Primer rubs off model

[william smith]

I hope everyone is doing well , I just finished trumpeters stug 3 , I washed the model with methyl salicylate or something like that , then it was primed with Vallejo black , the primer went on nice , but I noticed on wheel rims and rivets and edges the paint just comes off , back to bare plastic, is this normal? HELP!

[M3talpig]

44 minutes ago, william smith said:

I hope everyone is doing well , I just finished trumpeters stug 3 , I washed the model with methyl salicylate or something like that , then it was primed with Vallejo black , the primer went on nice , but I noticed on wheel rims and rivets and edges the paint just comes off , back to bare plastic, is this normal? HELP!

Yes this does happen as the primer is acrylic water based and as such there is nothing to promote it biting into the plastic....i noticed this early on in my switch from enamel to acrylics. Tamiya acrylics have iso-propanol alcohol in them also enamel uses spirit both of which help key the paint to the surface, but water based like AK,MIG,Vallejo do not. Consequently any paint you put on top of the under coat will probably rub off as well

 

The beautiful thing about stinky paint is that generally the stinky part is the bit that cuts into the plastic and so sticks with no flaking....... then whatever paint water based or otherwise will have a good base to stick to.....

 

I generally undercoat with Enamel matt white or black or both if preshading ,then use the modern acrylics on top and have had very few problems with rub off or flaking.

 

All the above being said some people get on fine with full acrylic paint jobs ....but in general i find it to be far too delicate without a base of something harder to key the paint too.

[vytautas]

I have a special opinion about the primer. 

I use Tamiya acrylics without any primer. The paint adheres very well, although I rub it relentlessly. I’ve never rubbed through the paint, and they’ve never peeled off. I don’t know how with other paints, but Model Master and Mr.Metal Color metalics, and Tamiya acrylics stick to plastic without any primer. 

 

Vytautas

 

[jenko]

I know this might sound a little daft....but it works for me. 

 

I have the same problem with acrylic primmer and use it very little. I agree totally with  vytautas but make sure the plastic is totally grease free and rub the surface with a very fine micromesh to give more of a key to the paint. (like you would if you were plastering a wall).

 

Dick

[WYATT]

I used to use hycote matt black as a primer then I switched to airbrush and use the vallejo mecha primer and as that is designed for gundam stuff. 

 

All my painting is done with vallejo and never had much of an issue

[Greg B]

Moved to the correct area. This is not a work in progress post...

[william smith]

1 hour ago, WYATT said:

I used to use hycote matt black as a primer then I switched to airbrush and use the vallejo mecha primer and as that is designed for gundam stuff. 

 

All my painting is done with vallejo and never had much of an issue

Must be maybe mecha primers have a more resistant finish due to the complex construction of gundam kits , so much articulation the primer must be strong 

[Shin]

If you want to stick to acrylic waterbased primers, I can recommend Stynelrez (also repackaged as Ultimate Primer from UMP or One-Shot Primer from Ammo/Mig). It dries quickly with good coverage, doesn't hide detail, and feathers when it's sanded after curing (instead of coming off like a skin). I'd stick with black or grey at first, the white is a little more difficult. 

[Dunderklumpen]

3 hours ago, Shin said:

If you want to stick to acrylic waterbased primers, I can recommend Stynelrez (also repackaged as Ultimate Primer from UMP or One-Shot Primer from Ammo/Mig). It dries quickly with good coverage, doesn't hide detail, and feathers when it's sanded after curing (instead of coming off like a skin). I'd stick with black or grey at first, the white is a little more difficult. 

I can also recommend UMP primer and Stynylrez. Works very well for me and is possible to sand after adequate time for curing. Black gloss under Vallejo works really good.