Paint problem

[Smoke]

I have a slight problem that I thought you guys might be able to fix. I've been painting locos recently and I have had the paint start to rub off. It only rubs off on the corners and edges. I have a glosscoat(future acrylic floor finish) on there and it still rubs off. I am using Badger Modelflex paints. The shell that it is rubbing off of was stripped in 91% alcohol, and then washed with soap and water before painting. The color that is rubbing off is engine black.

Any ideas as to why it is rubbing off? I would post pictures of it except I already painted over it again with the black. If it starts to rub off then I will post pictures of it.

Please help!!!!

-Smoke

 

[Smoke]

Here is a pic of where it is rubbing off.

 

[jbaakko]

I've always had this problem with Modelflex. It's something with the paint. You can actually rub it off the whole model if you try to hard.

I've had much better lock with Polly Scale and Floquil, though I still have a number of Modelflex paints. But if you saw my paint storage, you'd never know what I liked more...

 

[jbaakko]

Oh, since its black, try touching up with a 1/4oz bottle of testors black.

 

[leghome]

Smoke did you prime the model before painting the black? I have had a similar problem with another brand of paint and after I primed it the problem disappeared.

 

[SRT]

I would second the primer solution. It certainly looks like an adhesion problem.

In my time as a taxi owner, I had to do plenty of touch-up work on car doors. Right along the edges where it's tough to get paint to stick. The only thing that worked was a good primer before painting or the paint would just flake off. It also involved sanding, but I wouldn't suggest that on the model.

SRT.

 

[jbaakko]

I wonder if that Adhesion promoter would work? Its basicaly clear primer. Wal*mart also carries black primer in the model paint section.

 

[sushob]

The water-based ModelFlex paints don't seem to adhere as well as solvent-based paints or even other brands of water-based paints. I know I ran into a bit of a chemical conflict once when I painted a model with acrylic airbrush paint (the pre-thinned craft store stuff) and then sprayed it with Dullcote, but I can't remember for the life of me what it was on

I'd have to agree with the rest of the gang though, try a primer (I don't recall you using one in your step-by-step thread, but I could be wrong).

 

[Smoke]

Ok, I'll go to Caboose and get some primer. I sure hope that this is the problem as I really like the prethinned paint.

Thanks,
Smoke

 

[jbaakko]

Smoke, check wal*mart for that black primer. I think Model Masters makes more colors of primer too. It may help greatly as its already black then...

 

[Zephyr]

I've also had this problem before, although on a smaller scale. It was the engine black for me as well. I found that it only happened on models that I did not paint primer on, where the paint would go directly on the plastic. Now I use SP Letter Grey for primer and it works great. However, nowdays I usually paint a locomotive that is already painted, which also works as a great primer.

 

[Smoke]

zephry,
I have some primer now and I will let all you know how it turns out. I have two coats of Future on it right now and the paint hasn't worn off anymore.

-Smoke

 

[Smoke]

I got a different loco painted with primer and it looks great. nothing has worn off yet so I think the primer worked.

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Smoke

 

[leghome]

I guess us older folks do come up with a good idea now and then eeeeeeehhhaa