Painting a Brass car

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wheeler1963

Aurora & Portland Owner
I need a little help with this one. What should I do to this car before painting it?? I'll be using Floquil paints, with Testors Dull-Coat finish. What do I need to do to etch the car?? Thank you for the help.

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You have a couple of options.

1: If the car has a clear coat on it, you can wash it to get skin oils & other contaminants off, then paint it. The clear coat will act as a primer, and the paint will stick to it.

2: You can strip it by soaking in lacquer thinner and cleaning the clear coat off, then etch the car in vinegar. Wash, dry, and paint.

3: Know anyone with a blasting booth? I blast the models, ultrasonically clean them, then paint, but this is the most expensive way, as it requires the most equipment.

All methods will work...I didn't always have the blasting booth or the ultrasonic cleaner :) Also, I would very strongly recommend Scalecoat 1, not Floquil. Scalecoat 1 is formulated for brass, and once baked on, gives you a gloss finish good for decals without having to clear coat. You can dullcote after decaling.
 
What i have been doing with my brass models is:
1: A through scrub with a toothbrush in hot water and detergent, rinse and dry.
This will get rid of finger prints and any residue of flux from the soldering process.
2: Let it soak in a mixture of vinegar and water for a hour or so rinse let it dry then paint it.
This does clean the brass, does it etch the surface i do not know i just work on the cleaner the better for paint adhesion.
All the brass i have painted recently has not had any sort of lacquer or varnish on it, had there been a lacquer coat i would have removed it but that's my personnel preference.
I have been using polyscale acrylics to finish off the models because that's all i can get in the UK and the end results are OK.

Mike.
 




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