Paint Quality

[LintonBob]

Sorry if this has been raised before but....

Is it me or are the acrylics/humbrol enamels really thin????? Is there a paint with better coverage/opacity or do I need to do something that i'm missing?

I've bought a range of colours but they all seem to be the same......

Help!

 

[stona]

I can't speak for acrylics but Humbrol enamels vary considerably at the moment. Quality control seems to be an issue since production left the UK.

What do you model? There are other paints available but some are quite specific.

Cheers

Steve

 

[tecdes]

Bob are you trying these paints direct onto moulded plastic. If you are then depending on the colour the grey plastic will grin through.

Try them on a primer. Vallejo do about 10 colours for primers. Some top paint colours are more opaque than others. Yellow is a terror & you need more coats.

Also are you airbrushing. If so give a mist coat first then follow with fuller coats until you get what you want. With Vallejo Model Air paint (except Yellow & a few similar) I find the mist coat then 1 or 2 top coats does the job.

Cannot comment on other paints as not had experience.

Laurie

 

[LintonBob]

Paints

So pleased I joined this forum, thanks for your replies.

I'm building an Italeri Sunderland and using brushes to apply camouflage. I am trying to cover bare plastic, I wasn't aware that primers were needed now . Also Stona, I've never tried any other paints, are Revell or any other manufacturer any better?

I'll certainly use a primer now though, thanks for the tip tecdes.

 

[stona]

I would recommend a primer though some will swear that priming is not neccessary. I use grey Halfords Plastic Primer. I don't really use acrylics much,I had a flirtation but returned to the enamels that I've been using for many years.I do primarily WW2 aircraft and have replaced a lot of my camouflage colours with the Colourcoats range from White Ensign Models. They are very much like,if not better than, Humbrol used to be and their colour matches (to ww2 colours) are generally very good.

There are plenty of other options.

Cheers

Steve

 

[michaelm]

I also find the the Halfords rattle cans (the one you want is the 'primer for plastic') work really well.

Spray from a good distance, 18in-24in and dust lightly, allow to dry (it dries quick) between coats.

You will find I think a much better coverage and adhesion with your colour coats, it also helps to identify any areas which may need filler or other attention. M

 

[MrSprue]

I would recommend a primer before using acrylics as acrylics don't cling too good to bare plastic. Any flat enamels can also be used as a primer, Humbrol light grey (64) is often recommended.

I know it's no help to today's modellers, but back in the 1960's......Gloss enamels were what were available at your Woolworths shop, Humbrol and probably some Airfix (in bottles). As a youngster, I would have had no patience to do more than one coat, but they covered beautifully in one coat. I have a few models left from then (they are Aurora figures) and I can't detect any brush strokes either, so they must have been easy to apply also.

Maybe they ingredients were changed to meet health and safety standards. I know today whites, yellows and reds are a pain to use, especially using a brush. I always use Tamiya White acrylic if I want a bright white that doesn't yellow.

 

[LintonBob]

Maybe they ingredients were changed to meet health and safety standards. I know today whites, yellows and reds are a pain to use, especially using a brush. I always use Tamiya White acrylic if I want a bright white that doesn't yellow.

Aah. Health and safety.... Correct me if I'm wrong but as I remember, neither I nor my friends ate our models when we finished, neither did we drink the paint before applying to test the viscosity . Having said that, I realise there are those who have not brought their children up to avoid ass-holiness and they need protection.....

I will be buying Halfords primer asap, thanks for the info guys and also trying out the white ensign range, thanks again.

 

[michaelm]

Halfords | Halfords Plastic Primer Grey Spray 300ml

this is the stuff I use Robert.

 

[stona]

Me too ^^^^^^^

I also use white sometimes. If an model has a white band or white rear end (Like my current "natter" build) I just mask off the relevant area of primer and avoid ever having to spray white later.

Like this.

Steve

Steve

 

[LintonBob]

Cheers Steve/Michael, I'll be using white for the brighter colours and grey for the rest. If i think about it logically (hahahahah), it's the same as spraying cars... Next one I do will be much better

 

[yambam26]

Hi Rob,

I also use halfords primer good value for money and as you can see it does the job well, There's a small tin and a large tin one at £6.49 and the other at £7.49 the large tin is 500ml which has been lasting me ages

Also Humbrol is coming back to the UK to be manufactured and it has been all re formulated aswell,it will be a while before we get hold of this paint but if it goes to how the paints used to be all the better!

Cheers,Ben