Hackworth

I’m painting a Hooben Leopard 2A4 (yea, I know…). I primed with Mr Surfacer as a black base and went over that with some 1500 white. I’m airbrushing Tamiya NATO green and after a few hours touched the surface and the paint wants to rub off. I cannot tell if it’s because the rough printed surface wants to come off or I should avoid acrylics with 3D printed parts. any suggestions?

Max-U52

I'm not sure about acrylic, I always use enamel, but I always use rustoleum "rusty metal" (self-etching) primer followed by model master enamel, both in the spray can, with model master enamel through the airbrush for camo colors and I've never had a problem. Model master has been discontinued so it can be hard to find, but the Tamiya laquer also works well and is still easily sourced.

Oh yeah, that's on stuff printed in PLA.

Hope that helps.

Wozwasnt

I've never had a problem with acrylics and printed parts. I use Halfords Red/White primer (sometimes I use their filler primer on rought prints). Looking at your photo it seems like the problem is between the 1500 white and the acrylic as there's no black base coat showing. Also I find Tamiya paints seem to be very powdery and marks very easily so I try not to touch it.

Elwarpo

Could be multiple reasons. How long before primer and green? Was this the glass bottle Tamiya paint or spray can? Is the green and white new or have they been around for a while? For me it looks like the green paint did not form a film. When the green rubs off does the white also?

BTW I am a paint chemist and have been inventing paints for 35+ years.

tankme

Wonder if the paint dried before hitting the surface?

Max-U52

Testors "skintone, warm" enamel has gotten really hard to find. Any idea what colors I might mix together to get something similar?

yellowshaker

My Feedback: (1)

What are you tinning the tamiya paints with? I recommend the tamiya laquer thinner for those paints. Also I have not had much luck using mr surfacer as a primer.I'd use a normal primer or even try the tamiya paint without primer and see what results it yields. You should have no issue using those paints.

Elwarpo

White and rust red, add some ochre (yellow iron oxide) and a bit black.

Max-U52

Thanks, I'll give that a try.

Hackworth

thank you all for your responses. most appreciated and some things I hadn’t considered. sorry for the delay to respond; work, life, work, more spraying.

I really do miss Testor Model Master enamels. I still have a few dozen colors that are almost 20 years old. most are still good. sad loss… no NATO colors though.

Mr Surfacer primers were both sprayed about 2 days apart allowing each color to cure a bit. I waited about a week before I started the camo. I stopped airbrushing with the green (Tamiya glass bottle) on the turret while I sorted this out.

I’m thinning with Mr Leveler whatnot. it’s been great with Tamiya acrylic paint on other projects. I moved away from using their thinner because Leveler works so well. /shrug. unsure there. would Tamiya lacquer thinner work with Tamiya acrylics?

I think Tankman might be onto something. I may have been too far away and the paint dried in air. In hindsight, I started close with outlines then as filling in pulled back a bit and allowed more paint to flow.

today, I went over the blotches I caused and continued with the sides of the turret and gun working more patiently and closer.

oh and then there is not touching it, rubbing it or anything stupid like that until I seal the paint job down. we’ll see. thank you!

P.s. only the green paint was coming off. the primer adhered.

Conan_the_Hungarian

Hackworth, there is also the possibility that there was still printing residue left on the 3D printed parts you are painting. I am referring to those printed using UV resin printing. Did you thoroughly wash your parts before you started printing them? And certainly I agree that the paint could have been drying before it hit the surface of your print if the pressure were set too high, or you were too far away.

Hackworth

No, I didn’t wash the parts as the tank arrived assembled and painted green from Hooben. I presume they handled that. I covered their paint. they appeared not to use any primer, but I really think I was too far away with my airbrush when covering larger areas. Need to keep it safe until I clear coat it too…keep my grubby hands off it.