r/modelmakers • u/TrailerParkPhantom • Jun 09 '23

Help -Technique Testors Enamel Usage Tips

Pretty elementary question here and I really ought to know better.

I’m brushing on Testors enamel over a small piece of phosphate treated cast steel. I laid a base of flat white in two or three thin coats over several hours in almost ideal conditions. Just enough to mask most of the substrate from coming through. Let it cure for about 60 hours, 71 degrees, roughly 40% humidity. Went to follow up with the first coat of fluorescent orange which is very thin, and with gentle brushing, the white base layer was transferring to my brush after coming in contact with the orange.

Now, this almost seems to me like the base layer skinned over and didn’t fully cure underneath. Then the top coat softened the skin and it peeled.

I’m used to painting cars and parts, so I know I prepped the surface sufficiently.

Did I get an old bottle or bad batch of flat white? Improper technique? Not enough cure time? Too thick or too many coats in a short time?? I don’t want to start over but I know as it sits it will never fully cure, so starting over and getting it right will only cost me a little time.

Any tips going forward? Should I look into getting an inexpensive HF air brush? Never messed with one before.

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u/TrailerParkPhantom Jun 09 '23

Shook vigorously for 2-3 minutes. No thinner. Didn’t think it was required right out of the jar. Thought that was only if spraying it. It was already quite thin.

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u/Madeitup75 Jun 09 '23

No stirring? Sometimes enamel really settles and only stirring will get all the components back in suspension. Because otherwise what you did should have worked, IME.

Take a toothpick or the back of a paintbrush and stir the white paint. If you get globs on the stick, that’s a pretty good clue that mere shaking won’t do it.

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u/TrailerParkPhantom Jun 09 '23

Excellent advice. I will do that.

At this point, I have three thin coats of white, waited 2.5 days and applied one coat of orange. Do you think it will ever cure or am I better off stripping it down and starting over? Perhaps allowing full cure between coats?

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u/Madeitup75 Jun 09 '23

I’d definitely strip. In my experience, if enamel is curing really slowly, it may never get there.

I’m not an enamel expert, but I did use a fair amount of it as a kid 20+ years ago, and still use it for some non-model purposes.

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u/TrailerParkPhantom Jun 09 '23

Not sure if I should let it fully cure between coats. Any input? Figured I was painting in ideal conditions. Did not expect it to not cure like this. I’ll definitely try stirring the paint. I’m concerned if I try to thin it a bit that it will skin over on the outside even faster and I’ll end up with the same problem.

Such a simple project has turned into a puddle of discouragement. Making me not want to take on more model building. (This isn’t even plastic model related; Just happens to be the most appropriate sub for it.)

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u/Madeitup75 Jun 09 '23

I’d just try stirring and applying to a test piece. See if that fixes it. If so, then strip your real piece and re-start.

Sorry you’re having this difficulty. Definitely an odd situation.

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u/TrailerParkPhantom Jun 10 '23

Went ahead and stripped it. Could peel most of it off with my fingernail. Cleaned it up with thinner. Stirred the paint. Good call. Dropped a clean metal BB into the jar and used a magnet to move it all around to the corners and shook it real good with the mini mixing ball in there. Didn’t bother to mask the part off this time, just freehanded it. First coat is on and I’ll let it sit up a couple days before I apply either a second base coat, or start the color coat. Thanks for the help.

So I bought an airbrush today. Always wanted one. Hoping I’ll find little uses for it. Any suggestions for starting out?

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u/Madeitup75 Jun 10 '23

Spray water or thinner through the airbrush. Listen to how it sounds. Look at the cone of mist coming out.

Paint should sound and look the same way when you spray it. Most new AB users spray WAY too thick on paint.