[bayern]

Has anyone out there come across this problem, the acrylics are refusing to adhere to some plastics.

As I had no previous problems with oil based paints, I am assuming it is an oil poblem, probably traces of the releasing fluids left on the surface.

What can we clean it off with?
Little people are to darn small to scrub.
Any one any constructive ideas?

Alan from Bayern

 

[ebaykal]

Hi Bayern and welcome to MRF.

If you are painting small plastic figures I would suggest you work with synthetic enamels. They tend to adhere to the plastic more rather than water soluble acrylics.

If you insist on acrylics then try to wash all your figures, before applying any paint, with a drop off liquid detergent in water and scrub them with a piece of cloth then rinse. By this method you will get rid of the surface tension and you will see that your paints will adhere to the plastic.

Hope this helps.

Baykal

 

[Madkitten]

Hiya,

I work extensively with acrylics and have done for ages !! I would reccommend that if you want it to adhere well then prime the model first. I spray everything i paint with Halfords grey primer first. Not only does this show up any mistakes you have made and allows you to correct them but also gives a brilliant base for painting in both enamals and acrylics. For me i find the range and overall finish of acrylics is far better than oils, specially for buildings!!

Hope this helps you

Nikki

Here is some of my work painted with Acrylics.

 

[Madkitten]

Also I forgot to add the best Acrylics i have found on the market at the moment are by Games Workshop although the new range from Humbrol are of a good quality!!

Nikki

 

[Isambard]

The trouble is that acrylics, in contrast with oil-based paints, contain no solvents, so they cannot merge with the plastic. When dry, they form a rubbery kind of film that you can scrape off with a small screwdriver (not recommended for miniature figures!) or even pull off in once piece. Just take a look at the dried paint on the inside of the lid!

I have used Revell Aqua Color to paint and weather plastic buildings and above all to remove the plastic sheen. I have also used a matt brown acrylic by Noch (#61193) on my Fleischmann Profi track, both on the nickel silver rails and the plastic parts. All the acrylics have remained in place.

The best way to clean plastic surfaces is to use a track cleaning/smoke generator fluid, e.g. "SR 24" or Trix fluid #66624, which does not attack plastics.

Isambard from Munich

 

[Madkitten]

Thats the great thing with halfords primers - they create a new surface that reacts with the plastic and then when you use acrylics on it they stick fast!!!! I dont have any problems with paint flaking / scratching at all and i use primarily acrylics on everything including the vast amount of work that i sell to people and i have had no complaints as yet !!!!

Regards

Nikki

 

[bayern]

Hello Isambard

You must live down the road somewhere.

I am 30km north of München.

Being a western man myself from Cornwall, the name Isambard rings my bell.

Thanks to everone for the info, will act on what I can.