Paintwork that went wrong

Ask away...
User avatar

Topic author
baggen
F2 Champion
F2 Champion
Posts: 180
Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2003 3:20 pm
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Lotus, Ferrari
Location: Karlshamn, Sweden
Status: Offline
Sweden

Paintwork that went wrong

Post by baggen »

Hi all,
Some weeks ago, I decided to start building the Ebbro Tyrrell 003 1971 Monaco GP. I ordered primer and colour from Gravity Colors in Spain.
After I had primed the chassiparts, I let it rest for 2 weeks before I started to airbrush the parts with the main colour. And what a disaster!!!
Instead of getting a smooth layer, the paint raised and created a swirl-like pattern all over the parts. In the picture I have sanded down the surface a bit so you can see what I mean.
Image
So I ordered some new parts from Ebbro in Japan, and this time I primed with Tamiya’s Liquid surface primer G (which should be ok with Gravity colors and Zero paints) and Zero paints Tyrrell Blue. And the same thing happened again!
Some background: I painted with the recommended pressure from Gravity and Zero paints, painted 4 layers, 3-5 minutes between the layers, the first 2 layers were very thin.
Humidity: about 40%, temperature: between 21-24 °C.

The model I did before this Ebbro, was Tamiya’s Red Bull. And here I used Tamiya primer and Gravity Colors paint and it worked without any issues!
Image
Any ideas what can be wrong here?

Regards,
//Paul

bushok
F3
F3
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue May 29, 2018 9:31 am
Your Name: Rob
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Max Verstappen
Location: Nederland
Contact:
Status: Offline
Netherlands

Re: Paintwork that went wrong

Post by bushok »

Hi Paul, it is a familiar problem as I had with using Zero Paints Castrol Green. The only thing I can think of is that the paint is very hot (as in: contains a lot of thinner). Leaving more drying time between coats (they must not be wet when sprayed a second, third etc. time) could be the trick. But it is frustrating!

Good luck, Rob
User avatar

MarcoSaupe
FOTA Vice Chairman
FOTA Vice Chairman
Posts: 1610
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2007 2:10 pm
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: HHF
Location: Germany
Contact:
Status: Offline
Germany

Re: Paintwork that went wrong

Post by MarcoSaupe »

I don't know Gravity colours, but the same thing happened to me several times with Zero paints - those are automotive paints that can attack the plastic, causing the effect you saw. It seems some plastic is more damaged than others, Ebbro and Fujimi were problematic on my side, while Tamiya had less problems.

For me the only working countermeasure was to use Zero paint sealer underneath. But that requires you to add 2 additional layers of paint (the sealer and the primer on top - and you should also use primer under the sealer, otherwise I had the problem, that the sealer did not stick to the plastic when removing masking tape).

Therefore I only use Zero Paints on resine kits.

Jordan2.0
F2 Champion
F2 Champion
Posts: 191
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2020 10:39 am
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Tyrrell
Status: Offline
Belgium

Re: Paintwork that went wrong

Post by Jordan2.0 »

Use TS15 from Tamiya ! No problems and the perfect shade for Tyrrell blue..Make it easy for yourself man !

Alex.
User avatar

indycals
FOTA Chairman
FOTA Chairman
Posts: 2927
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:27 pm
Your Name: Indycals
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Lotus
Location: 6450'/1955m Colorado USA
Contact:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Paintwork that went wrong

Post by indycals »

Sounds to me like Gravity and Zero should be avoided - if a company can't make a primer and paint that work together they are doing something VERY wrong. I'm with Alex - TS15 is the way to go.
User avatar

daveyman
FOTA Chairman
FOTA Chairman
Posts: 4535
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 11:39 am
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Riccardo Patrese
Location: Hull, England.
Status: Offline
Great Britain

Re: Paintwork that went wrong

Post by daveyman »

I use zero paints exclusively for bodywork, never had a single issue. Apply it over at least two coats of automotive primer on plastic, from Ebbro, Tamiya and Fujimi, and resin kits. I would suggest that the paint system is good.
User avatar

Hein
Backmarker
Backmarker
Posts: 375
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:01 pm
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Leyton House, Ferrari, Simtek
Location: Lengenfeld Austria
Status: Offline
Austria

Re: Paintwork that went wrong

Post by Hein »

I always use tamiya white primer with Zero paints, never had any problems. But be carefull not to paint wet layers, just thin mist coats untill the desired covering is reached, works fine for me.

Noddy
World Champion
World Champion
Posts: 626
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 5:26 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Paintwork that went wrong

Post by Noddy »

indycals wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 1:50 pm Sounds to me like Gravity and Zero should be avoided - if a company can't make a primer and paint that work together they are doing something VERY wrong. I'm with Alex - TS15 is the way to go.
Isn't that kind of missing the point that both are automotive paints and much too solvent-based for plastic? IOW it's not that the paint and the primer are incompatible it's that one or both are reacting to the plastic under them.
Zero paints are simply re-packaged Lechler paint for the car industry and I assume Gravity is similar.
User avatar

indycals
FOTA Chairman
FOTA Chairman
Posts: 2927
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:27 pm
Your Name: Indycals
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Lotus
Location: 6450'/1955m Colorado USA
Contact:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Paintwork that went wrong

Post by indycals »

But they are marketed for model cars.
User avatar

dgwoodward2
Midfield
Midfield
Posts: 492
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:39 am
Your Name: Don Woodward
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Senna
Location: North Canton, OH
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Paintwork that went wrong

Post by dgwoodward2 »

Just like any other tool, they need to be used properly. Yes, Gravity and Zero (both excellent in my experience) are a heavy solvent based paint that if used to excess, can cause some harsh problems. When implementing their their recommended instructions (start with light coats), there should not be an issue. There are many modelers out there that use them routinely on plastic.
Post Reply