Painting Resin

[cmgn8905]

I have a pair of Heiser's Models M-7 Priests and was wondering how to paint them without destroying them. Will regular spray-paint work?

[Anonymous]

First I would like to say [#welcome] to the forum.
Always nice to see new users.

Second I would advise against just spray pains. I know from first hand experience that it will be much harder to get an even flow, for example when the can is emptey or tilted enough it will sputter and the paint becomes messy. I ruined a 40 Amtrak Box caar that way.

Try an air brush. If you don't already have one get one (it will come in handy latter on down the line.) WalMart had one for 19 bucks

Also get paint brushes for the hard to reach areas.

Thats all I needed to paint one of my deisles.

If by ruining the engine you ment the pains eating away at someting or joints becoming stiff you should look at the warning labels on the paint (Most spray paints that I used ate away the foam I had on the work bench. (Gives me the Goose Bumps)

For the joints try to cover them up with plastic or tape or something. If you can without ruining the engine seperate the parts to be painted from the parts not to be painted.

Red

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cmgn8905

I have a pair of Heiser's Models M-7 Priests and was wondering how to paint them without destroying them. Will regular spray-paint work?

Yes; rattle can spray paint will work just fine. You should use a brand specifically designed to be used with models (Model Master makes the right shade of olive green), but in a pinch, Krylon will work.

To geta nice, even coat of paint on your models, you need to perform a few simple steps:

1) after assembly, wa***he model with a little dishwashing detergent and a toothbrush. Let dry fully, and then handle as little as possible. You want to remove the mold release agent and any skin oils from the model.

2) Add a layer of primer to the model. In general, I use Floquil gray primer, but black, white and oxide red will also work just fine. Just remember that the primer color choice WILL affect the body paint color. Black will make it darker, white will make it lighter, and red will give it a sepia tone. For a WWII-era AFV fresh from the factory, I'd suggest black, since the olive the military used lightened with exposure to the sun and elements. It was much darker (and slightly shiny) when new.

3) Once the primer layer is thoroughly dry (1-2 days), spary the model. Shake the can thoroughly (1-2 minutes), clamp the model into a holder of some sort (I prefer surgical hemostats, which clamp & lock), and start painting. Spray the nooks & crannies and underside of the model first, with quick, even bursts of paint. Once you've got them covered, go back and spray the easily viewed top surfaces with light, even, straight line strokes. Remember to not get too much paint onto the model all at once, or it'll clump and run. Adding two light coats is always better than one heavy coat!

After the spray is dry, add the detail paint. Here's a few tips about WWII AFV paints:

1) the treads are NOT NOT NOT black! The PADS on the treads are rubber, and ARE black. The rest of the tread was factory painted olive, which quickly wore off and rusted.

2) Don't add any secondary weaponry, antennas or cargo to the model. New AFVs were shipped without secondary weapons, and used in-transit vehicles have these things crated up and secured before the vehicles are ever loaded onto a flatcar.

3) Don't add any unit markings. New vehicles should only have the national recognition stars and the serial numbers on them. And be sure to add the correct markings for your time period! The stars changed at least six times during 1940-1946, and the serial numbers went from light blue, to white, to yellow, and back to white. There are several websites that can help you figure out what's correct for which years.

4) Add a tarp over the Priest's crew compartment. ALL open-topped AFVs had covering tarps, especially for transport. In many cases, the entire AFV would be tarped, but for model purposes, something to cover just the fighting compartment will suffice.

[boomer44]

I model AFV's (WW II) as well as model rr myself.

What scale are these?

Large scale (1/35 and up) the spray paint cans will work as orsonroy has mentioned.

Anything smaller and I would go to an airbrush or brush. My son has done a lot of brush work with 1/72 with good results. He does us modelers' paint only though.

I have painted (modelers' paint also) Roco 1/87 AFV's with good results. At these smaller scales not a whole lot of detail to paint that shows up.

New vehicles will not have much added equipment on them as they are not yet battle ready. They may have boxed (wood) equpiment on their decks secured with metal strapping or cable welded to the superstructure.

As orsonroy suggested a tarp does wonders

Gordon

[cbqer]

I only use Scalecoat andusually Scalecoat II. As a BN modellor Floquil was always the wrong Cascade Green so I switched to ScaleCoat in the 70s. ScaleCoat I is for metal or plastic with a barrier coat while ScaleCoat II is for plastics. Try some, I think you will like it.

*** Donaway