fits. An airbrush is the answer for detailing body work where a spray-can is not.