Tamiya paint cracking and flaking

[Eagle-Mark]

Just got done painting an ambush body and everywhere I trim the paint is chipping away? Another friend painted his Betty body with Tamiya paint and it's just falling off everywhere, seems like were it flexes it just cracks off like regular paint?

Both of us have painted many things including lexan bodies so we are at a loss as to what happened? He cleaned his with soap water and air. I used windex with cloth and air.

 

[slobin3d]

old paint? or the wrong type?

 

[mrpink]

sounds like they used plastic paint model, not polycarbonate paint.

I have used Tamiya color for a long time, with zero issues.

 

[Cake Eater]

Just got done painting an ambush body and everywhere I trim the paint is chipping away? Another friend painted his Betty body with Tamiya paint and it's just falling off everywhere, seems like were it flexes it just cracks off like regular paint?

Both of us have painted many things including lexan bodies so we are at a loss as to what happened? He cleaned his with soap water and air. I used windex with cloth and air.

Sounds like you might have gotten the wrong kind of paint. If you used Tamiya acrylic or lacquer (also known as model paint), then that would explain the cracking and flaking.
Also, if you spray too much paint on, the layers can become too thick and start to flake off. It's happened to me when doing a 4 or 5 color scheme...

 

[Mongo]

I love using the Tamiya paint, and have never had an issue with paint flaking off. Got to be the wrong paint. I always scuff the inside of my bodies with sandpaper before painting, it leaves a rougher surface for paint to stick to, and you can't tell once the body is painted.

 

[Eagle-Mark]

Darn I hope you guys are wrong and I didn't just grab the wrong paint!! Then my buddy grabbed the wrong paint too? I'll go read the can...

 

[mrpink]

Darn I hope you guys are wrong and I didn't just grab the wrong paint!! Then my buddy grabbed the wrong paint too? I'll go read the can...

they look almost identical. I have had to double check a bunch of times. Not your fault.

 

[Big Mike]

It's happened to me too - twice.

If I've gotten the wrong Tamiya paint at my LHS, then I've done it twice now. Right off the rack with all the other rc paint cans - NOT off the other completely different rack with the model paints.

Tamiya paint has flaked off BAD on me on two different bodies. Both were HPI bodies - a 73 Bronco and an MX-1. I re-painted the Bronco so many times, it weighed like 2 pounds when I shelved it.

After the Bronco fiasco, I triple-prepped the MX-1 - washed it out 3 times with hot water and dish soap, then let it dry overnight. Made damn sure not to touch the inside the next day when I painted it. Came right back off anyway, a good 50% of it or a little more. I shot it again with Testors Model Master, it's been good to go ever since.

I just got a Subaru Brat body (Tamiya - flimsy lexan compared to HPI) this time I used some Pactra metallic black. Have'nt run this one yet, we'll see how it goes.

Both the Pactra and the Testors rattlecans provided much better coverage - Tamiya paint has always made a "puddling" or "raindrop" effect as it is applied, like it's reacting to something. Pactra and Testors rattlecans have never done this to me.

When I was a kid back in the mech. speed control days, I'd shoot a body with whatever I found in my dad's shed, never really had a problem.

Personally I'll never use Tamiya paint again, I've had too many problems with it...

 

[firesprink281]

you might be using to thick of a coat. i had that prob a lot, try multiple light coats.

 

[Mnster]

R/c
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXFFS2&P=ML

model
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXRS79&P=7